Voyaging History
The maritime heritage of Ireland has been a constant source of inspiration for Holger's work besides archaeology and Irish mythology. He has been building curachs and traditional Irish boats since 2001 and has run community boat building workshops for several years (see http://www.loughneaghboats.org). From 2005 to 2006 he built a naomhóg, and collaborated in 2007 with the photographer Anne Burke, the Kerry writer Danny Sheey and musician Brendan Begley on an ongoing art project: Turas Cholmcille, a 200 miles long journey from Sligo to Rathlin Island. The journey follows the foot-steps of Columbcille to Iona. The archetypal urge for voyage is something Holger identify with – he moved to Ireland in 1995 and has been moving around Ireland and Cornwall ever since. The concept of voyage also remains significant in a wider context where current environmental and social uncertainties could force our culture on the move again, to an unknown destination, like a lone restless figure passing through time. Holger received support from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland in 2006/07 for this project.
A voyage in a Bronze-Age boat from West Cork to Cornwall is now in the planning - to commemorate the quest to get tin for the fine bronze work manufactured in Ireland 4,000 years ago.
The Comcille Voyage
Turas Cholmcille
In June 2007 three Ireland based artist set out on a voyage in a traditional Irish curach to follow the route used by Irish monks recorded from the seventh century. Staring in Sligo on the West coast they rowed 210 miles in the Atlantic Ocean to Rathlin Island and will continue next yeat to their final destination, the historic monastery on Iona, established by the saint Columcille.
The curach is a type of skin boat that has survived in different forms all along the Atlantic seaboard of Ireland from at least Neolithic times. A keel-less boat, it is made of a light wooden lattice frame that sits snug in a canvas skin, waterproofed with coaltar. The particular model used for this voyage is a 26 ft long and 4 ft wide four-hander Kerry naomhóg. It is rowed with four sets of oars but it is also driven by a small dipping lugsail with which it can reach up to nine knots. For emergency back-up a small British Seagull engine is used with an outboard well. This naomhóg Naomh Barran was built over a two year period by the sculptor Holger Lönze in Co. Cavan specifically for this journey. Skin boats are likely to be the oldest type of boat, and their survival in Ireland is a testament to their suitability to the treacherous conditions of the Atlantic coast. Not only are their still used for fishing but also did they contribute to bring farming to Ireland and Britain in the Neolithic. As the vessel of choice for early Christian monks they helped to spread Christianity to many parts of Europe from Ireland. As Tim Severin demonstrated in his 1976/77 voyage, Saint Brendan may have reached America around 800AD in a hide covered curach. Even earlier than this St. Columcille established a route north from Ireland to the Scottish isle Iona and beyond to Iceland. In both places he founded monasteries.
With Columbcille in mind the writer Danny Sheehy and sculptor Holger Lönze set out from Raghley in Co. Sligo, close to the site of his legendary battle over the earliest recorded copyright issue, the authorship of a religious manuscript. Via Inish Murray, where he founded a monastery, the route followed the south Donegal coastline to Teelin, another historic monastic site. There they were joined by writer and photographer Anne Burke and for some days the folklorist Críostóir Mac Cárthaigh on their way to the Island of Aranmore via the historic settlement on Rathlin O’Birne Island. Sailing round Bloody Foreland, now joined by accordeon-player Brendan Begley, they stopped on Owey and Gola Island on their way to Downings where Anne’s brother David joined the party. Surrounding the north western point of Ireland, Malin Head where Marconi transmitted his first radio signal proved difficult. Here the two tidal streams of the gulf stream and the Irish sea meet, creating strong and unpredictable rip tides of up to six knots. A straight forward twenty four miles sail then brought the party, now also including artist and currach maker Donal McPolin to Portrush in Northern Ireland. From there they went on the last 24 miles leg of the journey to Rathlin Island via the stunning Giant’s Causeway. Again the currach met seriously difficult tidal conditions with six knot tidal streams and whirlpools. During the whole journey prevailing north easterlies meant that sail time was limited and rowing had to be the main way of propulsion.
Bringing camping and art equipment including a bell tent meant that space on the boat was limited. The weight, however improved the handling of the boat when sailing with the 45 square feet dipping lug sail. Although keel-less, the naomhóg has great directional stability which can be further improved with the use of leeboards. Under sail the rear set of oars double up as rudders. The currach proved extremely sea worthy even under force 6 conditions and in 15ft Atlantic swells. The experience of being exposed to the elements in such an archaic craft contributed to the creative outcome of all participants. Beside creating many sketches along the journey, Holger modelled landmarks of the ports of call onto small wax models of early Christian monks’ bells which were later cast in bronze using Bronze-Age charcoal furnaces and clay moulds. Danny Sheehy filled several notebooks with anecdotes, historical legends and stories which were then worked into poetry. Brendan Bigley composed a three part jig specifically for the journey, which he performed on several occasions during the trip in harbours and out on sea.
The artistic outcomes were travel journals and a series of poetry and writing. Aspects of the journey were represented photographically. Small-scale sculpture and drawings lead to larger scale works of art.
Iomramha
In ancient Ireland, boats gave rise to a whole category of literature: the iomramha, voluntary voyages in rowed boats. Legendary protagonists like Bran, St. Brendan, the Ui Corra and Maelduin set out, attracted by some mysterious lure, to discover magical islands, encountering mythical creatures and places along the way. The vessel of choice in all these imramha is the skin boat. Just a flimsy lattice or basket frame and a thin, vulnerable skin separate ambitious sailors from inhospitable and unforgiving seas. And yet, this fragile vessel has been chosen not only by legendary mariners, but also countless generations of fishermen on the most treacherous seas of Europe. As the only seaworthy craft of the time, the skin boat played a crucial role in bringing the first Neolithic farmers to the British Isles. But this was not the only episode where they played an important role in introducing new ways of life. The skin boat was already a popular vessel when early Christian monks entrusted their life to God's hands - and to the fate of their small wicker and hide boats - in order to spread their spiritual message all over Europe. Their stories, and those of their pre-Christian predecessors, fuelled the spirit of the iomramha. In medieval annals, skin boats had a reputation for a less spiritual purpose. Cattle raids by the early Irish against Britain were successful thanks to the extraordinary qualities of skin boats. These raiding parties used the idle wintertime for such adventures, a more archaic equivalent of our own 'trade wars' carried out over the seas.
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