Symbol of
Galway Bay
The Galway Hooker is deeply iconic to Galway. 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 1800s. 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.
Heart of the
Claddagh
The Claddagh, located on the banks of the River Corrib — the fastest flowing city river in Europe — is steeped in the history of the Galway Hooker. One of Ireland’s oldest fishing villages, the Claddagh once boasted a sizeable fleet of Hookers that brought fresh fish to Galway’s markets at the Spanish Arch.
This proud community elected a leader known as the King of the Claddagh, whose boat had white sails. The King oversaw the fleet’s safety, decided when the fishing season began, and settled disputes within the village — a true guardian of the local maritime tradition.
Honouring Our
Living Heritage
It is this proud heritage that drives our passion to continue the work and traditions of past generations. How incredible is it to say that in 2021, we restored a 100-year-old Galway Hooker, with the hope that it will still be sailing in 2121 — 100 years from now. In other words, a boat once sailed by our great-grandfather could one day be sailed by our great-grandchild. That enduring connection between past and future is what keeps the spirit of the Galway Hooker alive.