Galway Hooker, St Patrick

[Boomer]

Folks

I received this request this afternoon via email, if you can help please feel free to send me the picture through here.

************

My late father once owned the Galway Hooker St Patrick in the 1950s and 60s, I'm currently working on an article for The Marine Times (I write the Castletownbere column and other features for the paper) and am looking for a photo of the St Patrick in the hangar of the LE Eithne. The St Patrick sailed to the US for the Statue of Liberty celebrations in 1986 and as far as I know she wasn't able to make the return Atlantic crossing so was brought home on the Eithne.

I have a website with more background info on the boat at

http://homepage.eircom.net/~galwayhooker/index.htm

Regards
Helen

[Laners]

Well if we had a Galway Hooker in the hanger on the return trip it was more likely a red headed one and not one with red sails . In other words it never happened . Then again who knows what souviners where brought back .

[Boomer]

That would explain why they cant find photos of it

I was surprised that one of the Galway Hookers even sailed to America!

[golden rivet]

That would explain why they cant find photos of it

I was surprised that one of the Galway Hookers even sailed to America!

i think a merchant ship brought her home the yanks thought we were joking when we mentioned the word hooker

[Boomer]

i think a merchant ship brought her home the yanks thought we were joking when we mentioned the word hooker

LOL

I knew u were joking about that bit

Ill pass the info about the merchant ship bit back to them.

[muller]

i think a merchant ship brought her home the yanks thought we were joking when we mentioned the word hooker

she only got as far as maderia or the canary islands and sprung a leak as far as i can remember.john mc grath the leading seaman from galway was on her and they were flown back to ireland,dont know what happened the hooker

[Test Pilot]

That would explain why they cant find photos of it

I was surprised that one of the Galway Hookers even sailed to America!

Yes indeed, the St. Patrick was in the Hudson River when we were there. There was a formal request made to have her taken back on the Eithne, but this was declined. The reason may have been that the ship had two more ports of call, Rode Island and Boston and there was simply no room to accomadate her, never mind a logistical headache.

What should not be forgotten, is that a similar hooker called the 'Cliona' also made that journey from Galway while we were underway to the states. One of the crew was a very capable Leading Hand from the Naval Service, John McG.

Unfortunately, they met very heavy weather a few hundred miles west of the Azores and had to abandon the trip. I was well aware of the conditions they had to endure as I would often sit in the radio room at a predetermined time to listen out for the nightly broadcast from the Cliona.

One night things were so bad that I called up the Cliona on HF, thanks to a brilliant PO Tel at the time, after she had failed to contact any of the coastal stations, and were simply transmitting blind. I spoke to John to reassure him, but did not realise at the time that the conversation was recorded on a make shift receiver in a kitchen in Galway.

The crew of the Ciona were later picked up by a Spanish trawler and brought to Spain, after the vessel began taking water.

No wonder the St. Patrick's crew chose not to sail back and who could blame them.

For that feat and others, I have the greatest respect for John.

[muller]

Yes indeed, the St. Patrick was in the Hudson River when we were there. There was a formal request made to have her taken back on the Eithne, but this was declined. The reason may have been that the ship had two more ports of call, Rode Island and Boston and there was simply no room to accomadate her, never mind a logistical headache.

What should not be forgotten, is that a similar hooker called the 'Cliona' also made that journey from Galway while we were underway to the states. One of the crew was a very capable Leading Hand from the Naval Service, John McG.

Unfortunately, they met very heavy weather a few hundred miles west of the Azores and had to abandon the trip. I was well aware of the conditions they had to endure as I would often sit in the radio room at a predetermined time to listen out for the nightly broadcast from the Cliona.

One night things were so bad that I called up the Cliona on HF, thanks to a brilliant PO Tel at the time, after she had failed to contact any of the coastal stations, and were simply transmitting blind. I spoke to John to reassure him, but did not realise at the time that the conversation was recorded on a make shift receiver in a kitchen in Galway.

The crew of the Ciona were later picked up by a Spanish trawler and brought to Spain, after the vessel began taking water.

No wonder the St. Patrick's crew chose not to sail back and who could blame them.

For that feat and others, I have the greatest respect for John.

test pilot,you are right,it was the cliona and it was john mc g

[Brian McGrath]

test pilot,you are right,it was the cliona and it was john mc g

Can I say that I am very proud of him as well, we thought we would never see him again when that incident happened.

[Galway hooker11]

some pics

will look for some more

[Galway hooker11]

more

took mostly slides, may have to scan them again.

[Test Pilot]

took mostly slides, may have to scan them again.

Well, as we are scanning.

[damo de muff diver]

Well, as we are scanning.

Well done G.H & T.P.

Excellent photos ......

[hptmurphy]

.

I departed the trip only to be replaced by another member of the NS, Norman A..

Ah yes that period in time Norman vanised off the face of the earth when he should have been on Eithne for two months previous. We kept the bunk warm for him.

Hell of a nice bloke Norman, trained me as a recruit and was lucky enough to share a kabin with him for a couple of years after ward.

is he still serving? , came across him on Aisling in Waterford in the nineties as either a Bosun or Coxwain but adedicate seaman and sailor and all round nice guy,

[hptmurphy]

GH11! you were only a kid back then but always a bit of a celebrity, good stuff, when it came to the sailing end of things you were always good to have around.

Nice pictures TP