Mission: Enhance and foster the nautical heritage of Ireland in the Midwest and to promote the culture of currachs and currach racing in North America.

ABOUT Irish currach club of milwaukee

Founded in 1989, the Irish Currach Club of Milwaukee is part of the North America Currach Association (NACA), which has teams in Albany, Annapolis, Boston, Milwaukee, New London (CT), Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

ICCM hosts its annual regatta the Saturday of Milwaukee Irish Fest, held every year the third weekend in August. The regatta starts at noon with the blessing of the boats, followed by men's, women's and mixed races running through 4 or 5 pm on the lagoon at the Summerfest grounds.

On the Sunday of Irish Fest, ICCM hosts the Battle of the Badges, between local police and fire departments. Teams race for the Lavin Cup, sponsored by a local family to commemorate the decimation of the Irish community in Milwaukee's 1892 Third Ward Fire.

Over the past few years, we’ve added these exhibition races on Sunday; Battle of the Branches for U.S. military and veterans, Irish Fest security staff v. Summerfest security staff, and youth races.

THE CURRACH
The currach has been used in Ireland for centuries for fishing, transportation and rescue. Currachs have a hand-made wooden frame and are today covered in canvas that is hardened and water-proofed with oil-based paint; older currachs were covered in cow hide and tarred.

Each coastal region of Ireland has its own style of currach depending on the water/weather conditions and how it is used. The boat is flat-bottomed and has no keel and sits very high on the water, it an be easily managed on open waters and can skim up shallow rivers. Currach oars, each about 10 feet long, are distinctively blade-less, used for stabilization and to propel the boat through high surface contact. 

NACA boats are 25 feet long and modeled after the 4-seat currach from Ireland’s Dingle Peninsula.

Our currachs can be seen regularly on Lake Michigan and Milwaukee’s inner harbor and on the Milwaukee, Kinnickinnic and Menominee rivers, 

PARTICIPATE

youth team

MILWAUKEE CURRACH YOUTH TEAM

Thanks to a partnership with All Hands Boatworks, Milwaukee Currach launched its youth team in 2019. Most youth are recruited through the AHB Maritime Skills Camp, held each summer at various locations including our home at McKinley Marina, where campers learn about the history of the currach and then try rowing. We reach others through the AHB Real Apprenticeships for Teens program, which helped us restore and reskin our primary race boat in 2021.

The youth team meets every other Wednesday all summer at the Discovery World docks. Rowing in the lagoon off Lakeshore State Park, rowers learn how to row, captain and control the currach - and many valuable lessons in teamwork.

We welcome all youth ages 10-18 - no prior experience required. Email milwaukeecurrach@gmail.com for more info.

PRACTICE

ICCM holds practices three times a week for new rowers and competitive teams. 

Wear comfortable workout clothes and bring water.

LOCATION
McKinley Marina
1750 N Lincoln Memorial Dr. Milwaukee, WI 53202
Meet at storage area just south of McKinley Beach playground.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE
Monday 6-7:30p (all levels welcome)
Thursday 5:30-7:30p (competitive teams)
Saturday 8:30–10a (all levels)

MILWAUKEE CURRACH SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Primary Milwaukee Currach expenses include insurance, year-round storage for boats and equipment, stipends for members traveling to annual regattas, and ongoing maintenance for boats and equipment,

Emerald Sponsor: $1,000

• Naming rights on one side of our primary boat for one season, size: 2 feet long by 6 inches high

• Magnetic signage on our dock box at the marina for one season.

• Logo on ICCM race shirts

• Logo on ICCM t-shirts [Note, we will likely not order t-shirts in 2021 due to high inventory.]

• Table signage at Milwaukee Irish Fest

• Special mention of sponsorship on the PA during our regatta and exhibition races at Milwaukee Irish Fest, twice daily on Saturday and Sunday

• Six posts/year mentioning sponsorship on Instagram

• Two complimentary tickets to Milwaukee Irish Fest

• Two complimentary ICCM t-shirts

Platinum Sponsor: $750

• Naming rights on the stern of our primary boat for one season, size: 1 foot long by 6" high.

• Logo on ICCM race shirts

• Logo on ICCM t-shirts [Note, we will likely not order t-shirts in 2021 due to high inventory.]

• Table signage at Milwaukee Irish Fest

• Special mention of sponsorship on the PA during our regatta and exhibition races at Milwaukee Irish Fest, once daily on Saturday and Sunday

• Four posts/year mentioning sponsorship on Instagram

• Two complimentary ICCM t-shirts

Gold Sponsor: $500

• Logo on ICCM race shirts

• Table signage at Milwaukee Irish Fest

• Two posts/year mentioning sponsorship on Instagram

• Two complimentary ICCM t-shirts

• Private row for 2-4 on Lake Michigan (inside the breakwater) Friend of ICCM: $250

• Two complimentary ICCM t-shirts

Friend of ICCM: $100

• 2 ICCM t-shirts

CALENDAR