Gandelow river races revive traditional rowing craft to river

LIMERICK is proving that it is truly living up to its Riverside City reputation and on Saturday, May 19, the river will again be the centre of attention when the Gandelow Races commence at 2.30pm, after an absence of 65 years. They will take place between the Shannon and Sarsfield Bridges “The day will begin with a reception and presentation of boats, followed by talks in the Strand Hotel at 10.30am, including a presentation of Limerick city’s new fleet of gandelows,” Gary MacMahon, manager of the ILEN Wooden Boat Building School, told the Limerick Post.

The school, in collaboration with river folk and community groups, have come together to build a new fleet of five boats.
Said Mr McMahon: “The event also celebrates an incredible six months of work by local school children and master shipwrights from Ireland, UK and France in building and crafting a fleet of five gandelows, river boats which were once an integral part of the economic life of the city”.
A special feature will include a lecture by the Benedictine Monk and Forester, Anthony Keane, OSB, at 11.15am in the Strand Hotel. Anthony is a founding director of the AK Ilen company, as well as a race organiser.
At 12 noon, Lance Lee of the US, will present a lecture – Wooden Boatbuilding & Community Education. Mr Lee is a founder of several incarnations of the Apprenticeship Maine USA, of Atlantic Challenge International and of the Tremoline Project and has worked on numerous boatbuilding projects all over the world.
“Lance’s journey in wooden boatbuilding education began in 1968, and when many men would be winding down, he continues to embrace new challenges,” informs Gary.
“One of his recent projects, was working with boatbuilder Brady Gow to build a smaller version of Tremolino, the lateen-rigged balancelle (a Mediterranean workboat) used by Joseph Conrad to run guns for the royalist cause between Marseilles and Catalonia in the late 1800s. This should prove to be a most stimulating and inspiring lecture”.