LÉ Eithne
{{Short description|Patrol vessel in the Irish Naval Service}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Use Irish English|date=April 2015}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image = LÉ 'Eithne', Tall Ships Belfast 2009 - geograph.org.uk - 1450163.jpg |Ship caption = Eithne during the Belfast Tall Ships event in 2009. }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header = |Ship country = Ireland |Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Ireland|naval}} |Ship name = LÉ Eithne |Ship namesake = Ethniu, a tragic heroine in an early Irish romantic tale |Ship ordered = |Ship awarded = |Ship builder = Verolme Dockyard, Cork |Ship original cost = |Ship yard number = |Ship way number = |Ship laid down = 15 December 1982 |Ship launched = 19 December 1983 |Ship sponsor = |Ship christened = |Ship completed = |Ship acquired = |Ship commissioned = 7 December 1984 |Ship recommissioned = |Ship decommissioned = 8 July 2022 |Ship maiden voyage = |Ship in service = |Ship out of service = |Ship renamed = |Ship reclassified = |Ship refit = |Ship struck = |Ship reinstated = |Ship homeport = Haulbowline Naval Base |Ship identification = *{{IMO Number|8208141}}
|Ship nickname = |Ship honours = |Ship captured = |Ship fate = |Ship status = Decommissioned (to be scrapped) |Ship notes = |Ship badge = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header = |Header caption = |Ship class = |Ship type = Offshore patrol vessel |Ship displacement = 1,920 tonnes (full load) |Ship length = {{convert|84.8|m|abbr=on}} overall |Ship beam = {{convert|12|m|abbr=on}} |Ship draught = {{convert|4.3|m|abbr=on}} |Ship depth = |Ship power = |Ship propulsion = |Ship speed = {{convert|37|km/h|kn|lk=out|abbr=on}} maximum |Ship range = |Ship endurance = |Ship boats = |Ship capacity = |Ship troops = |Ship complement = 86 (9 officers and 77 ratings) |Ship time to activate = |Ship sensors = |Ship EW = |Ship armament =*1× Bofors 57 mm gun
|Ship armour = |Ship armor = |Ship aircraft = |Ship aircraft facilities = helicopter flight deck |Ship notes = }} |
LÉ Eithne (P31) is a patrol vessel which was previously in service with the Irish Naval Service. The ship is named after Eithne, a tragic heroine and the daughter of the one-eyed Fomorian King, Balor in an early Irish romantic tale. Eithne was the flagship of the Irish Naval Service.
Eithne was originally built as a Helicopter Patrol Vessel for long-range fisheries patrol vessel, intended to be at sea for up to 30 days. She was the only ship in her class, as the other planned members of the Eithne-class were never built.
Decommissioned in July 2022 after 38 years with the Irish Naval Service, Eithne has been laid up awaiting disposal since 2023.
Design
Eithne was designed to carry a SA365F Dauphin helicopter,{{cite web|url = https://www.rte.ie/archives/2015/0930/731464-dauphin-helicopter-and-le-eithne-trials/ | publisher = RTÉ | website = rte.ie | title = RTÉ Archives - 1985 - Dauphin Helicopter For Irish Air Corps |author = Tom McCaughren | access-date = 23 June 2019 }} and was the only ship in the Irish Naval Service fleet to have a flight deck. Helicopter operations were limited primarily to the vessel's early years of service.{{cite web|url = https://afloat.ie/port-news/navy/item/40942-le-eithne-will-no-longer-be-visiting-dun-laoghaire-harbour | publisher = Afloat Magazine | website = afloat.ie | title = Adverse Weather Forces LÉ Eithne to Open to Visitors in Dublin Port And Not Dun Laoghaire Harbour | date = 27 October 2018 | access-date = 23 June 2019 | author = Jehan Ashmore | quote = the use of the ship's design for French built 'Dauphine' helicopters were rarely used and took place early in the career of the 1,900 tonnes flagship}} These operations stopped in later years, due in part to the purchase of CASA CN235-100MP Persuader Maritime Patrol Aircraft and decommissioning of the Dauphin helicopters. The vessel was fitted with retractable fin stabilisers to reduce rolling during helicopter operations at sea. She was the only ship in her class, as the other planned members of the Eithne-class were never built.{{cite book | title = Seaforth World Naval Review 2015 | date = 2014 | editor = Conrad Waters | isbn = 9781848323308 |publisher = Seaforth Publishing | page = 123 | quote = Emer class vessels [..] were followed by the larger P31 class Eithne in 1984; the only helicopter-capable ship in the Irish Naval Service to date. Plans for additional members of the class were never progressed and the Verolme yard closed for lack of orders after Eithne was completed}}
Service
File:P31 L.É. Eithne Operations 28 June 2015.jpg
Eithne was the last ship of the Irish Naval Service to have been built in Ireland, constructed at Verolme Dockyard at Rushbrooke, County Cork and completed in 1984. Shipbuilding operations ceased at the yard in 1984, and the yard went into receivership.
