New Ships for Old Ships

When I came to Irish Shipping Limited, in August, 1946, nine of the original wartime ships were still operating. They were the Irish Poplar, Irish Elm, Irish Beech, Irish Hazel, Irish Larch, Irish Plane, Irish Fir, Irish Spruce and Irish Ash. It was almost two years later that the first new ship was delivered to the company. The old ships continued to bring cargoes from the United States and Canada to replenish stocks which had become depleted during the " Emergency " and the ports of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford were extremely busy for some time after the war ended in May, 1945. Only five of the old ships were still trading for the company when the first new vessel was delivered in July, 1948, and five new ships had been delivered to Irish Shipping Limited before the last of the wartime ships, the Irish Ash, was sold in December, 1949. A sixth new vessel had joined the fleet less than three weeks after the sale of the Irish Ash.

Within months of my arrival, although not because of it, management of the entire fleet was taken over by the company and the shore-based staff was increased accordingly to provide the required administrative, operational and technical personnel. The four ships that had been managed by Palgrave Murphy Ltd. had been handed back to the company in December, 1945. These were the Irish Plane, Irish Elm, Irish Beech and Irish Willow. The latter ship was re-delivered to her owners in May, 1946. The remaining managed vessels were handed back to Irish Shipping Limited in September, 1946. The company was at last managing and operating its own fleet of ships.

In the same speech by Minister, Sean Lemass, already quoted, he emphasised the need to build a modern fleet to meet the country's future shipping needs. He said "We must have the best ships it is possible for us to get. Second-rate equipment will mean failure. We must have them manned by the best men we can recruit and train - competent, trustworthy, and disciplined men on the bridge, on the deck, in the engineroom, stokehold and galley. We must have alert and efficient shore organisations, both at home and in the countries with which we trade."

New Ships

In June, 1946, the company contracted with John Readhead & Sons Ltd., shipbuilders, of South Shields, for the building of two modern cargo liners, each of 7,575 deadweight tons. The vessels were designed to the company's specifications and special requirements. The specifications provided for Officers' and Crew accommodation of a high standard including spacious rooms and well-furnished saloon and smoke-room for Deck and Engineer Officers and separate mess rooms for seamen and firemen. A two-cot hospital was provided amidships, fitted with the most modern and appropriate equipment. Each ship was also provided with first-class accommodation and facilities for twelve passengers in single and double-berth cabins. A dining-saloon, smoke-room, café/bar and promenade deck were also provided for the use of passengers. The new buildings were designed to form part of the company's projected modern fleet to operate between New York, Montreal, St. John, New Brunswick and Irish ports. It was also agreed that the names of trees would continue to be used for the company's ships and that the names already used for the wartime fleet would be repeated in the future.

Later in 1946, orders for three further ships were placed with Wm. Gray & Co. Ltd. of West Hartlepool, two of which were vessels of 2,010 deadweight tons and were intended for trade between Irish and Baltic Sea ports. The third ship was an 8,700 deadweight tons vessel, specially designed to initiate a new service bringing grain and general cargo from the River Plate. She was also fitted with passenger accommodation. In order to provide the necessary resources to finance the new building programme, the company's Share Capital was increased in April, 1948, from the original amount of £200,000 to £5 million.

First of the new ships to be delivered to the company were the two smaller vessels, the Irish Rose and Irish Willow on 15th July, 1948 and 27th October, 1948, respectively. The second Irish Rose (Pictured Right) was actually launched at West Hartlepool in February, 1948, and was sponsored by Mrs. Leydon, wife of the company's Chairman. Following delivery five months later, the vessel sailed on her maiden voyage under the command of Capt. Frank Kelly, brother of Capt. J. P. Kelly.

