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The fate of Irish Lightships
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23-08-2012 8:33pm#1Always had a passing interest in these since visiting the "Guillemot" when it was a museum at Wexford harbour back in the 1970s. I was on it again in 2005 in Kilmore Quay, and feared the worst even then as it was rather crudely preserved - almost like it had been run aground and concreted into the quayside. Unbelievably it was cut up without as much as a whimper in 2011. Although why I should be surprised is another matter given the appalling official attitude to preservation of Ireland's heritage. Apart from a piece in the Enniscorthy Guardian - after the event - the only thing that I can find online about it is a piece on the website of the scrap company that cut it up, boasting about the contract.
Some more pics here from Wexford Camera Club http://www.wexfordcameraclub.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1300478453
Anyway, the scrapping of the "Guillemot" along with a recent request by somebody to sell some Triang Minic miniature ships for them sent me off on aother tangent and now apart from buying - rather than selling - some miniature ships (including a lightship) I have been researching the fate of the 37 Irish lightships that served round the coast since the dawn of the 19th century. There's quite a lot of information online and I'm just starting to try and draw all the threads together but one thing comes across is that as a country the Republic of Ireland is in danger of having not one solitary example of a lightship preserved for posterity.
These are the remaining Irish lightships and their current locations.
18. "Cormorant" (1876/78) refurbished and in use as a houseboat in Kent.
27. "Penguin" (1909/10) rebuilt as a schooner and out of use in Scotland but in good condition and may be purchased for use as a church in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast.
29. "Petrel" (1913/15) Now clubhouse for the Down Cruising Club at Stragford Lough.
31. "Albatross" (1924/25) The light now adorns an apartment complex on the North Quay, Arklow, while the hulk is in Kent where it is for sale for £ 65,000.
32. "Gannet" (1953/54) Privately owned in Kent.
33. "Osprey" (1953/55) Now a floating restaurant in Paris serving British Pub Grub - the mind boggles!
35. "Kittiwake" (1957/59) Owned by Harry Crosbie and was moored at the North Wall Quay but as his plans to turn it into a floating restaurant were turned down by Dublin City Council its future is uncertain.
36. "Skua" (1957/60) Dumped at Arklow - light removed - outlook bleak.
37. "Cormorant" (1963/64) Sold by the Commissioners of Irish Lights to Trinity House - its UK counterpart - and has seen service off English coast. Last sighting I have is in Harwich harbour in 2007.
Not a pretty picture of preservation but in a country that has its National Transport Museum in a hay shed and its National Maritime Museum in a church....
However, I've been banging on about this type of thing since I left school in 1977 and things have only got worse so I'm probably better sticking to my miniatures.
Below is "Varne" by Triang Minic circa 1958/60, only 1.5 inches long and cost me €8.44.
Any information gratefully received.
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Just to respectfully point out, the Lighthouse Service in Ireland is (and always has been) a whole island body. There is no North/South divide when it comes to the provision of aids to navigation.
I would also point out that CIL will become entirely self funding by 2015 and there is no way in hell that they will take on any preservation of any significant structures. And who else will? (Look at the Naomh Eanna rotting away in GCD).
Agreed, and there's nobody more in favour of all-Ireland institutions (I can only dream of what it would be like to have the National Trust operating south of the border) but that doesn't let the Republic off the hook for not preserving its heritage. I don't expect the Commissioners of Irish Lights to get into the preservation game but that said they seem to get rid of vessels to all and sundry without ensuring that at least one of them is preserved for what it is.
Some updates to my original post:
"Penguin" will not be coming to Belfast - sale agreed to an unidentified buyer.
"Gannet" is being restored at Hoo in Kent and there's a restoration blog here: http://lightshipgannet.blogspot.ie/
"Cormorant" last sighting at Harwich updated to 24/5/2009
My Triang Minic "Queen Mary" and Ocean Terminal set (€53.97) arrived this morning - much less hassle than the real thing and no useless politicians, Failte Ireland, Heritage Council etc. trying to prevent me from preserving it.
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who the fug wrote: »re the Guinness boats, seem to remember that one needed major engine repairs, and there was industrial action at the time.
