Naomh Eanna - Grand Canal Dock

Stonky

What should be done with this eyesore ? Could it be towed and scuttled in the Irish Sea?

goldie fish

What is it?

HeidiHeidi

It's a hulk of a ship which has been tied up permanently in Grand Canal Dock for years and years. Not sure what purpose it originally served - there used to be an Aran Islands ferry called the Naomh Eanna, not sure if it's the same one though.

The Surfdock shop used to operate out of it - are they gone now? Last time I was there, a few months ago, there was a wakeboarding set-up in the dock, which I thought was something to do with Surfdock... not sure about that.

Shop or no shop, though, I'd agree with you, it is a bit of an eyesore!

ETA - aha, I was at least half right - it is the ex-Aran Is ferry!

http://irishwaterways.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/unthreatened-boats-at-grand-canal-dock-march-2008-01_resize.jpg

It's about halfway down this page http://irishwaterwayshistory.com/about/irish-inland-waterways-vessels/non-wi-workboats/ and says it's the Surfdock shop - but not sure when the page dates from.

andy_g

There is two shops based in the ship one is Surf dock and the other is flagship scuba.

Stonky

andy_g wrote: »

There is two shops based in the ship one is Surf dock and the other is flagship scuba.

It looks dreadful. Like a wreck

Tabnabs

read all about it here
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Naomh-Eanna-Trust/211241455563057

Either restore it (highly unlikely) or give it back to the Galwegians

goldie fish

Tabnabs wrote: »

read all about it here
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Naomh-Eanna-Trust/211241455563057

Either restore it (highly unlikely) or give it back to the Galwegians

Give it back to them and it'll end up the same way as the puffer that rusted away near Letterfrack.

swimmingpool

Its an eyesore all right. Bring it out to sea and sink it, or sell it for scrap.
Why is it allowed to be parked there anyway?

Atlantic Dawn

Looking at the pictures you would be talking hundreds of thousands to get it properly restored and mobile if it's a resoration to it's original style, no idea where this money will come from and I can't see the state paying for it. It's over 25 years lying pretty much idle, how some decision on what to do with it has taken this long is beyond me. As far as I know scuttling is illegal now and vessel would need to be properly disposed of onshore, again big expense to do.

andy_g

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Looking at the pictures you would be talking hundreds of thousands to get it properly restored and mobile if it's a resoration to it's original style, no idea where this money will come from and I can't see the state paying for it. It's over 25 years lying pretty much idle, how some decision on what to do with it has taken this long is beyond me. As far as I know scuttling is illegal now and vessel would need to be properly disposed of onshore, again big expense to do.

Scuttling under permit is legal by marine a fisheries if it will bring tourism I.E dive sites to the comunity

gobnaitolunacy

I love for it to be restored, who owns it anyway? Remember Flagship Scuba being in it. Slim chance of that happening in this country, unless like the Cill Airne someone takes it under their wing to do it up and develop it.

neris

Did cie not own it?

gobnaitolunacy

neris wrote: »

Did cie not own it?

It did. Assume it was sold off at some stage.

bladebrew

Are both companies still based in the ship though?! I dont think they would like it if it was scuttled:eek:

flynnlives

good to see the Irish mentality of destroying our heritage is alive and well.

like it our not this ship is part of the states maritime history. As far as i remember this ship was built in Ireland and served the arann islands for decades.
It should be refurbished and if it is, would be a nice tourist attraction.

Tabnabs

Apparently the businesses still use her http://www.flagshipscuba.com/ship.php

The thing about maritime heritage is, it costs lots and lots of €€€€€€. Who's going to pay for it?

gobnaitolunacy

From the site looks like some entity called the 'Irish Nautical Trust' own her now.

Asked to have a look at the upper decks visiting the shop a few years ago, was told the decks are too slippy and unsafe to walk across now.

Like what was mentioned, it all costs €€€€, we don't have the wealthy interested individuals or groups to take care of these things properly...you can forget about state funding.