Other well-known Irish Shipping Officers on that initial voyage to load at Gothenborg were Chief Engineer, J. B. Donohoe (Pictured Left); Chief Officer, P. J. Hennessy; Second Officer, Bernard Reilly; Third Officer, Ivan Tyrrell, Second Engineer, R. O'Neill and Third Engineer, J. J. Walsh. The Irish Rose arrived back in Dublin on 2nd. August, 1948, with woodpulp, timber and general cargo Her arrival back in her home port was greeted with much celebration and a special reception was held aboard the ship to mark the historic occasion. Guests included Mr. Daniel Morrissey, Minister for Industry & Commerce; Mr. Sean MacBride, Minister for External Affairs; Mr. Liam Cosgrave, then Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry & Commerce; Mr. Sean Lemass, T.D. and Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Cosgrave.

In 1949, Capt. John W. Byrne of Arklow was given his first appointment as Master with Irish Shipping Limited when he took over command of the Irish Willow. Capt. Byrne had joined the company in 1946 and was a very popular figure with seagoing and shore personnel up to his retirement in October, 1963. His son, John, also served as a Deck Officer with Irish Shipping Limited.

Pictured Left: Capt. John W. Byrne.

The second Irish Willow (Pictured above) was launched on 22nd May, 1948, with Mrs. Hallinan, wife of Irish Shipping Director, Major T. D. Hallinan, as sponsor of the new vessel. The ship was delivered to the company on 27th October, 1948, and was under the command of Capt. John Poole on her maiden voyage to Baltic ports. Chief Engineer on that voyage was J. B. Donohoe who had also sailed on the maiden voyage of the Irish Rose. Both the Irish Rose and Irish Willow operated on the Baltic trade from 1948 until early 1951 when the Baltic trade was no longer commercially viable and both ships were transferred to the North Atlantic Liner service for some months. Later in 1951 both ships were chartered to an American company for trading between United States' and Caribbean ports.

Capt. David Foley of Dungarvan was Master of the Irish Rose when she went on charter and her Chief Engineer was another very well-known Officer with the company, Helios Rosenberg, with Charles Devlin, Second Engineer. Other Officers on the ship at that time were N. O'Shiel, Chief Officer; Ivan Tyrrell, Second Officer; Jerry Moynihan, Chief Steward and John Dillon, Second Steward, both from Wexford. For the final twelve months of her charter, Capt. P. F. O'Seaghdha took over as Master.

Both the Irish Rose and Irish Willow were sold to Finnish owners in 1954 and their new owners, Finland Steamship Co. Ltd. of Helsinki renamed the ships Leo and Juno respectively.

Subsequently, the Leo had name changes to Colon, Ocean Explorer, Fortune and Senor Del Mar. She ran aground at Punta Molas whilst on passage from Callao to Veracruz in December, 1971 and although refloated she ran aground again and was scrapped at Veracruz in 1973.

The Juno was renamed Amira K in 1966 and ran aground south of Varna in the Black Sea on passage to Constantza in January, 1969.

The first of the two ships from the South Shields yard of John Readhead & Sons Ltd., the 7,575 deadweight tons Irish Pine (Pictured above) was delivered on 18th December, 1948. The vessel was launched at South Shields on 4th August, 1948, and was sponsored by Mrs. Stafford, wife of Mr. J. J. Stafford, Director of Irish Shipping Limited. The Irish Pine was the first of the new fleet to make the transatlantic crossing on her maiden voyage from Cork to Baltimore and New York under the command of Capt. J. P. Kelly. Passengers on that historic voyage were the company Chairman, Mr. John Leydon with his wife and daughter; Mr. Daniel Morrissey, Minister for Industry and Commerce; Capt. John O'Neill, Joint General Manager of Irish Shipping Limited and Rev. J. Coyne S.J. On her maiden voyage the Irish Pine loaded 4,500 tons of corn and 180 tons of general cargo at Baltimore and completed at New York with 800 tons of general cargo. She arrived back in Dublin on 25th January, 1949, amid much celebration with a host of political and business dignitaries gathered on the quayside to greet her arrival.