Laid up in the Manchester Ship Canal I believe
Anyone know what happened to the sister ship to the MV Cill Airne, which went off to the Bahamas
Rusting away in Canada, apparently, here's a link: http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20120104/NEWS/701049918
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Quite a nice painting of "Petrel" at Strangford Lough is for sale in Ross's September Online Auction of Irish Art http://www.rosss.com/auction.asp?SearchString=&GuidePrice=&OrderBy=&ArtistID=&Sold=&estimate=&AucID=108&offset=12
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dekbhoy - not that I didn't believe you but I rang the Dublin Port Company this morning and your information is spot-on. I should have more news in the next couple of weeks. Let's hope whatever is done with her is preservation rather than conversion into something garish.
2008 view of "Kittiwake" lying adjacent to the Point Depot.
Copyright: http://irishlighthouses.blogspot.ie0 -
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Thanks for that. I knew of the Dorothy Cross 'art' display. How typically Irish, make a song and dance of a heritage item with a ridiculous one-off display and then leave it to its fate.
The remains of the unfortunate ship are now lying in England awaiting conversion into a house boat - the lamp is in an apartment complex on the quayside in Arklow. More here; http://www.leithshipyards.com/ships-built-in-leith/1918-to-1939/64-albatross-yard-no-30-lightship-irish-lights-built-.html
Here it is for sale - if you have a spare GBP 65,000
http://www.premierhouseboats.co.uk/Conversion_Houseboats_For_Sale.html0 -
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What a terrible ending
Its like taking a besutyspot + * preserving* it in concrete
V oirish.when will we learn.
I was at an exhibition on lighthouses + lamps at the national maratime museum in Paris earlier this year - might be worth a google for possible links or leads?
If you*re serious you could try John (?) EAGLE - PHOTOGRApher - i have both the book and presentation pistcard set of all the lighthouses in Irrland that he did a ( fair) few years back. He did the LH cataloging in conjunction with the Irish Lighthouse commision.
He might havd something on them - or s good lead or namd to follow up with.
The Irish Lights in Dun Laoghaire were only recruiting s few months back with s view to exploring the commercialisation of iridh Lights Assets...again ; could be worth a call to present your case...
You could also wtite to the Irish Landmark Trust who fundraisd and preserve distinct irish historic properties. I wonder if they know what is happeni.g to our historic lighthouse boats.. they have preserved a few lighthouses...0 -
News from Arklow c/o Afloat.ie
Thursday, 04 October 2012
Another Lightship Extinguished into History
http://afloat.ie/port-news/lighthouses/item/20046-another-lightship-extinguished-into-history
LIGHTSHIPS – As each day passes, quite literally chunks of Irish maritime heritage are been rapidly consigned to history, as work on scrapping the former lightship ALF Skua takes place on the North Quay in Arklow, writes Jehan Ashmore.
As the vessel lies forlornly alongside her River Avoca berth, a blowtorch cuts away in earnest at the steelwork. In tandem a crane-grabber lifts large sections of the red painted Ship and loaded into an awaiting quayside truck.
What remains as of this week is only the hull, as the bridge, deckhouse structure and lantern have gone, having said that the latter structure was removed years ago.
When the lightship was towed into the Port, several elected members of Arklow Town Council, with a seafaring back-round prevailed in the public body to acquire the lantern. The structure however still remains yet to be located to an appropriate site, as according to the council they have no definite plans for the lantern, though it is envisaged that it would be at least placed in a municipal location.
For decades the lightship served several stations off the Irish coastline, having been completed in 1960 by Philip & Sons of Dartmouth for the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL). Constructed of steel, the 134 foot lightship, cost £124,128 when launched in the Devon shipyard, though her crew were replaced when converted to an automatic light float (ALF) in 1981/82.
The vessel's designation as an ALF lasted for more than two decades until Irish Lights sold the lightship to Arklow Shipping Ltd in 2005, however she has since changed hands while moored in the Co. Wicklow Port.
Nearby to where the Skua is berthed, a lantern belonging to an older lightship fleetmate, the Albratross (built 1925), was kept to form a distinctive landmark at the entrance to Arklow Marina.
With the diminishing Skua, it is believed that only two such ships survive on this island. The ALF Kittiwake (built 1959) as previously reported on Afloat.ie is in Dublin Port, however she shifted berths several months from her prominent position opposite the 02 Theatre to the jetty within Alexandra Basin, which is hidden away from general view in the working Port.
The other lightship the Petrel, was built by Dublin Dockyard between 1913-15. She remains as a floating clubhouse for the Down Cruising Club in Strangford Lough, having been towed to the lough by the lighthouse tender ILV Isolda during the late 1960's.
