Courses / Activity Holidays
Here at the Boyne Currach Centre we offer a choice of two courses - Wood carving and Boyne Currach making. The cost of each course is €240 with each course lasting for three days and B+B is provided on site.
The daily timetable is as follows but is open to adjustments as required
8:00am Breakfast
Pancakes / Cereal / Croissants / Omelettes, plain or mushroom / Tea & Coffee / Toast
9:30-12:30 Course Activity (See below)
1:00pm Lunch
Homemade Vegetable Soup / Fresh Cheese Salad / Fresh Brown Bread / Tea & Coffee / Desert
1:30pm Free Time to tour the many interesting aspects of this historical Boyne Valley. Our location is within a walk or cycle of all our monuments & scenic locations. Bikes available on request from bike rental shop, must be booked in advance!
Evening Meals can be catered for; rest assured our diet is vegetarian and may give you an insight to a world of slow food in a calm environment. Bar-B-Qs can be supplied if the above is a challenge and salad ect. supplied if requested
Woodcarving Course
Wood Carving 3-Day course
Course Content
Introduction to the workshop and materials, the native timber used and the selection of tools needed to complete the projects.
Cut out of your choice are viced and waiting.
The choices are Salmon of Knowledge, Celtic Love Knot or Celtic Cross
1. The Salmon of Knowledge. (+ €10.00) A good introduction for all beginners. A choice of Lime (A) or Oak (B), two extreme differences in strength. (A) Lime is a soft timber and gold in colour, gives clean detail and is the traditional carving wood of Europe. (B) Oak is a strong hard wood, muscles will be challenged at the beginning! A dark brown colour, of good quality, ordains a lot of the churches around.
2. The Celtic Love Knot. (+ €15.00) A bit more of a challenge with the Interlacing and surface design. Again this can be carved in either Native Lime or Oak..
3. The Celtic Cross. (+ €20.00) A substantial piece of wood (Oak) with all levels required cut and ready. You may choose which design you wish to carve on the neck of the cross, an internal knot work, the tree of life or St.John. You choose when booking so as the preparation work is completed before your arrival.
" Tools are provided for the course and are also sold on site if you wish to purchase (Ashley Isles or Pfeil chisels, mallets and Clamps)
" There a good range of carving books for you to browse through.
All of these carvings can be seen on our online catalog. Please take a look and see.
A woodcarving class in progress.
Boyne Currach Making Course
Over the three day course you will learn in detail the methods of construction of the traditional river currach using hazel rods and cowskin. You will construct a miniature model of your very own currach to take with you.
Course Content
As the traditional Currach is over 7 ½ stone in weight and takes a lot of man handling to complete, this course gives you all the skills in the making without the backache.
The basket, made in the traditional way in the grass sod, only at table height, covered in black canvas giving the traditional image with out the weight, the seat and miniature oar carved from ash and the net woven to rest on the súgán ropes, a full three days work!
The basket for the currach being made.
Full Sized Boyne Currach Making Course
Week long courses are given in winter on the making of full sized Boyne Currach making.
Materials and costs are as follows for this weeklong course:
" 70 hazel rods cut and ready €50
" 20 Willow rods for súgán ropes €30
" Leather skin ready for use €150
" Tonging & Twine €20
" Ash timber for oar and seat €30
" Straw mat (if time allows)
" Sewing thread and needles
" 3 nights B&B (plus lunch) €165
" Cost for tuition €350
Total cost for week course €795
To request moe info contact sinead@newgrangecurrach.com
