Currach Team Phoenix rows out on the beautiful Tempe Town Lake. Email us to sign up! Your first time rowing with us is free! No experience necessary; we will teach you!

The goal of Currach Team Phoenix is to provide an opportunity for people of all ages to join in the fun and challenge of rowing authentic Irish currachs on Tempe Town Lake. Currach Team Phoenix is a program of the Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix, AZ.

What is a currach? A currach is a type of rowing boat that originates from Ireland’s seafaring heritage and was traditionally made from animal skins stretched over a wooden frame. It has been used both at sea and on inland waters.

Members of Currach Team Phoenix will have the choice of competitive or recreational rowing, planning and promoting events, learning about the history and culture of the Irish currach, workshops for repair and maintenance of the boats, currach building and helping with the administration of the group.

No rowing experience is necessary. We currently row Saturday mornings and Thursday afternoons at Tempe Town Lake Marina. Annual participation fee is $50, which helps to cover the costs of the boat storage and maintenance. Rowers are required to be members of the Irish Cultural Center.

2020 Southwest Currach Race Weekend February 14th – 15th

February 14th, 2020 7PM “The Camino Voyage Film”

A crew including a Writer, two Musicians, an Artist and a Stonemason embark by sea, in a traditional boat that they built themselves on an inspiring, and dangerous, 2,500 km modern day Celtic odyssey all the way from Ireland to Northern Spain. Starring Oscar-winning musician Glen Hansard, Traditional Irish Musician Brendan Begley, Artist Liam Holden, Stonemason Brendan-Pháid Moriarty and Writer and Poet Danny Sheehy. They rowed the 800km journey from West Kerry in in a Naomhóg (a traditional West Kerry rowing curragh/boat) following the coastal routes of their ancestors.

The film will be shown at the Irish Cultural Center.

February 15, 2020 10AM – 3PM
Tempe Town Lake Marina

Currach Team Phoenix is having its 3rd Annual Winter Currach Fun Race February 15, 2020.
Since most currach rowing in the USA is limited by harsh cold winter weather, this is the perfect opportunity to take a winter break and row in sunny Tempe, Arizona. The winter event will be an invitational “Fun Race” to include all seven of the NE clubs.

This year Currach Team Phoenix will host several rowers from Milwaukee, Annapolis, and Albany on Saturday, February 15th from 10AM to 3PM. The gathering will consist of “Fun Race” demonstrations of currach racing. Each of our two currachs will be manned by 1 to 3 rowers (all men, all women, and combinations of men and women). We will have opportunities for some spectators to row with an experienced rower in the afternoon.

This year the event is free. There’s no admission or cost for a limited number of spectators to try rowing.