In July 2005 LÉ Eithne represented Ireland at the International Fleet Review at Portsmouth, England.{{cite magazine|date=July 2005|magazine=Navy News|title=International Fleet Review 2005 Souvenir Supplement|page=v}}
In April–June 2006 Eithne travelled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the first-ever deployment of an Irish ship in the southern hemisphere, in order to participate in commemorations of the impending sesquicentenary of the death of Admiral William Brown who had been born in Ireland. The ship brought back a statue of Brown for display in Dublin.{{cite web|url=http://www.military.ie/naval/archive/eithne_diary/dep.htm |title=Voyage diary: L.É. Eithne departs for Buenos Aires, Argentina |access-date=16 December 2006 |author=Mark Mellett |date=February 2006 |publisher=Irish Naval Service |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060428024742/http://www.military.ie/naval/archive/eithne_diary/dep.htm |archive-date=28 April 2006 }}
In 2014, asbestos was found on the ship necessitating a clean-up. Eithne was the third Naval Service vessel found to contain the cancer-causing substance, after asbestos was also found on board {{ship|LÉ|Ciara|P42|6}} and {{ship|LÉ|Orla|P41|6}}.{{cite web|url = https://www.thejournal.ie/asbestos-irish-naval-1679815-Sep2014/ | publisher = Journal Media Ltd | website = thejournal.ie | title = Fleet-wide check under way after asbestos found on Naval ships | date = 3 June 2014 | author = Daragh Brophy | access-date = 20 September 2014 }}
In May 2015 Minister of Defence Simon Coveney announced the deployment of Eithne to the Mediterranean as part of the EU's ongoing rescue mission for migrants.{{cite news|last1=Pollak|first1=Sorcha|title=LÉ Eithne to be dispatched in migrant search on May 8th|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/lé-eithne-to-be-dispatched-in-migrant-search-on-may-8th-1.2200382|access-date=5 May 2015|work=Irish Times|date=5 May 2015}} Together with other Naval Service vessels, between 2015 and 2017 Eithne undertook a number of deployments in the Mediterranean, rescuing several hundred migrants as part of each mission.{{cite web|url = http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0622/709770-le-eithne/ | publisher = RTÉ News | website = rte.ie | title = LÉ Eithne rescues 519 migrants off coast of Libya | date = 22 June 2015 }}{{cite web|url = https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/le-eithne-to-depart-for-mediterranean-rescue-mission-on-tuesday-35741787.html | publisher = Independent News & Media | website = independent.ie | title = LE Eithne to depart for Mediterranean rescue mission on Tuesday |author = Ralph Riegel | date = 22 May 2017 | access-date = 23 June 2019 }}{{cite web|url = https://afloat.ie/port-news/navy/item/36226-le-eithne-rescues-346-migrants-83km-north-west-of-tripoli | publisher = Afloat Magazine | website = afloat.ie | title = Rescue of 346 Migrants by LÉ Eithne off Libya |author = Jehan Ashmore | date = 12 June 2017 | access-date = 23 June 2019 }}{{cite web|url = https://www.thejournal.ie/le-eithne-rescue-3462853-Jun2017/ | publisher = Journal Media Ltd | website = thejournal.ie | title = Irish naval vessel rescues over 180 refugees in the Mediterranean |author = Sean Murray | date = 25 June 2017 | access-date = 23 June 2019 }}
In late 2018, the navigation systems onboard Eithne were upgraded to use a Warship Electronic Chart Display and Information System (WECDIS), reportedly making it the first vessel in the Naval Service fleet to "achieve paperless navigation".{{cite web|url = https://afloat.ie/port-news/navy/item/41293-irish-naval-service-flagship-first-to-achieve-paperless-navigation | publisher = Afloat Magazine | website = afloat.ie | title = Irish Naval Service Flagship First to Achieve "Paperless Navigation" | date = 11 December 2018 |author = Jehan Ashmore | access-date = 23 June 2019 }}
