Profile on Lt.Cdr John Doyle NS

Lt. Cdr John Doyle was from Waterford Originally and joined the Maritime Inscription on its formation. In 1941 he joined the Naval Service and served as a writer. The mid fifties had promoted him to CPO.

His early life was tough as his father was senior in years and his mother died when he was but one year old. His stepmother Maggie Doyle raised him well. He has a surviving sister and two-step siblings

In about 1961 or 1962 he was commissioned as a S/Lt.

He served as liaison officer to many foreign visits and was on board HMS Ghurka when an IRA activist fired on her. He served with many appointments in the service to include recruiting officer during the early seventies.

His final job as liaison officer was in 1978 when he was to liase with a squadron of FRG Thetis class Sub chasers in Waterford. He had achieved the rank of Lt. Cdr.

He was prolific in the management of many NS soccer teams during the time he served. Ironically he was expelled from school in the thirties for playing the same game. He married and settles in Cobh, marrying his wife Geraldine and had four daughters.

He was one of the instigators of the Cork harbour Transport.

For most of his life in cobh he lived at three roches terrace. and took up position as manger of this company after his retirement in 1984.

He was instrumental in the setting up of the 1997 commemorations for the NS and received a medal from the president. He passed away in 2001 aged 75 after a brief illness and was buried with full Naval Honours. Six serving LT Commanders carried his casket from the Church. Also present at the funeral was the then FOCNs John Kavangh a personal friend of the family and the whole affair was directed by W/O Paddy Sullivan.

John was one of the founder members of the Haulbowline theatrical society and was an accomplished singer.

His passion in Life was Cobh ramblers and as a recruit in the NS, I used to get paraded to his house for Sunday tea having given my afternoon in the rain to watch Ramblers in Colmans park

His other love was Watford and would travel across the water to see the Irish squad when the opportunity presented himself.

He had a very complex character and was strict disciplinarian by nature, but if one was to find them selves on orders before him he was the most benevolent man in the world.

Many will say he was a hard taskmaster but always had the service at heart.

He and LT CDR Michael Burke 3 Coy Waterford were life long friends.

Submitted by
Paul Murphy