Newgrange - Boyne Currach Centre

 

Building The Newgrange Currach

Using the same traditional method that has survived here on the river Boyne over the centuries.

     

Mark out shape and positioning of uprights 23 ft long x 5 ft wide. Get 200 hazel rods, clean and straight, point them with an axe.

                                        

     

Push uprights firmly into the ground.  If the ground is hard, create the hole using bar and hammer.

        

Weaving the Boyne Currach was always done inside out, reversing the butts.          The weaving rods are slightly thinner than the uprights.

                   

        

When one full circle is completed, reverse  the direction of weave and go around again. The weaving of gunnel is complete.

           

Trim and beat back all the butts. Pair off the ribs and bend over, secure into the ground on opposite side.

           

Weigh down the basket for at least two weeks. Shape and tie the rods tightly.

            

Dig it up from the ground.The largest basket in the world!

     

Cut of butts and tidy and loose ends. The Currach is now ready for its skin!

 

     

The crew, not quite ready to take to the sea yet, lend a helping hand to sew on the eight cow hides!

 

    

With one set of hands working from the inside and another set of hands working from the outside, weeks were spent sewing the skins in place!

 

    

Most of the sewing is done with the Currach still upside down, but it is then turned right side up to complete the sewing. Now it is ready for the gunnel.

    

A long straight Ash bow is chosen for the gunnel, split in two and the center carved out, using chisel and mallet.

    

It is then set in place. Shorter hazel rods are pushed through holes in the gunnel and down into the weave on the frame. This holds the gunnel in place and also tightens the weave around the frame!

    

When it is in place, the buts are then cut off with an axe.

    

More leather is then cut into fine strips and used to tie the leather around the gunnel. This is called tonging.

    

The leather is tied in place using the thin leather strips, tonging, over the gunnel and onto the weave on the Currach frame. Also in the picture you can see the woven floor, done in sections and placed on the floor of the Currach.

    

The seats are also woven from willow and tied into place, four seats fit into this Currach, two men on each seat and the ninth man holding the rudder to steer!

 

Keep watching this section, we will be adding more pictures as the project develops and progresses.