THE fascinating and ancient history of the Donegal curragh has been preserved for posterity in a book which will be launched in Dunlewey tomorrow (Saturday).

"The Donegal Curraghs" by Moville man Donal MacPolin takes an informative, in-depth look at the remarkable craft which may be the oldest type of boat in Europe. The book even provides instructions on how to build a curragh.

Speaking in advance of tomorrow's launch author Donal MacPolin explained that his special interest in the Donegal curragh came about when he became part of a team assembled to write about the traditional wooden boats of Ireland.

Donal's section of research was into the clinkered boats of the north coast.

"I went to have a look and discovered a great history of curragh building that was fading fast. I started to poke about and got to know people that had curraghs. There are five different types in the county. The oldest in Ireland and in Western Europe is the Uaigh curragh from Owey Island.

"There is a treasure trove of interest here in our own county. I am particularly angry that successive governments have ignored this maritime history and they are still doing it," Donal added.

He managed to locate archive pictures, meet curragh builders and was shown how this type of traditional boat building is done.

"Andy McGonagle of Owey Island explained how their particular curragh was built and the late Jim McElhinney shared his skills. What was to be one chapter in one big book, became a book on its own.

"I was also interested in folklore that related to the curraghs and Tim Stanton agreed to do the engravings for the book. Towards the end of the book I have included a series of instructions on how to build the curragh that was traditionally built in the Dunfanaghy area.

"The Donegal Curraghs" contains a wealth of photographs, diagrams and history of the curragh as well as the folklore and legends surrounding it.

At the launch in Dunlewey there will be an exhibition of illustrations and engravings from the book. The launch will be carried out by Chriostoir MacCarthaigh, Archivist from the Folklore Commission. Donal MacPolin's earlier works on traditional boat building include "The Drontheim", a boat with strong Greencastle connections and "Forgotten Sailing Craft of the North Irish Coast".

"The Donegal Curraghs" is published by Cottage Publications and it is available from local bookshops from this week priced 24.95 euro.