A number of books were written about life on the Blasket Islands. Peig Sayers, Tomás Ó Criomhtain and Muiris Ó Súilleabhán described their lives as island dwellers in the late 1800 and the early 1900s.
Ó Súilleabhán's book "Twenty Years A-Growing" contains many references to naomhógs or currachs. Reading his book we can tell how important they were for the islanders.
First Glimpse of a Currach
In the following passage, Ó Suilleabhán describes the first time he saw a currach:
' I was watching the white crests on the sea below. A good gale of wind was blowing from the southwest. We moved down through a great cliff, a rough, narrow little path before us. When I came in sight of the quay, what did I see but twenty black beetles twice as big as a cow!
' Oh,dad,' said I, 'are those beetles dangerous?'
....I turned my eyes towards the slip and what did I see but one of the big black beetles walking towards me. My heart leapt. I caught hold of my aunt's shawl, crying, 'Oh, the beetle!'
'Have no fear,' said she, 'that is a curragh they are carrying down on their backs.'
Ventry races
Ó Suilleabhán describes a day spent at the Ventry Races, where teams from different villages competed against each other in currach races. Currach races are still held each summer in Ventry:
"Any man now who has any spirit,' said the King, getting up, 'let him take a curragh south to Ventry next Sunday. There is going to be a great race in it.'
"...we ran down the strand, leaping as lightly as goats for sheer delight until we noticed four curraghs drawn up in a line, the men stripped and their oars streched forward.
'...Tomás, look at the curraghs ready to race.'
'Oh Lord! won't it be great sport watching them!' And he leapt into the air for joy.