The Ilen School’s Gandelow Gang travelled to the 2014 Baltimore Wooden Boat Festival, West Cork, on May 23rd. The school’s busy winter educational building programme, which successfully produced four new 23′ Gandelows, has given much impetus and pleasure to the school rowers and racing teams they comprise.
The Baltimore Festival, the fourth event attended by the four Gandelows, first launched in April, is a wonderful occasion – a festival who’s high standards and values are perennially maintained by a cadre of Irish vernacular wooden boat savants. The success of the festival can be directly attributed to their philosophy of privileging the traditional skills of wooden boat building and seamanship. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude for their hospitality and inspiration and wish them many more years of festival success.
During the main race, held on Saturday, the crews had to contend with gusty wet conditions and occasional contrary currents. The challenging 10 nautical mile course around Reengaroga turned out to be an exciting battle between Gandelows and Currachs. The Gandelow Gang racing crew led by Mike Grimes battled hard and took the line honors.
click here or on the main image to view all photographs from the event
Picture Above: Rowing Towards the Pier on Sherkin Island