Judgement Day

Having just had the misfortune to listen to "Seacapes" on RTE I really do despair of preservation of anything in Ireland. Give away anything that's left to anybody in NI who's interested and they do exist. The piece on the so-called National Maritime Museum was like something from the 1970's - 40+ years on and preservation in the Republic remains a joke. The piece about a painting of the Asgard 2 really takes the biscuit - I'm sure it will be podcast but be sure to have a sick bucket handy. Ban now welcome as I'm well and truly done here. :mad:

goldie fish

Don't forget the Museum in Haigh terrace was closed for years after storm damage.

superelliptic

From reading the above posts I'm in equal parts amazed and disappointed to see so many people casually suggesting that the ferry be scrapped - its not like we have many of these vessels left any more just lying around

I'm also sorry to have to report that it looks like the vessel may be scrapped next year unless some funding materialises :mad:

The now defunct DDA had originally planned to refurbish the two remaining graving docks beside the Naomh Eanna and to have the ferry permanently dry-docked there as a shop / attraction in a social / commercial space - which is a great idea and as an avid conservationist I think should be financed. The ferry has been berthed in Grand Canal Docks for the past 25 years and has been home to the surfdock shop for at least the last 20, and to the scuba company for about 10 years (I think). If it were refurbished like the Cill Airne which is currently docked in the Liffey outside Price Waterhouse Coopers, it could be a very attractive and profitable centrepiece to the docks as a whole.

The Naomh Eanna is currently a business premises that is providing a useful service commercially and could with some restoration be aesthetically pleasing too. On that basis that it should be maintained as is - that is as a floating commercial space. It could be expanded to include a coffee shop on the upper decks with seating in the saloon and on the outside decks which I'm sure would be popular given that the ferry sees a lot of visitors already between the surf shop, the scuba shop, and the Viking duckboat tours that all operate on or near the vessel.


Im not saying that everything should be kept simply because of its age, but to take something that is not beyond repair and that is currently turning a profit and send it to the scrap heap is not just short-sighted but an act of vandalism.

fergal.b

From the Naomh Eanna trust.

We have just been talking to Waterways Ireland about the developments that have happened in the last few months. The ship itself has become a major hazard for everyone involved as she is taking on water through her decks.
The graving dock at the eastern end of the basin are being opened now and next week the Naomh Eanna will be towed into the dock to be dismantled in the next two weeks. Although she is still afloat at Charlotte Quay, both businesses have vacated the ship and she is now without power and Waterways Ireland have taken her over from her owners.

For us to save her, we would need to meet the 100,000 euro costs of Waterways Ireland by next week and then get permission from NAMA who are managing the graving dock in order for her to stay in drydock until repairs can be carried out. Insurance would also need to be placed on the ship immediately and with no survey we wont get any insurance.

Unfortunately it looks as if our efforts over the past nine years have failed and she will meet her end in the coming weeks. Some items will be salvaged from the ship and kept by the Nautical Trust and ourselves as a reminder of the once great ship that served so many islanders for so many years.

It is a sad day...

Judgement Day

Unbelievable - only in Ireland could this still happen. Has anybody contacted the media about this fiasco? :mad:

Perhaps they should break-up the "Mary Stanford" at the same time and save a few bob.

gobnaitolunacy

Sad, but hardly surprising. Who the hell are the 'Nautical Trust' anyway?

It survived into the 21st cent for this....to be stripped of anything of value and scrapped. Wonder will they even put them on public display or will they end up on someones mantlepiece. Makes me sick, esp when our nearest neighbour can develop an attraction like this....http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/portal/page?_pageid=221,631051&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

Judgement Day

I've just checked out the Naomh Eanna Trust Facebook page and they only managed to register 141 likes since May 14, 2011 - says more about the organisation of the Trust rather than a lack of public interest.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Naomh-Eanna-Trust/211241455563057

fergal.b

Her compass, telegraph and wheel have already been stolen








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gobnaitolunacy

Jesus wept.

superelliptic

Appalling. No other words for it.

This angers me in more ways that I can articulate. To loose a heritage vessel that is providing a positive use in an under utilised area of the city is just another example of this countries colossal ability to squander its resources.

NAMA wouldn't have to pay a penny in order for the ship to sit in the graving docks for the mean time would it? Why not move it there until money can be raised to make the decks /Hull safe again?


Is there anyone we can contact about this? Waterways Ireland? NAMA? Local TD's?

Judgement Day

I've just passed on all the various details to Liveline - why me and not the Naomh Eanna Trust - I don't know enough about what's going on.

Judgement Day

superelliptic wrote: »

Appalling. No other words for it.

This angers me in more ways that I can articulate. To loose a heritage vessel that is providing a positive use in an under utilised area of the city is just another example of this countries colossal ability to squander its resources.

