My name is Noel Campbell, I am the curator of traditional Irish boats in the Irish Folklife Division of the National Museum of Ireland.
National Museum of Ireland curator Noel Campbell. © Noel Campbell.
The National Museum of Ireland - Country Life is currently developing a gallery at Turlough Park in Castlebar, Co. Mayo for the permanent display of a selection of boats from the Irish Folklife collection. The gallery will focus on the traditional boats of the Atlantic coast with boats and associated material from counties along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.
In this blog, I will post updates on the development of the gallery, as well as posting on my research and fieldwork on traditional boats along the west coast of Ireland.
In planning the gallery, I aim to visit museums, heritage centres, clubs, boatyards, coastal and fishing communities, boat builders, experts, harbours and strands from the Northern Headlands in Donegal to the Haven Coast in Cork.
Please feel free to leave a comment on any of the posts.