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Displaying items by tag: moth

Rory Fitzpatrick sailing Little Drinkie was the clear winner of the Howth Yacht Club 10–boat Moth flutter beating Alistair Kissane sailing Enzo by 5 points. The full results are downloadable below. 

 

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With nine wins in ten races, Rory Fitzpatrick of the National Yacht Club is the undisputed king of the Irish Moth Tour 2016 following the weekend's Moth Inland Championships held on the inner lakes of Lough Ree.

Although Fitzpatrick, who finished on eight points after two discards, showed a clean pair of heels to the rest of the nine–boat fleet, Royal Cork's David Kenefick did well to take second on 21 points from Rio selected Annalise Murphy who finished five points behind in third overall.

rory fitzpatrick moth

Winner Rory Fitzpatrick in flying form on Lough Ree and below Annalise Murphy, both of the National Yacht Club. Photos: Courtesy Con Murphy

Annalise Murphy Moth

Full results are downloadable below. 

The event was staged at the Wineport lodge hotel and the Moths were joined on the course by a ten boat Water Wag fleet (below) that featured a coaching session from UK sailing coach Mark Rhodes.

Water Wags Lough Ree

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Former Figaro keelboat campaigner David Kenefick from Royal Cork Yacht Club is back on the water (or is that above the water?) in Cork Harbour. Kenefick is the latest sailor to move to the foiling Moth dinghy that is centred at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire.

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#Speed - As British sailor Hannah White launches her bid to become the fastest woman on water, could the likes of Ireland's Olympic hero Annalise Murphy be inspired to make their own record-breaking attempts?

Yachting Monthly reports on sailor and broadcaster White's plans not only to break the women's speed record over one nautical mile with the purpose-built Moth foil Speedbird, but also reach a speed above 40 knots.

Doing so will involve a combination of state-of-the-art boat design, with titanium and carbon fibre components, and peak physical conditioning on the part of White – who is already training with a cross-discipline team to build new muscle groups for the core strength needed.

That's a challenge indeed, but nothing insurmountable for this experienced endurance sailor, who only this week became the fastest person to cross the English Channel by single-handed dinghy.

The question is, does Ireland have the calibre of high-performance sailors to attempt such a feat?

Annalise Murphy would make an excellent candidate – she might be focused on next summer's Olympics right now, but she's building up experience in the Moth, and would be well placed to launch her own speed record bid after the Games.

What other Irish sailors could take on the record? Have your say in the comments below!

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#MothWorlds15 – Kiwi sailing sensation Peter Burling dominated the 2015 Moth Worlds in Sorrento, Australia last Friday but two Irish sailors featured in the top class field too. The National YC's Annalise Murphy finished in 56th place and Howth's Alistair Kissane finished in 58th place from 158 entries

In the very heavy winds of the last race Olympic Radial champ Annalise scored 30th, putting her second lady overall. She told Afloat.ie: 

'My gantry exploded when I was in eighth coming down the last downwind to the finish. Managed to grab my rudder before it sank. I'm ok, just annoyed, it would have been an epic way to finish! I am seriously battered though!

Emirates Team New Zealand sailor Peter Burling won the  following his domination of the event with 9 race wins in the 14 race series. "There are some great guys in this record fleet, I am absolutely stoked to win," said World 49er Champion Burling who will have little time to celebrate and is then heading to the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Miami, then it's back to America's Cup duties.

The Irish results were made all the more significant taking account of the quality of entries at the event in Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club – including five members of the Americas Cup winning Oracle USA team, sailors from the Artemis and Emirates teams, world champions and Olympic gold medalists including Tom Slingsby who sailed with John Bertrand to win the Etchells Worlds in Howth in 2010.

Kissane managed a very steady set of results including 26th and 20th place in the final two races. According to the Howth Yacht Club website, Kissane spent six hours repairing his Moth before the final day – a product of racing these foiling boats in the high wind and sea conditions that were prevalent in the latter part of the championships.

