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L.E. Setanta

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  • L.E. Setanta

    An RTE Archive clip of the commissioning of the former Irish Lights tender Isolde, as the Naval vessel L.E. Setanta in 1976.

    Naval training which previously took place on board the fishery protection vessel Deirdre will now be done on board the Setanta.
    For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

  • #2
    Originally posted by na grohmití View Post
    An RTE Archive clip of the commissioning of the former Irish Lights tender Isolde, as the Naval vessel L.E. Setanta in 1976.

    http://www.rte.ie/archives/2016/1007...training-ship/
    Very interesting. None of the principals are now in the Navy. I was part of the run crew to bring the ship from Harwich UK. A good seakeeper but a poor ship to make decent headway in rough head seas. We had to manually adjust throttles to minimise propeller racing on blades emergence.
    The Minister did not last long, after the British Ambassador was assassinated, there was THE EMERGENCY POWERS bill. The President Carroll O'Daly referred it to the Supreme Court and Mr. Donegan said he was a Thundering Disgrace precipitating the Presidents resignation and some say the death by murder of a member of the Garda Siochana.

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    • #3
      Interesting to see how far we have come. A minister revells in the fact he oversees a navy that went from 3 ageing second hand ships on their last legs to a fleet of 3 smaller second hand ships, a new ship, and a fifth second hand ship older than all the rest, with a powerplant and fuel system shared by none of the other ships. All the while suggesting that, maybe if things are good, you might get another new ship.
      Setanta was introduced in 1976. By 1980 questions were being asked in the Dail about its replacement, as by then she was already out of service. It was answered with "sure didn't we not get the navy a load of new ships recently?" (Including a wholly unsuitable stern trawler that was leased for a year).

      I remember her taking up space in the Basin for many years after that. She went to breakers around the same time Eithne was built. Her portholes are to be found in a dublin pub. I think her Engine Telegraph is in the Museum in Dun Laoighre, but I could be mistaken. I struggle to understand what NHQ were hoping they would be able to do with her, apart from making her into her ultimate role as an accomodation hulk like the Ironclads that anchored in the harbour at the turn of the last century.

      Here we are 40 years on. A Naval service of 8+1 ships. 4 built in the last 5 years. 2 built in the last 20 years, the remainder that entered service long after the clip above was recorded. Active planning is ongoing to replace the older ships, with pressure on from many sided to increase the numbers.
      We have come a long way in 40 years. We still have a long way to go though.
      For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

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      • #4
        The NS had a large establishment then.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by danno View Post
          The NS had a large establishment then.
          It didn't.

          Mr. B. Desmond:***asked the Minister for Defence the number of officers and ratings on the roll of the Naval Service on 1st January, 1970, 1973 and 1976; and the number who resigned from the service between 1970 and 1973 and between 1973 and 1976.
          Minister for Defence (Mr. Donegan):***The strengths of the components of the Defence Forces are compiled for the last day of each month. The [45] numbers of officers and men in the Naval Service were as follows on the dates indicated:




          *
          31/12/69 31/12/72 31/12/75
          Officers
          32 42 53
          Men
          339 356 457
          Total
          371 398 510

          The number of (a) officers who retired or resigned; and (b) men who were discharged from the Naval Service during the period 1st January, 1970, to 31st December, 1972, was 230 and during the period 1st January, 1973, to 30th April, 1976, was 348.
          For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by na grohmití View Post
            Those are strength figures not establishment

            But your right they were lower

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