In 2023, the OGA60 Diamond Jubilee celebrations took place in Dublin Bay. 14 boats competed for the prestigious Asgard Trophy on 27 May. The winning boat was ‘Blát na hÓige’, a Galway hooker transported overland to compete, launched into the River Liffey with her mast re-stepped and the boat re-rigged all in time for the race. Read the full report on afloat.ie.
Ten years previously, ‘Cine Mara’, pictured here in a photo by Alistair Randall is a replica Galway hooker, built in steel and launched, 2012 to undertake the OGA50 Round Britain Challenge in 2013. Her skipper and builder is a Dutch member of the OGA. She is built on the lines of the famous ‘True Light’, measured and drawn by Joe Murphy from Dublin. The Galway hookers are traditional Irish working boats originally developed for use in the Atlantic west coast of Ireland.
The Galway Hooker Association was established in 1978 with the aim of restoring and preserving these historic vessels.