The Boyne currach is the last remaining wicker craft that continues to be woven from hazel rods and covered with animal skin. Classed as Ireland's smallest currach, it survived by netting salmon on the river Boyne. The first written accounts show it being used from the 1360s in a court case between currah men and the Cistercian monks of Melifont Abbey, but it wasn’t until 1848 that William Wakeman drew the first illustrations, describing them as being built with raw hide and witties. Two years later he also described the beautiful lake currachs further inland on Lough Ree in the same context as boats transporting turf. This is important as its the same location as where Thomas Mc Phillips is believed to have painted a picture of an inland sailing currach, 200 years before, and describing it as 'working up a portable vessel', in1685. Donal O' Sullivan Beare built a 26ft currach from witties and 11 horse skins in 1604 to escape from the Crown forces just a little further north. It’s from these descriptions the concept of the Newgrange currach grew.
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