Large crowds turned out at Ballina Quay on Sunday, June 14th, to enjoy an afternoon of Currach Rowing Races on the River Moy as part of the Coiste Lar na gCurrachai – All Ireland Currach Racing League.
The currach racing was one of a number of exciting events enjoyed by large attendances during the Ballina Quay Regatta – a weekend of family fun and entertainment centered on the historic Ballina Quay and River Moy.
An unseasonably stiff North wind, blowing up the Moy estuary, made the oarsmen’s job more testing, but all the crews were well up to the challenge while the sunshine made the event a wonderful spectacle for the crowds who lined the riverbank in front of Ballina’s pretty and historic Quay village.
The teams put on an exciting display of currach rowing at its most thrilling which was also enjoyed from good vantage points by all those out for a Sunday afternoon stroll in Belleek Wood on the west side of the River Moy.
Meanwhile, overhead, air stunt show pilots gave a spectacular display of loop-the-loops, and low swooping, to the delight of the onlookers on both banks of the River Moy.
Another highlight of the revived Ballina Quay Regatta was the arrival of the Galway hooker, Mac Duach, on Friday afternoon which proved a big attraction.
The owner of Mac Duach, Dr. Michael Brogan, and his two-man crew – Jarlath Cunnane and Tom Moran – sailed the traditional Galway fishing boat from Kinvara in Connemara into Killala Bay and up the Moy estuary before mooring at Ballina Quay for the weekend.
The Ballina Quay Regatta was organised by the Moy Estuary Boat Club, supporting the Ballyglass Lifeboat RNLI service.
MAYO.ME 