Gaeilge
Is é an ait chonaithe i gcomhair na mbádanna is sinne sa damhan na Cladach na Gaillimhe. Is bád iscaireacht tradisiúnta í an Húcáir i gCuan na nGaillimhe. Don chuid is mó bhí na Húcáirí úsaidte i gcomhair iascaireacht agus ag iompar trealamh agus earraí timpeall cuan na Gaillimhe agus na hOileán Árann. Ó mo chuid taighde féin, tugtar an ainm Húcáir chuig na mbád mar toradh ar an stíl íascaireacht a bhí á dheanamh ag naníascairí ar na mbád. Go bunúsach bain na íascairí úsáid as doruithe fada le roinnt duáin orthú. Ach ní raibh an ainm seo an bun-ainm a bhí acu. Bhí muintir na Cladach go léir Gaelgeoirí agus bhí ainmeacha difriúla acu as Gaeilge. Tá teoiric eile gur tháinig an ainm ón Ísiltír. Creidtear gur bhfuaireadar an leagan amach ó bád cosúil ón 17ú aois san Ísiltír darb ainm 'Hoeker'.
Tá trí stíl Húcáir difriúla ann. An Bád Mór - 35-44 troigh fada. An Leathbhád (half boat) - 28-35 troigh fada. An Gleoiteog - 20-28 troigh fada. An Púcán - 23-28 troigh fada.
Tá tuilleadh eolas ar na Húcáir ar fáil i músaem na nGaillimhe.
An Taisce - Tá an taisce lionnaithe i áit ina mbíonn na Húcáir an chuid is mó don ám. Le do thoil TDPF
English
The Galway Claddagh is home to some of the oldest boats in the world. The Hooker is a traditional fishing boat used in Galway Bay. The Hookers were mainly used for fishing and transport around Galway Bay and the Arann Islands. From my primary research, the name Hooker was given to the boats due to the style of fishing that the fishermen did on the boats. They primarily fished with long lines with multiple hooks (also known as long-lining); however, the name Hooker was not their original name. The locals to the Claddagh were all Irish speakers, and they had different names for them in Irish. Another theory suggests that the name came from a Dutch origin. It's believed the hookers were made based on a design of a 17th-century boat in the Netherlands called a 'Hoeker'.
There are four different designs of Hookers. An Bád Mór (big boat) - 35-44ft Long. An Leathbhád (half boat) - 28-35ft long. An Gleoiteog - 20-28ft long. An Púcán - 23-28ft long.
More information regarding the Galway hookers and their history can be found at the Galway City Museum.
The Cache - The cache is located in an area where the Hookers are found most of the time. Please BYOP