The Coracle

The coracle is a small, rounded, lightweight boat of the sort traditionally used in Wales, and also in parts of the West Country and in Ireland, particularly the River Boyne, and in Scotland, particularly the River Spey. The word is also used of similar boats found in India, Vietnam, Iraq and Tibet. The word "coracle" is an English spelling of the original Welsh cwrwgl, cognate with Irish and Scottish Gaelic currach, and is recorded in English text as early as the sixteenth century. Other historical inaccurate English spellings include corougle, corracle, curricle and coricle.

[@noblestsavage1742]

I grew up in cilgerran, a few miles downstream from here. Our village coracle man was called Hadrian, he was in his 80’s when I was a boy but he taught us all to paddle. Every year we had a village fete called coracle week and among the festivities we had coracle races.

[@davidmichaels8934]

Yes, we also lived in Cilgerran during the 1970,s and 1980,s,coming from the Midlands, it was a lovely place to live, yes, Festive Week was held each year in late August, and featured village football tournaments and also fancy dress, and finally the coracle and water events on the Teifi, not sure if this annual event still takes place, we now are in Brittany, France.

[@noblestsavage1742]

@@davidmichaels8934 I left there in 92, I’ll ask my parents. They still live there. We’ll probably know the same people maybe even each other?

[@davidmichaels8934]

@@noblestsavage1742 thanks for the reply, we left Cilgerran in 1984,since then many things have changed, very sad to see that the Pendre Inn and the Cardiff Arms are both closed permanently, my wife worked at the Pendre in the 1970 /80,s I played football for Cilgerran Rovers in the mid 1970,s and later managed the Second team at Newcastle Emlyn, we have happy memories of our time in West Wales, last visit was in 2008, but lots of new people there, and many friends and neighbours had passed. But we keep the memories!

[@noblestsavage1742]

@@davidmichaels8934 I didn’t know the pendre had gone. My first girlfriend was the landlords daughter, we were together 7 years. I ended up living with them for a while. I haven’t been back in many years but I’m there for this coming Christmas. I’ll get to finally show my wife my home.

[@davidmichaels8934]

@@noblestsavage1742 thanks for the reply, just checked, the Pendre was sold this year, in March, not sure if was a pub, but right now it's permanently closed, very sad indeed, I remember changing into our football kit, in an upstairs room at the back of the Pendre Inn, very basic, then trotting a quarter of a mile to the football field! Hope you enjoy your trip back this Christmas.

[@boozoochavis7506]

I was amazed to see a round boat or coracle a few years back on the giant Ark build - never seen one before that in my life. These ingenious little boats have been built all around the world but seemed to have faded with the loss of traditional living and the skills that went with that way of life?! They work in 3" (75mm?) of water no less - amazing! I'd love to have one myself.

[@annapurnadas6648]

There are coracles used in the southern part of India too

[@rubygray7749]

A wonderful glimpse of this versatile traditional craft.

[@eliz_scubavn]

These coracles look almost identical to round boats you see here in Vietnam.

[@gillygerbilchillman3281]

Poor Salmon don't have an easy life !

[@Veldtian1]

When you're yummy you're yummy..!