NAMA wouldn't have to pay a penny in order for the ship to sit in the graving docks for the mean time would it? Why not move it there until money can be raised to make the decks /Hull safe again?


Is there anyone we can contact about this? Waterways Ireland? NAMA? Local TD's?

Contact all of them - my next step is Varadkar and Jimmy Deenihan.

fergal.b

Even if she was turned into student accommodation she would pay for herself.



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superelliptic

Judgement Day wrote: »

Contact all of them - my next step is Varadkar and Jimmy Deenihan.

I'm typing up something now.

Tabnabs

Two business traded from the ship for quite a few years, where did all the money that was paid in rent go to I wonder?

Judgement Day

superelliptic wrote: »

I'm typing up something now.

Beat you to it with Jimmy Deenihan jimmy.deenihan@oir.ie

but I don't expect much as he seems clueless in his ministerial brief.

Judgement Day

And I've just emailed Leo Varadkar here: minister@dttas.ie

I really don't have the time to do anymore today and I won't be on Liveline as I don't know enough about the Naomh Eanna.

superelliptic

Tabnabs wrote: »

Apparently the businesses still use her http://www.flagshipscuba.com/ship.php

The thing about maritime heritage is, it costs lots and lots of €€€€€€. Who's going to pay for it?

The cost of the Vessel could be initially paid by the state with the cost paid back over time from rents of the business' that use the Naomh Eanna as a Base such as the surf dock, scuba school and I had posted earlier that the upper decks could be turned into a restaurant/ Café which would have a good chance of success give the boats location in the Grand Canal Docklands and proximity to apartments and businesses.

Judgement Day

I came across this post from an Admin on the Inland Waterways Association forum today: http://www.iwai.ie/forum/read.php?1,53753#contents

Is it any wonder that when those purportedly interested in boats/ships have this kind of attitude, that those who have no real interest - other than their pay packets - couldn't care less. :rolleyes:

gobnaitolunacy

Saw that, sums up the couldn't give 2 sh*ts attitude towards heritage in this country perfectly.

goldie fish

Judgement Day wrote: »

Unbelievable - only in Ireland could this still happen. Has anybody contacted the media about this fiasco? :mad:

Perhaps they should break-up the "Mary Stanford" at the same time and save a few bob.

The historic Mary Stanford has been safedby the grateful people of Ballycotton and will soon be removed, by road, back home, to be placed on a permanent display outside the Lifeboat station, as a memorial to the brave actions of its crew.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/spiritual-home-beckons-for-storied-mary-stanford-lifeboat-249885.html

Judgement Day

goldie fish wrote: »

The historic Mary Stanford has been safedby the grateful people of Ballycotton and will soon be removed, by road, back home, to be placed on a permanent display outside the Lifeboat station, as a memorial to the brave actions of its crew.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/spiritual-home-beckons-for-storied-mary-stanford-lifeboat-249885.html

I've seen this story before, and just how long do you think that the boat will last outside on a concrete plinth.

Since my earlier posts I've also contacted Frank McDonald in the Irish Times and Marcus Connaughton on the RTE Seascapes programme. However, having spoken to one of the people behind the "Naomh Eanna Trust" it appears that there's little hope for the vessel as Waterways Ireland http://www.waterwaysireland.org want it removed by next week as it's not tidy enough for them.

goldie fish

Judgement Day wrote: »

I've seen this story before, and just how long do you think that the boat will last outside on a concrete plinth.

Since my earlier posts I've also contacted Frank McDonald in the Irish Times and Marcus Connaughton on the RTE Seascapes programme. However, having spoken to one of the people behind the "Naomh Eanna Trust" it appears that there's little hope for the vessel as Waterways Ireland http://www.waterwaysireland.org want it removed by next week as it's not tidy enough for them.

It will last longer on a concrete plinth than it's current location. It is an 80 year old boat.
Waterways Ireland want everything out of the dock.