As a reminder of the reality of everyday life in Dublin's dockland, one incident at the berthing of the Irish Pine is worthy of recall. It involved two men who were very familiar to those who frequented the port area in those days. One of the best known "characters" on the docks was Peter Lennon, who was a boatman and watchman, very conscious of the importance of his role in both capacities. Also involved was the Corporation "water man", a Mr. Murray, if my memory serves me well. The latter was anxious to carry out his function of getting the necessary hose line on board as expeditiously as possible to provide the ship with fresh water. At the same time, Peter was busy, with his helpers, in tying-up and securing the vessel with mooring ropes. Thus it was that a "conflict of interests" arose which quickly developed into what might be charitably described as a sharp exchange of views between the two protagonists. This was conducted in the most colourful local vernacular before a somewhat bemused audience of VIPs and a helpless group of Irish Shipping people who were suitably "mortified" by the unseemly exchanges. Mercifully the situation was resolved through verbal rather than physical exchanges.

The Irish Pine completed discharge at Cork and sailed from there on 3rd February, 1949, with her full complement of twelve passengers on board for the next voyage to Boston and New York. The vessel was to serve on the North Atlantic liner trade for a further sixteen years before she was sold in August, 1965 to Compania Agarnania de Navigacion S. A. of Panama and was renamed Amazon. However, she was chartered by Irish Shipping for a short period in order to enable the company to fulfil some forward commitments on the North Atlantic route. In 1976 the ship was sold to Greek owners and named Aramon. Three years later she was to come to an unusual end when a cargo of bitumen she was carrying from Piraeus to Port Sudan solidified in her holds and she was scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan with the bitumen still on board.

Pictured Left: The second Irish Cedar

Four further new ships were launched in 1949, the Irish Cedar of 8,700 tons deadweight built by Wm. Gray & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool, launched on 8th July, 1948, and sponsored by Mrs. Roycroft, wife of company Director, S. J. K. Roycroft. The vessel was delivered to the company on 2nd February, 1949. She sailed on her maiden voyage from West Hartlepool to Baltimore and Norfolk to load grain and tobacco for Dublin. Capt. David Foley was the ship's Master on her maiden voyage.The second Irish Cedar made two round voyages to Cuba in 1951 and 1953 carrying passengers on both trips and the round trip fare was £125.

On a voyage from Dublin to Halifax with Capt. J. P. Kelly as Master a baby boy was born on board to a passenger when the ship was 400 miles east of St. John, New Brunswick. Both baby and mother were later declared to be in good health in a Halifax hospital. Capt. Kelly, who served on the ship for six years, was also in command when the Irish Cedar became the first Irish flag vessel to sail into Hudson Bay and loaded a cargo of wheat at Churchill for Dublin and Limerick..

In 1958, when the shipping slump caused over six million tons of the world's merchant fleet to be laid-up, the Irish Cedar was forced to lay-up from April, 1958 to July, 1959, when she was sold to Gulf Steamship Co. Ltd. of Karachi and was renamed Mustansir. She was scrapped at Karachi in 1971.

The next new building to be delivered to the company on 6th July, 1949, was the Irish Oak from the yard of John Readhead & Sons Ltd., South Shields. This ship, of 7,575 tons deadweight, was launched on 14th January, 1949, and sponsored by Mrs. Reihill, wife of J. P. Reihill, Director. On her maiden voyage, with Capt. Tom Glanville as Master, she loaded 5,000 tons of grain at Baltimore and completed loading general cargo at New York for discharge at Dublin and Cork.

Pictured Above: Well-known Officers who served on the IRISH OAK in 1950
Back Row (L. to R.) Engineers G. Cronin, C. Devlin, M. J. Byrne and P. Banville; W. Jones, Radio Officer, and P. Cantwell, Deck Officer. Front Row (L. to R.) M. R. McMahon, Apprentice; L. Tallon, Chief Officer; Capt. J. Poole, Master; A. Metcalf, Chief Engineer; E. O'Mahony, Engineer Officer and J. McEvoy, Chief Steward. Kneeling: Apprentices H. Markey and M. Kavanagh.

