The future of the iconic Galway Hooker sailing vessel – once at risk of extinction and an important part of Ireland’s maritime heritage – has been secured thanks to support from the Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) West programme administered by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).
Through the FLAG Coastal Communities Development Scheme funded by the Irish Government and the EU under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), the Galway Hooker Sailing Club has received €35,000 towards the development of a dedicated Boatbuilding and Training Centre at Galway Docks.
The new centre will provide a permanent base for the restoration, preservation and sailing of Galway Hookers, traditional wooden vessels synonymous with Galway Bay and the west coast’s maritime history. Designed to withstand strong Atlantic winds and challenging coastal waters, the Galway Hooker remains a powerful symbol of Ireland’s fishing past and seafaring identity.
The project will protect a unique maritime tradition while creating new opportunities for skills development, community participation and local economic activity in the Docklands area.
Welcoming the investment, BIM Interim CEO Richard Donnelly said:
“This FLAG investment demonstrates BIM’s commitment to sustaining vibrant coastal communities by supporting projects that protect marine heritage, build skills and create long-term social and economic value.
The Galway Hooker is an enduring symbol of our maritime identity, and this project will help ensure that both the vessels and the traditional skills required to maintain them are passed on to future generations.”
“The FLAG programme empowers community-led initiatives linked to the seafood sector, helping to diversify local economies and support meaningful employment. The work of the Galway Hooker Sailing Club is a strong example of how heritage preservation and community development can go hand in hand.”
Founded in 2019, the Galway Hooker Sailing Club has already restored and maintained several vessels and now manages a fleet of 11 Galway Hookers. Over the past six years, the club has represented Galway at maritime festivals across Ireland and Europe and founded the Galway Docklands Festival in 2022 to celebrate traditional boatbuilding and maritime culture.
In 2025, the Oliver family entrusted one of the most renowned Galway Hookers, Claddagh, to the club. Its restoration will be the first major community-led project undertaken in the new workshop.
According to the club’s Youth Development Officer, Maria Buckley, who helped coordinate the project:
“The new boatbuilding centre provides a safe, fully equipped space for hands-on restoration and maritime craft training. It allows us to expand our programmes for apprentices, students, enthusiasts and local schools, while keeping traditional skills alive.”
A pilot Transition Year work experience programme is already underway, giving young people the opportunity to learn wooden boatbuilding directly from experienced craftspeople.
“There is enormous interest in the Galway Hookers from people of all ages and backgrounds,” Maria added. “You don’t need to come from a sailing or fishing tradition to be involved. This is about inclusion, learning and pride in our shared maritime heritage.”
Collette Furey, who coordinates the club’s Hooker Skills Course – combining classroom learning, boat restoration and on-the-water sailing – said the renewed focus on the Hooker marks an important turning point:
“Galway Hookers are more than boats; they are living symbols of our community and heritage. This project is about stewardship, not commercial gain – ensuring that boatbuilding skills and maritime knowledge continue for generations.
The revitalised workshop will support lifelong learning and intergenerational skill-sharing, connecting Galway’s maritime past with its future.”
The Boatbuilding and Training Centre will host regular Workshop Saturdays and public drop-in sessions, encouraging community participation, woodworking skills development and a deeper appreciation of maritime heritage.
The project is expected to deliver both social and economic benefits for the Docklands area, creating year-round activity and attracting trainees, heritage groups and visitors seeking authentic cultural experiences. The club anticipates the creation of the equivalent of one full-time role, alongside indirect employment across construction, events, tourism and local services.
The closing date for applications to the FLAG Coastal Communities Development Scheme is 29 January 2026. Further details are available at bim.ie.