Tabnabs

Judgement Day wrote: »

I came across this post from an Admin on the Inland Waterways Association forum today: http://www.iwai.ie/forum/read.php?1,53753#contents

Is it any wonder that when those purportedly interested in boats/ships have this kind of attitude, that those who have no real interest - other than their pay packets - couldn't care less. :rolleyes:

IWAI is a voluntary organisation, they have no employees (:rolleyes:)

Judgement Day

Tabnabs wrote: »

IWAI is a voluntary organisation, they have no employees (:rolleyes:)

You could try reading what I wrote rather than what you think I wrote. I didn't suggest that the IWAI had paid employees. :rolleyes:

Judgement Day

goldie fish wrote: »

It will last longer on a concrete plinth than it's current location. It is an 80 year old boat.
Waterways Ireland want everything out of the dock.

Months or years? Might as well plant flowers in it too.

HeidiHeidi

Judgement Day wrote: »

I've seen this story before, and just how long do you think that the boat will last outside on a concrete plinth.

Since my earlier posts I've also contacted Frank McDonald in the Irish Times and Marcus Connaughton on the RTE Seascapes programme. However, having spoken to one of the people behind the "Naomh Eanna Trust" it appears that there's little hope for the vessel as Waterways Ireland http://www.waterwaysireland.org want it removed by next week as it's not tidy enough for them.

The intro to Seascapes last night mentioned this, like they were going to do a feature or at least a few minutes on it - but then never mentioned it again

Thought it was pre-recorded? Bit odd that they'd have a line on it in the intro and then.... nothing!

goldie fish

That happens a lot on seascapes. Often the article they mention at the start isn't played till weeks later. Very frustrating since Tom retired.

Storm 10

I had many trips on Naomh Eanna to the Aran ISlands as a kid, I still remember the day she arrived in Galway to take over the service to the Aran Island and operated by CIE, she was a top heavy boat and rolled a lot in heavy seas but she was a lovely boat and was spotless inside with a lovely lounge bar area and seating. In the summer she would be full to capacity with tourists visiting the Islands, she could only dock at Inishmore and anchored off Inishman and Inisher where you went ashore by currach and the cattle were swam ashore, it was unreal to see cookers and fridges being put on currachs for transport to shore, they nearly sank with the weight. she was also used as a tender for the Holland American liners Maasdam,Ryndam and Niew Amsterdam when they called to Galway, many times she was unable to get passengers on or off due weather and the Pilot got many a trip on the liners as he could not get off she rolled so much.

My cousin was on a trip to Aran when the Naomh Eanna received the May Day that a KLM plane had crashed off the West Coast, she left for the scene with some passengers still on board including him, she was on scene I think for a few days and picked up some of the crashed planes debris. She was eventually replaced on the liner work by the newly acquired Galway Bay which was originally a tug in Southampton as Calshot, Galway Bay was a very sturdy boat and she never had a problem with weather, the Naomh Eanna returned to her normal service to the Islands until she was retired by CIE.

Galway Bay done the Aran Island service for a while after Naomh Eanna and she also done the so called "Bop On The Bay" where she left the docks at 9pm in summertime at night cruising Galway Bay with a disco on board and returning at around 1am in the morning, they were great nights and always had a great crowd on board, Galway Bay was very nice inside with two decks of lounges and a large closed in area with large windows to look out, she is now restored as Calshot in Southampton but they are two great ships that will live in my memory but very sad to see the way the Naomh Eanna was treated, she should have been kept in Galway as a Maritime Museum and given a run during the summer months with tourists.

Some nice pictures here
http://galwayships.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=9&page=1

fergal.b

New facebook page to help save her https://www.facebook.com/groups/naomheanna/





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goldie fish

It's been rusting away there for years, yet the facebook "save me" group was only created an hour ago? How are they hoping to save it? Have they money to buy it?

Judgement Day

goldie fish wrote: »

It's been rusting away there for years, yet the facebook "save me" group was only created an hour ago? How are they hoping to save it? Have they money to buy it?

It's better than helplessly wringing their hands or saying it's a pity to see it scrapped like some on here. It turns out that the ship still belongs to CIE so there shouldn't be any mad urgency to scrap it or raise funds to save it. Everybody involved on the pro-scrapping side need to hold-off and see if something can be done even at this eleventh hour.

Needless to say I haven't received a reply to my emails to Deenihan/Varadkar.

gobnaitolunacy

Almighty hurry to scrap it stinks just a little. Maybe they were hoping to scrap it quietly and hope no-one noticed?

Interesting point raised elsewhere, hull may contain asbestos.

gobnaitolunacy

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/break-up-of-aran-island-ferry-for-scrap-opposed-by-waterway-enthusiasts-1.1685587