In mid-2019 LÉ Eithne, together with {{ship|LÉ|Orla|P41|6}}, was "withdrawn from operations [..] indefinitely due to a lack of personnel".{{cite web|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/decision-on-mediterranean-rescue-missions-met-with-disappointment-1.3951856| publisher = Irish Times | website = irishtimes.com | title = Decision on Mediterranean rescue missions met with disappointment | date = 9 July 2019 | access-date = 2 November 2019 }} The manner and messaging on the vessel's removal from service caused some controversy, as statements from the Minister of State at the Department of Defence Paul Kehoe (who suggested that the vessel was removed for "routine maintenance") contradicted previous statements made by Flag Officer Commander Mick Malone (who confirmed that the vessel would be tied-up "until adequate numbers of [..] personnel are available").{{cite web|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/internal-documents-show-frustration-over-naval-service-ships-controversy-1.3983323 | publisher = Irish Times |website = irishtimes.com | title = Internal documents show frustration over Naval Service ships controversy | date = 11 August 2019 | access-date = 2 November 2019 }}
In March 2020, Eithne was returned to active service and deployed to Cork as part of Ireland's response to the coronavirus pandemic, alongside NSR personnel and Army engineers.{{cite news |last1=O'Riordan |first1=Sean |title=Navy returning LÉ Eithne to service as Cork Covid-19 testing centre |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/navy-returning-le-eithne-to-service-as-cork-covid-19-testing-centre-988646.html |access-date=20 March 2020 |work=Irish Examiner |date=18 March 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/coronavirus-naval-ships-to-become-test-centres-p%C3%A1irc-u%C3%AD-chaoimh-also-offered-1.4206168|title=Coronavirus: Naval ships to become test centres; Páirc Uí Chaoimh also offered|newspaper=The Irish Times|last=Roche|first=Barry|date=18 March 2020|access-date=21 March 2020}}
Decommissioning
In July 2022 LÉ Eithne, together with {{ship|LÉ|Ciara|P42|6}} and {{ship|LÉ|Orla|P41|6}}, was decommissioned, to be replaced with a new multi-role vessel.{{cite web|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2022/07/08/irish-navy-decommissions-a-third-of-its-fleet/| publisher = Irish Times | website = irishtimes.com | title = Irish Navy decommissions a third of its fleet | date = 8 July 2022 }}
Following her decommissioning, Cork County Council requested the transfer of Eithne to the city for preservation as a museum ship. It was also reported, in early 2023, that the Dublin Port company also hoped to use the vessel as a museum ship in Dublin.{{cite web|url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41048747.html | publisher = Irish Examiner | website = irishexaminer.com | title = Cork believed to have lost out on floating museum to Dublin Port | date = 15 January 2023 | accessdate = 16 January 2023 }} However, as of late 2023, the vessel was reputedly due to be "broken up for recycled scrap, after plans to convert the HPV into a museum came to nothing".{{cite web|url = https://afloat.ie/port-news/navy/item/61431-former-flagship-of-ireland-s-naval-service-to-be-sent-abroad-and-taken-apart-for-scrap | work = Afloat Magazine | title = LÉ Eithne: Former Flagship of the Naval Service to Be Sent Overseas for Disposal At Scrap Recycling Facility | date = 4 December 2023 | accessdate = 5 December 2023 }}
On 5 March 2024, Eithne was towed from her berth at Haulbowline naval base to Cork Dockyard, formerly Verolme Dockyard (where she was built), to join Cíara and Orla to await disposal.{{cite news |title='A sad goodbye': LE Eithne departs Cork for the final time |url=https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-41346695.html |access-date=23 April 2024 |work=Echo Live |date=6 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240320193209/https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-41346695.html |archive-date=20 March 2024 |location=Cork}}
See also
- {{sclass|Samuel Beckett|offshore patrol vessel|1}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|IMO 8208141}}
- [https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/naval-service/the-fleet/le-eithne-p31/ Defence Forces Ireland LÉ Eithne webpage]
{{Irish Naval Service}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eithne (P31)}}
Category:Ships built in Ireland