Galway City Museum is teaming up with the Galway Hooker Sailing Club to offer Transition Year students the opportunity to learn about the maritime heritage of the Claddagh and the Galway Hookers – the traditional workboat of Galway Bay.
The Galway Hooker is one of Galway’s most enduring and recognisable icons. Any visitor to the city will notice its image, or distinctive red sails, featured across local businesses, schools, and public spaces. The Galway Hooker has been the traditional sailing workboat of Galway Bay since the early nineteenth century. With their wooden black hulls and rusty red sails, these boats were once used for fishing and transporting turf, seaweed, cattle, and even alcohol around Galway Bay — from Connemara across to Kinvara and into the port of Galway. The Claddagh, located on the banks of the River Corrib, is steeped in the history of the Galway Hooker. One of Ireland’s oldest fishing villages, it once boasted a sizeable fleet of Hookers that brought fresh fish to Galway’s markets at the Spanish Arch.
On Thursday mornings thorough March and April, Ciaran Oliver and Colette Furey of the Galway Hooker Sailing Club, together with Museum staff, hope to inspire another generation of seafarers. In each session, students will learn about the maritime history of the Claddagh, before visiting the Galway Hooker exhibition in the Museum, which features a full-size bád mór – The Máirtín Oliver – and then heading outdoors to view key local maritime landmarks.
These sessions take place at the Museum on Thursday mornings, 11am to 12:30pm, and are free of charge.
About the Programme
Location: Galway City Museum and surrounds
Format: A 90-minute session, once a week, delivered to TY groups
Structure: Students rotate through short stations, including:
- A talk on Galway Hookers and life in the Claddagh
- A guided local history and museum highlights tour
- A short outdoor heritage walk beside the Museum
Cost: Free of charge
The aim is to give students a meaningful, interactive experience that connects local history, culture, and maritime heritage.
Book Now!
Bookings may be made by emailing info@galwaybaytours.com
Progression Opportunity
Students who express interest may continue into a 4-week work-experience programme with Galway Hooker Sailing Club, involving hands-on marine and boatbuilding activities. Upon completion, students will be considered for a scholarship to join the club.
