A UNIQUE boat launch has taken place on the shores of Lough Neagh.
Dozens of people gathered on a windswept stretch of shore at Doss, near Toome in Co Antrim, for the launch of specially built boat similar in style to those traditionally found on the lough.
The boat, Mo Aistear, which means 'my journey' in English, was built by Co Antrim native Malachy McErlane over the past seven years.
An engineer by trade, Mr McErlane was brought up near Doss and comes from four generations of Lough Neagh eel fishermen.
The launch of Mo Aistear comes a time when there has been a resurgence of interest in traditional boat building around Lough Neagh.
Mr McErlane said the shape of his boat is similar to those sailed on the lake a century ago and is painted in a traditional Lough Neagh fishing boat colours.
Mr McErlane, who now lives between Derry and Donegal said the boat was built between those two counties and at Kildress in Co Tyrone.
His daughters Melissa and Nathalie travelled from England for the launch while his son John made the trip from Hong Kong.
"I built this boats as a tribute to the early generations of fishermen in my family,” Mr McErlane said.
He added that he chose the name Mo Aistear as it was a "metaphor of life's journey".
“I am an engineer by profession and my first job was in Short’s in Belfast," he said.
“I never built a boat before and will probably never build one again.
“It’s not about me, it’s about the earlier generations of people who fished from this part of the country.”
He said he was happy to complete the project.
“It’s got its own life, it’s no longer bits and pieces,” he added.
