Several hundred people patiently queued despite the bitter wind in Dun Laoghaire to board a Naval Service vessel as part of the St. Patrick’s Day, writes Jehan Ashmore.
After the conclusion of the harbour town’s parade, public tours were available to the LÉ William Butler Yeats (P63), which drew crowds from the gate mid-way along the Carlisle Pier to back out onto the road opposite the Royal St. George Yacht Club.
People of many ages were eager to board, which involved batches of around 20 people at a time accessing through the gate to walk the gangway onto the 90m Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV90) of the P60 class.
Queues formed to board the LÉ William Butler Yeats (P63) during St. Patrick's Day celebrations at Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Afloat
Members of the public toured the open decks from the stern to the bow to view the weaponry systems and also went into the bridge to gain an insight into the naval duties. Crew members spoke of their roles, explained equipment, and answered queries from all ages.
An opportunity was also possible to walk atop the wheelhouse with commanding views of the bow and the coastal landmarks within the harbour waterfront.
As the OPV’s pennant number (P63) would indicate, LÉ William Butler Yeats (P63) represents the third of the P60 class, of which a quartet were built by Backcock Marine & Technology’s Appledore Shipyard, Bideford, North Devon, England.
LÉ William Butler Yeats is an updated and lengthened version of the original 80m OPV80 P50 class, otherwise known as the ‘Róisín’ class, of which this is the name of the first of the pair.
The P60 class was built and fitted out to the highest international standards in terms of safety, equipment fit, technological innovation, and crew comfort. There are 44 crew members ( 6 officers); however, according to a crew member, there are currently 45 crew members and 7 officers.
In addition, for enhanced sea-keeping qualities, the P60 is designed with a longer hull to cope with the rigours of the north-east Atlantic Ocean when heading offshore of Ireland’s rugged western seaboard.
The Róisín twins were built at the same UK yard but under different owners, Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd., with the facility on the Torridge estuary entering the Bristol Channel.