 

Published in Moth

#mothworlds –  Race officials were forced to abandon racing on day four of the McDougall + McConaghy 2015 International Moth World Championship being hosted by the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club (SSCBC) at Sorrento in Victoria because of strond winds at the venue, the first stong winds the worlds fleet has had since Lake Garda, three years ago. 

At a meeting with Moth competitors this morning, Event Director, Peter Osbourne (from the SSCBC) asked for a show of hands for racing. Most in the Gold fleet elected for racing. All but a couple in the Silver fleet voted against.

Officials asked competitors to stay ashore while they waited for visibility to improve, along with the general conditions, including pouring rain and blustery conditions.

 

Day 2 also brought about some strong winds and action packed racing. Ireland's Annalise Murphy features in the above vid. 

 

 

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#mothsailing – The National Yacht Club's Annalise Murphy and Howth Yacht Club's Alistair Kissane qualified for the Gold Fleet of the 2015 foiling Moth World Championships in Sorrento, Australia.

Consistent results on the second day of the regatta meant that both Murphy in 62nd place and Kissane in 70th are through but unfortunately Bangor's Olympian Ryan Seaton just missed the cut, qualifying for Silver Fleet in 82nd place.

As Afloat.ie reported earlier, the Irish crews are in celebrated company, with leaders including America's Cup syndicate campaigners such as Emirates Team New Zealand's Pete Burling, and Artemis Racing's Nathan Outerridge as well as other notables such as Tom Slingsby, Iain Jensen, Scott Babbage, Dean Barker and Ray Davies.

Speaking to reporters, Irish Olympic Radial sailor Murphy, said after day two:
"It was stressful conditions, pretty wavy on the downwinds and I also learnt how to pitch-pole less; in the first race I pitch-poled five times, in the second race only twice, in the third race only once and in the last race I didn't pitch-pole at all, so I was getting better each race with not trying to kill myself on the downwind. Stressful but a lot of fun!"

The top 79 of the 153 sailors make the 'cut' for the Gold Fleet following the second day of racing at Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club in Victoria.

New Zealand's Peter Burling reeled off four straight wins to take the lead on the 2nd day, sounding the warning bell for the other 159 competitors. With the fleet split into Blue and Yellow, Burling was in the Blue fleet on a course closer to shore. Defending world champion Nathan Outteridge (AUS) was in the Yellow on a course further out and on the receiving end of bumpier conditions and scored 3-2-2-1 results.

Ashore Burling said: "I won all four races – the last one by over a lap, which is pretty pleasing in this fleet. it's all come together here," he said referring to his disappointing results at the Worlds in 2011 and 2013. I did well in the light and shifty weather yesterday and today was as good. I put a lot of work into improving my game for this event. We were in flatter more manageable water than the Yellow fleet, but even so, I dropped off the foil at one stage and fell back to 11th, but I still got back and won. Everyone had a swim, or crashed or overtook," the 2012 Olympic 49er silver medallist said of the course, which was closer to the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club, host for the event.

On Nathan Outteridge, Burling said: "Both of us have different commitments now – me with Emirates Team NZ and him with Artemis Racing (AC syndicates). We're still good mates, but things are slightly different now. He is my biggest challenge for this title, of course."

Full details here

Published in Moth

#mothworlds – Three Irish sailors are among 165 set for tomorrow's McDougall + McConaghy 2015 International Moth World Championship to be sailed in Sorrento, Australia from 9-16 January, 2015, on Port Phillip. The fleet are chomping at the bit for some foiling action but like yesterday there is no racing at the Moth Australian Nationals, a pre–cursor to tomorrow's worlds. 

As Afloat reported last monthHowth Yacht Club's Alistair Kissane, Bangor's Ryan Seaton and the National Yacht Club's Annalise Murphy have made the journey for the foiling championships.

