‘We’ve our fingers crossed’ – Galway Hooker Sailing Club submits application to steer the iconic boat toward UNESCO status
As Heritage Week 2026 gets underway, the Galway Hooker Sailing Club has formally sought UNESCO recognition for the iconic Galway Hooker through the Department of Culture.
The club, led by captain Ciaran Oliver, a descendant of the Claddagh community, submitted an application on August 18 seeking to have the Galway Hooker added to UNESCO’s Representative List as an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).
Recognition as an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage would acknowledge that the preservation, construction and continued use of the Galway Hooker represent a living tradition of skills and knowledge passed down through generations.
Boats being renovated at the Galway Hooker Sailing Club
Mr Oliver told the Irish Independent that the application had been submitted with the support of a dedicated team representing countries from all over the world.
“We’ve our fingers crossed,” he said, adding that the group was “prepared to engage with anyone who needs more information”.
A spokesperson for the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage told the Irish Independent in July that an application for ICH recognition had already been submitted by an unknown applicant. The Department reviewed the application and returned it to the applicant seeking further information.
After weeks of trying to establish who had made that application and make contact with them, members of the sailing club decided to submit their own application.
The Galway Hooker Sailing Club was founded in 2019
“It’s quite fitting that the application was submitted during Heritage Week,” Mr Oliver told the Irish Independent as he prepares to host a series of talks as part of this year’s Heritage Week programme.
Mr Oliver said the Galway Hooker is the “real” heart of Galway, pointing to the history of the Claddagh community and its enduring commitment to keeping the tradition alive.
The traditional vessel was once a common sight on Galway Bay, where Claddagh boatmen fished the waters to earn a living. For Mr Oliver, the campaign is also deeply personal. His distant uncle, Máirtín Oliver, was the last King of the Claddagh.
“The hookers are the symbol — they’re on hats, they’re on t-shirts,” Mr Oliver said.
Ciaran Oliver on a recent sail. © Emma Smith
Ireland has successfully inscribed five elements on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list over the past decade: Uilleann piping in 2017, hurling in 2018, Irish harping in 2019, falconry in 2020 and dry-stone construction in 2024.
If the Galway Hooker is recognised as an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage, it would then become eligible for nomination by the State to UNESCO’s Representative List.
With the application now before the Department, Mr Oliver said he expects the outcome to be “quite positive” as members of the sailing club await a decision.
The Galway Hooker Sailing Club was founded in 2019 and experienced significant growth during the Covid-19 pandemic, when communal activities were limited.
People from all over the world travel speciifcally to learn the craft at the Sailing Club, which opens its doors to all who have interest. As many as 30 to 40 nationalities were represented among those volunteering to work on the boats.