Capt. Glanville had a long and distinguished career in Irish Shipping Ltd. from July, 1941, when he joined the first Irish Larch at Leith in Scotland as Second Officer. By a happy coincidence, he also sailed on the second Irish Larch as Master when that vessel was delivered to the company in October, 1956. Capt. Glanville retired in 1967 after twenty-six years service with the company.

The second Irish Oak (Pictured above leaving the port of Limerick) traded on the North Atlantic liner service for seventeen years until she went on charter to Lloyd Brasileiro of Rio de Janeiro in January, 1967 with Capt. Thomas A. Hughes as Master. Michael Whooley was Chief Engineer and Jack Martin was Chief Officer for the voyage from Le Havre to Recife in Brazil to load sugar for the United States At the end of her charter, the vessel was sold to Compania Alcyonia de Navigacion S.A. of Panama and was delivered to her new owners at Cork Dockyard on 1st June, 1967. She was renamed Alkyon and was sold on to Greek owners in 1976 who renamed her Vegas. In August, 1979, she ran aground at Jeddah on passage from Piraeus to Vietnam before being scrapped at Gadani in January,1980.

The second Irish Plane (Pictured above) was launched on 11th July, 1949, at the yard of Wm. Gray & Co. Ltd. and was sponsored by Mrs. O'Neill, wife of Capt. John O'Neill. This ship had a deadweight of 8,870 tons and was delivered to the company on 22nd December, 1949. She was immediately chartered to South African Marine Corporation on a four months' time charter. On her maiden voyage she sailed from West Hartlepool to Mobile, the first port of call on a round voyage to U.S. and Canadian ports. Her Master was Capt. Frank Kelly. The second Irish Plane was the first ship flying the Irish flag to sail under the Golden Gate bridge at San Francisco when she arrived there on 26th January, 1950, and, as such, she was given a wonderful reception by the local harbour authorities and the various Irish associations in San Francisco. She loaded a cargo of cotton there and at Los Angeles for India, which she discharged at Bombay. The second Irish Plane was sold in January, 1960 to Chittagong Steamship Corporation of Pakistan and was renamed Dacca City. The vessel was scrapped at Karachi in March, 1971.

Pictured Left: The second Irish Hazel

The fourth vessel in this group of newbuildings was the second Irish Hazel, which was also launched at the yard of Wm. Gray, West Hartlepool on 21st October, 1949, and was sponsored by Mrs. Gilligan, wife of then Government Minister, Mr. P. Gilligan.

The Irish Hazel was delivered on 14th March, 1950, bringing the fleet to seven new ships as the company had disposed of all the old vessels of the wartime fleet by December, 1949. The new ship sailed from West Hartlepool on 14th March, 1950, and her maiden voyage was to Cuba to load a cargo of sugar for discharge at Dublin with Capt. Duncan McDonald as Master.

In February, 1957, the Irish Hazel sailed from Cobh to commence an around-the-world voyage under the command of Capt. J. Caird and with Coleman Raftery Chief Officer and A. Taylor Chief Engineer. Her first port of call was Baton Rouge on the Mississippi River where she loaded grain for Japan and returned, in ballast, to Astoria in Oregon where she loaded grain for India. She took on bunkers at Balikpapan in Borneo before proceeding to her first discharge port of Vishakhapatnam and completing discharge at Calcutta. She then loaded sugar at Mauritius for Montreal and after discharge of her cargo at the Canadian port, she loaded grain for Hull where she arrived in early December, 1957. During her worldwide voyaging, the ship carried three cargoes of grain and one cargo of bulk sugar totalling approximately 24,000 tons overall.

The Irish Hazel was the sixth newbuilding of the company's post-war fleet and the final vessel built in the 1940s. She was sold to Atlantska Plovidba of Yugoslavia in May, 1960 and was renamed Konavli. She was scrapped in July, 1972.