PR: Traditional lake boat in the clinker-built Viking style

PRESS RELEASE

Trainees with CELT (Centre for Environmental Living and Training), the East Clare-based charity NGO, are building a traditional lake boat in the clinker-built Viking style.  According to CELT tutor Del Harding, who is supervising the work over several weekends at his workshop in Bealkelly Wood, Tuamgraney, boats south of the Shannon have followed a design brought by Celts from the Mediterranean region but north of the Shannon was very much influenced by the Vikings.  When the boat is complete, it will be used for display and training purposes and can easily be fitted with a mast and square sail to replicate the form of a Viking longship as a tourism attraction for local festivals and other events.  The course is supported by funding under the LEADER programme along with other courses including Plant Magic with Kes Clarke at Caher Rice, Feakle (8 days during summer) and Artist Blacksmithing with Mark Wilson at the Forge, Mountshannon (various weekends).

Also supported by the LEADER programme (administered by Clare Local Development Company) is CELT Summer Weekend in the Woods at Bealkelly Wood, Tuamgraney, on 2nd and 3rd July where a special new course - Family Bushcraft - is offered for parent and child learning skills together.  Other courses on the weekend are at 'intermediate' level (for those with some basic skills) and include Greenwood Crafts with Sean Walshe (use of green native timber to make creative furniture based on natural character of the wood), Wet Felting with Joan Casey (using natural wool and dyes to make a seamless hat and bag), Wood Carving with Andrew St.Ledger (carving native timber into 3-dimensional designs), Spinning and Weaving with Susanna Anker (focussing on tapestry weaving and hand-woven jewellery) and Nuno Felting with Jenny Lienhardt and Mia Foley (combining various silk, wool and plant fibres and dyes using a Mongolian traditional technique to create a colourful scarf).  Some of these courses are open to youngsters from age 10 years and upwards.

Further information about these and other courses and events is available at  www.celtnet.org , email : info@celtnet.org , telephone 061-640765.

ENDS

(contact Bob Wilson / Sarah Thompson , info@celtnet.org , 061-640765)