Crinniù na mBad
Crinniú na mBád, or ‘The Gathering of the Boats’ is held in August every year in the lively fishing of Kinvara, Co. Galway to celebrate the Galway Hooker, a unique kind of sailing boat. Cityjet have been the proud sponsors of Crinniú na mBad since 2005 and are privileged to be a part of this special event that helps to keep the rich tradition of this boat-building alive.
The Galway Hooker is a distinctive single-masted boat used for fishing and the transport of turf, livestock and goods between Connemara and the Aran Islands in the 19th century. The hooker is a very impressive sight, coated in pitch with its dark red-brown sails. The use of these boats declined with the arrival of electricity and improvements in the road but since the late 70s there has been a revival in interest in the Galway Hooker.
The Festival of Crinniú na mBád was first held in 1979 to recreate the old turf route from Connemara to Kinvara. This tradition is still a part of the festival today and is followed by the unloading of turf onto the Quay. Today, the festival includes many other events and races for different types of Galway Hookers – from the Gleoteoig to the Bád Mor.