Crosshaven sail designer and sailmaker Barry Hayes has built his own cannon which will be used as the starting gun for the inter-Services Beaufort Cup during Cork Week Regatta and for the Naval Race and other naval occasions.
He has spent two years and a "six-figure sum" to achieve what he was first told was "not allowed in Ireland"—building a cannon. And he is going to give it to the Navy.
With his maritime background and knowledge of the sea, he considered building a cannon. But you are not allowed to do that, so I built a signal cannon, which is slightly different," he told me for this Podcast.
I recalled seeing cannons fired and ricocheting across the decks of old sailing ships in films of naval battles when he told me about his project. The cannon had to be cast which took quiet a lot of research in museums. He also got advice from the Navy.
Naval officer lt.Cdr. Brian Mathews test fires the signal cannon at the naval base opposite Cobh
"They were really helpful. The cannon was cast by a bell-maker in Athy. It has to be cast in a certain way. There can't be any glitches or anomalies. The completed cannon is a complete brass casting."
It had to be registered with the Garda Siochana, and he had to obtain a licence to fire its blank rounds.
"There's not many people in Ireland who have a working signal cannon that they can fire. I may be the only one in Ireland who has his own cannon."
He also had a wooden carriage made to take the recoil of firing, which was constructed by another Cork sailor, Tadgh Lynch.
Podcast below where Barry tells me in detail about his two-year project.
Barry and his wife, Claire Morgan, took over the former McWilliams Sailmakers business where Barry has worked and opened a new loft at Carrigaline and the first sailing shop in the village of Crosshaven.
