[AusRace] AusRace Digest, Vol 39, Issue 12: The Curragh

[Duff]

Mornin' Robert ,

You Wrote ::

From: "Robert J Ford" <kernow.fords at ntlworld.com>

> Duff,
>
> Enjoying your writings on UK racing.
> I am not so sure about 'An Currach'  in meaning the racecourse, in Gaelic.
> It has two more common meanings:
>
> 1. A wooden boat, framed with skins, of the type that St Brendan may have
> sailed to Newfoundland in 6th Century.
>
> 2 .A marshy place.
>
> There is also "an currach mor" which literally means the big boat - a
> roundish timber table used by the parliamentary speaker - which may relate
> to those ancient clan meetings on the Curragh. Original " name of "An
> Carraich Life may have meant the "boat shaped" plain drained by the River
> Liffy. Like much in Ireland, myth, humour and history mix so charmingly.
>

MFD........As is the charming way with the Irish Robert , we are both
correct ..........if someone else had chimed in with 3-4 additional
explanations , it's possible they'd be right as well :-).

Not being a Classics scholar of note , I tend to go with the flow .

Below are a number of references for both explanations complete with
provenance .

1).........In a country where breeding classic racehorses is almost as
widespread as the green grass on which they thrive, the Home of the Classics
is the Curragh racecourse. The ancient Gaelic name Curragh actually means
racecourse and in the very earliest Irish manuscripts, the Curragh figured
as a place of sport for Celtic Kings and their people.
(Napit.co)


2).........Gaelic: An Currach-Meaning The Racecourse  ( Go Racing Ireland).



3).......There are stories told that from the very first race that took
place on the
Curragh around the 1700's, which was recorded by Cherney's racing calendar
in 1727.
The word "Curragh" means place of the running horse. As early as the third
century there was chariot racing on the Curragh. This is well documented.
The Irish turf club was founded in the coffee rooms in Kildare and it was
soon established as the governing body for horse racing throughout
Ireland.( The Curragh Racecourse History).


4)..........This was approximately 500 A.D., almost 900 years
before Christopher Columbus left Spain to do the
same. There are references to curragh boats as far back as 100
B.C.
The curragh (sometimes spelled currach) is a hardy but light
boat frame of wood, usually oak or ash, covered with canvas,
often painted with a black oil paint. Originally, animal skins
were used instead of the canvas. With length of 25 feet and
weight of only around 250 pounds, it moves under guidance of
long oars of about nine feet in length, but taper to only about
one inch at the water end.(John F O'Brien Jnr..Historian).

So there we have it ........Takes your pick .

As we were talking racecourses at the time , I omitted any reference to the
boat .

> Like much in Ireland, myth, humour and history mix so charmingly.
>

MFD.......so true .......& it's been passed on to Ireland's Sons & Daughters
in the Antipodes ........we refer to it as "never letting the facts get in
the way of a good story " :-)

Now .......sharpen your pencil for an up-coming piece on the ancient walled
City of York & the imminent Ebor Festival which is conducted over 3 exciting
days
next week ......Tues 21st ...Wed 22nd...Thur 23rd .

Another fantastic flat racing Carnival with a total of 11 Group & Listed
races over the 3 days ....all the usual suspects will be there with bells
on.
.

York Racecourse is built on the Knavesmire Stray , a *marshy area* right
within the City limits just along from Hob Moor & Micklegate Stray .

If you have a passion for the ancient Yew Tree , as mentioned in the First
Testament .......there will be plenty of interest as well .

Quite interesting how you can link ancient Biblical Yew trees with
horse-racing in York ......it wasn't easy ,  but I've somehow managed :-)

(Yew trees are usually associated with graveyards .....a much nicer name
than cemetery , don't you think? )

I'ts true ......I'm in my element following the UK racing , as much as for
the history as anything , but I admit to a certain fondness for the REAL
racing terminology such as miles , furlongs & yards ....the Swinley Bottoms
& the Dingley Dells ......the 15/4's & the 11/8's .....the Glum & Gloomy
weather ....& the lovely Julia Bradbury :-)

The terrific value on offer compared to here in OZ is not hard to take
either , plus the fact that with a bit of tweaking , sound Australian
handicapping methodologies translate half way round the world with ease .

Regards ,

O'Dubhthaigh


PS.......You are somewhat responsible for this UK odyssey Robert .......you
shouldn't have encouraged me a couple of month's ago .

Michael O'Shaunessy Duffy
Cygnet Racing Foundation
Cygnet Thoroughbred Management
Chiangmai Bloodstock Syndications
63 Vine St  Magill      SA  5072
Ph::: 08 8364 6659
Mob :: 0400 526 193
Email::  mdu59851 at bigpond.net.au


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert J Ford" <kernow.fords at ntlworld.com>
To: <ausrace at it.net.au>
Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2007 11:30 PM
Subject: Re: [AusRace] AusRace Digest, Vol 39, Issue 12: The Curragh


> Duff,
>
> Enjoying your writings on UK racing.
> I am not so sure about 'An Currach'  in meaning the racecourse, in Gaelic.
> It has two more common meanings:
>
> 1. A wooden boat, framed with skins, of the type that St Brendan may have
> sailed to Newfoundland in 6th Century.
>
> 2 .A marshy place.
>
> There is also "an currach mor" which literally means the big boat - a
> roundish timber table used by the parliamentary speaker - which may relate
> to those ancient clan meetings on the Curragh. Original " name of "An
> Carraich Life may have meant the "boat shaped" plain drained by the River
> Liffy. Like much in Ireland, myth, humour and history mix so charmingly.
>
> regards,
> Robert