History of LN Boats

o

Some Historical Information

These images show Lough Neagh working boats in the Maghery/Milltown area of the South Lough Neagh shore, Coney Island in the background. The top image is taken on Coney Island. All Lough Neagh working boats share common features that are unique in wooden working boats. One of these unique features is that the planking turns from clinker at the sides to a butt joint at the back or stern, giving a smooth rather than stepped appearance at the transom. A similar feature was common to the ‘lighters', the coal barges used on the lough and adjacent canals, lighters’ from the 1840s onwards. Lough Neagh working boats commonly used sprit rigs, a jib and main, sometimes a second mainsail for racing or larger boats. Both, transom joints and rigging, seem to be features that derive from common 17th century working boats. For fastening the planking (often pine), hooked plain iron nails were widespread. No keelbolts were used, instead, the ribs and floor bands were screwed through the 'apron' (or hog) into the keel. For the finish, green paint was a common choice of colour in the southern shore area. A white stripe on the sides helped to spot boats at night.

Flat bottomed cots, decked at the front, were commonly used for setting nets in shallower shore areas. So-called ‘flats’ are a compromise between the cots and working boats, displaying a more shapely hull. They were used for clay transport, mainly on the northern shore.

The origins of the Lough Neagh working boats are unclear, although their design has been compared to Dutch boats of the 17th century. Clinker construction vessels are known on the lough since medieval times, the lake being a favourite shelter for Viking winter quarters. Carvel boats from the 17th century have also been found on the lough. The cots are likely to be a continuation of the logboats which were common here from the late Neolithic till the 17th century.

Back to Top of Page

A Selection of Postcards...

"On Lough Neagh's Banks" near Toome. 'Postcard British Manufacture'. Same location (Cranfield) as photographs in the WA Greene collection. Note deep stern and outrigger plate on the boat to the left.

Shanes Castle, Co. Antrim; drawing. Two boats with main sprit sails, one of which appears to be reefed to the sprit. Boat in the foreground could be a cot?

Lough Neagh Hotel, Maghery, Derrylee. The old hotel (later the Ferryside Inn) near our workshop before extensive alterations and vandalizing...

Back to Top of Page

Archive Material

Literary References to Boats on Lough Neagh

Few texts refer specifically to boat types on Lough Neagh and many are out of print. LNBHA keeps reference photocopies of most of these for research purposes.

Breen , Colin & Forsythe, Wes; Boats & Shipwrecks of Ireland;Tempus, Dublin 2004; p. 114/115. Reference to early 18th century carvel (!) boat found on the lough; (see also Wilkinson, D.)

Donnelly, Daniel; On Lough Neagh’s Shore; The Fishing Culture: Methods of Fishing; p. 43-73;

Downings, Pascal; Boats; unpublished article

Fry, Malcolm; Coití - Logboats from Northern Ireland; EHS, Belfast, 2000

Lönze, Holger; Lough Neagh Boating Heritage Association; Brochure, Maghery, 2008

McCaughan, Michael; Lough Neagh Replica Fishing Boat; Ulster Folklife, Vol. 30, 1984, p.55-62

McCaughan, Michael; Sailing the Seaways; Belfast, Friars Bush Press, 1991; p. 108/109

McCaughan, Michael; Inshore Craft – Traditional Working Vessels of the British Isles; Chatham Publishing, London, 1997; Planked Craft of Ireland; p. 225/226

Owain T. P. Roberts; The Boat from Lough Neagh ; International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, Vol. 25 Issue 3-4, Page 265, Aug. 1996

Wilkinson, David and Williams, Brian; The discovery of an early 18th-century boat in Lough Neagh; International Journal of Nautical Archaeology; Vol. 25, May 1996, Issue 2, p.95 (more)

Unknown; The Bell, Stewartstown Historical Society, 1990s; Reference to Lough Neagh Fishing Boat (n/a)

Unknown; Athletic Sports at Maghery; Maghery Gaelic Club, 1908; Listings of boat names taking part in races

Photographic References

W.A. Green Collection, Ulster Museum, Belfast; WAG 1970 (boat near Cranfield) and others

Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, 1972/1983 UFTM370.1973; L1726; L1661, L1671; L1717; L1780; L1590; L1592; L1710
(Series of images about the making the UFTM boat by Alec Shaw)

Audio Recordings

John Bann Lavery, Gawley's Gate talking about the Ulster Boat; 3. March 2006, c.70min. CD/MD (Content: Making clinker-built Ulster Boats at McGarry’s boatyard; Sailing on Lough Neagh; Cycling)

Loughie McQuilkin, Rathlin Island talking about fishing in Drontheims, 2006, c.70min. CD/MD (Content: Fishing with Drontheims; Construction; Sailing; Navigation; Fishing)

Molly and Seamus Walsh, Columbkille talking about sail making, 29 March 2007, 48min. CD/MD. (Content: Sails for Lough Neagh Boats; Boats in Maghery area, bog butter; house construction, thatching, butter making)

Back to Top of Page