About coracles :: About The Coracle Society :: Building and padding coracles

About coracles

Coracles are smallish vessels used for fishing or transportation. Despite being in existence for over 11,000 years, they still thrive and are in use today. Most people associate Wales with the coracle - this is where it has been, and still is, most actively used in the United Kingdom but you can find them in Scotland, Ireland and as far away as India, Vietnam and North America. In a very simple manner, they are the shape of a coconut that has been halved, but the wonderful thing about them is that every one is unique – no two can ever be the same, as their shape and size varies.

 

Regional variations play a part in the many different styles of coracles. The reason for regional variations is down to what they were to be used for in that area as well as the building materials available locally. But regional variations aren't as simple as saying coracles on the river Teifi are different to coracles on the river Towy; for example two River Severn towns close to each other, Shrewsbury and Ironbridge, have distinct styles. The Ironbridge coracle is a bowl shape whereas the Shrewsbury shape is similar, but squarer. Larger coracles, built for carrying more people, tend to be curraghs and are commonly found in Scotland and Ireland.

 

The most common use of coracles that people know of is fishing. In parts of Wales there are a few coraclemen left who make a living from coracle fishing. It's a relatively simple task, either by dragging a net upstream between two coracles or if on your own, attach one end of the net to the riverbank. However they are also used as a method of transportation - in countries such as Pakistan, India, Tibet and Korea, much larger versions than what we're used to seeing are used to carry many people - and animals - across rivers. And of course, they're pretty good for a gentle paddle on a Sunday afternoon