As for the last lightship to serve, the honour was left to the ALF Gannet. She was stationed at South Rock, off Co. Down until her decommissioning in 2009 when Irish Lights replaced the lightship with a new 'Superbuoy'.
"Skua" lying alongside the quayside in Arklow.
Photo: http://www.wicklowmaritime.com
The light from another victim "Albatross" can be seen adorning the apartment complex in the background. :rolleyes:0 -
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Popped over to Waterford today to view Keighery's (City Auction Rooms) forthcoming sale of the residue contents from the ill-fated "Guillemot Maritime Museum". It turned out to be something of a wild goose chase as the several of the items that I was interested in had been withdrawn due to 'official' intervention. It strikes me as a bit late in the day for the Commissioners of Irish Lights to be developing an interest in their heritage. Despite the withdrawals, there's much else of interest in the sale but be warned a lot of items are well past their sell by date and there's some out and out rubbish.
Catalogue here: http://www.cityauctionrooms.com/BidCat/Catalogues.asp?F1=3072&F2=4169&F4=1054&select=0069&status=C
The original bell from the "Guillemot" as supplied in 1923. The bell is still included in the sale.
An interesting board - presumably from CIL HQ in Dun Laoghaire - showing the disposition of various lightships. Withdrawn!
And below what would have been the star of the show, an ultra rare plaque - far more impressive than pic indicates - which was carried aboard CIL vessels. Withdrawn!
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The ongoing saga surrounding the fate of Ireland's lightships is almost surreal with the latest twist being the sale - on eBay - of the "Arctic Penguin" formerly "Penguin". Currently moored at Inveraray in Scotland the vessel is on offer for £180,000.00. Full details below:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Schooner-Boat-Live-Aboard-House-Boat-Sailing-Ship-Conversion-Sail-/261162021441?pt=UK_Sporting_Goods_Sailing_Boats_ET&hash=item3cce783241
Fancy a lifestyle change? Iron sailing ship. Amazing conversion opportunity to have your own three masted schooner sailing ship or static house boat.
99.93' x 24'Beam x 11 'Draft. Iron Shell and Floors, Steel Framing.
Built originally as the Light Vessel "Penguin" 1911 a role in which she served until 1966;
During the 1980's she was converted to sail - her two foremasts being added and of course the Kelvin diesel engines.
Since the mid 1990's she has operated as a museum and cafe; The museum and cafe have operated very successfully to the end of the 2010 season.
The Museum Directors have a flexible approach to the vessels future and are happy to assist potential new owners to perhaps have the vessel remain where she is currently berthed.
As a Registered Museum with a trading history she may be in a position to attract grants and funding.
Currently laid out with a welcoming gangway entrance, customers may choose to buy a museum ticket or just- takeaway and stroll or of course be guests of the cafe, sitting comfortably in the deck house or in dry weather on the sheltered foredeck, a purchaser of the museum should if they so wish continue to operate the cafe within the ship, it is the current intension to include all fixtures and fittings provided the asking price is offered:-furthermore we are assured the ship/museum has Argyll and Bute planning permission to operate where she lies, continuation to lie at the pier would be by negotiation with the piers owners who we are assured would be unlikely to unreasonably withhold such permissions.
Museum guests may explore the topsides of the ship from forecastle and forepeak to the afterdeck steering position and the raised aft saloon, while below decks the "For'd Tween Deck" provides the principal exhibition space, aft of this the full width machinery space could be considered the "Main Tween Deck", aft of this is the athwartship cinema:-aft again is the mostly original Masters Cabin then aft again to the rudder flat and afterpeak, these areas are currently used to the full with public access and interesting displays.
Filmwork on and around the Ship has provided income and interest- she has featured in the Onedin Line and many films since.
Alan Villiers book about buying and sailing the "Joseph Conrad" 57,000 miles is relevant to anyone wishing to re-rig the Arctic Penquin as both ships bear a striking similarity.
Whatever or wherever your interest in this valuable ship may lie please contact us for further information.
Further information on the vessel can be found at www.inveraraypier.com under heading - Arctic Penguin.
No reasonable offer refused may also part exchange Property/Boats/Cars? Open to suggestions.
Given that the vessel also served as a sail training vessel, I suppose it's hoping to much that the Irish authorities might consider purchasing her as a temporary replacement to the "Asgard II".0 -
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"Arctic Penguin" is still for sale over on eBay and I have just done a piece on my blog here: http://insatiablecollector.wordpress.com/ which includes a couple of interesting photos. 0
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