Among the top entries is defending world champion Nathan Outteridge. The NSW 2012 Olympic 49er gold medallist and America's Cup skipper for Artemis Racing will attempt to defend his title and in the process become one of the first world champions in the New Year.

Outteridge is well aware those he will race against are just as credentialed. Concentrating on his 2016 Olympic 49er campaign in Rio and the Worlds in Santander, he has also been flat out in his role as skipper for Artemis Racing in San Francisco these last few months.

"I actually haven't sailed my Moth at all since the 2014 Worlds in Hayling Island back in July," said the multi-skilled sailor.

More here

 

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#moth – Three Irish dinghy sailors will join America's Cup stars, Olympic medallists and world champions among a record 150 plus sailors converging on Port Phillip, Australia next week when the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club (SSCBC) in Victoria hosts the McDougall + McConaghy 2015 Moth World Championship from 9-16 January, 2015.

Howth Yacht Club's Alistair Kissane, Bangor's Ryan Seaton and the National Yacht Club's Annalise Murphy are all making the journey for the foiling championships.

Earlier this year, Murphy won the Moth Ladies World title when the event was staged in Hayling Island in the UK. 

Defending Moth world champion and Artemis America's Cup helm, Nathan Outteridge (AUS), heads the line-up. Like so many others, Outteridge, the 2012 Olympic 49er gold medallist, will take on fellow crew and rivals from the Olympics and the America's Cup, among them his 49er medallist crew and fellow Artemis member, Iain 'Goobs' Jensen.

Other Artemis entries are Loick Peyron (FRA), who has four ORMA titles and a Transat win among his illustrious results, and 2008 Beijing Laser gold medallist Paul Goodison (GBR).

Intermingled with other big names are winning Oracle Team members Tom Slingsby (AUS), Philippe Presti (FRA), Rome Kirby (USA) and Joey Newton (AUS), while Emirates Team New Zealand boats Glenn Ashby (AUS) and Kiwis Dean Barker, Ray Davies, and Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, the 2012 Olympic 49er silver medallists.

Burling and Tuke are Outteridge and Jensen's rivals, and not just in the 49er, according to Tom Slingsby, who slates Burling as the biggest potential threat for the Moth world title.

"Peter Burling is the man to beat. I've been watching him, he's sailing really well and improving all the time," says Slingsby, the first Australian to be named ISAF World Sailor of the Year (2010) and Oracle strategist.

Slingsby is running himself ragged in the lead-up. Competing in the Moth class at Sail Sydney along with other Moth Worlds candidates, on Tuesday he will call tactics aboard Perpetual Loyal in the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour and in the Rolex Sydney Hobart. In between, the 30 year-old will skipper Oman Air in the Extreme Sailing Series from 11-14 December, but insists he is enjoying every minute.

"I had a break from sailing – I needed it. But now I'm enjoying all the opportunities that are coming my way," said Slingsby, a multiple world title holder in the Olympic Laser class and former Etchells world champion. "The Extreme is a great opportunity to sail with some of my Oracle crew and it will give me time on the water and practice for the Moth Worlds," he said.

"Realistically, there are 10-15 people who could win the Worlds. People are coming up with new twists all the time. The Moth is developing all the time, as can be seen with the foiling," explains the Terrigal sailor who with his Oracle team mates has been practicing on the home turf of Outteridge and Jensen at Wangi Wangi on the NSW Central Coast.

"I'm more local than they are now," he says laughing. "The Oracle guys have spent a bit of time there because the conditions are perfect for Moth sailing – it's quiet – there are no distractions, so we can concentrate on sailing."

Tornado Olympic medallist Glenn Ashby owns more world championship trophies across a broad range of multihull classes than anyone else. Leaving the woes of losing the America's Cup behind him, the Bendigo sailor commented: "it will be, without doubt, the single most high-performance regatta I've ever done.

"There'll be at least eight Olympic medallists, three Moth world champions and 15 America's Cup sailors," added sailmaker Ashby, who is already in Sorrento practicing regularly with Emirates Team NZ crew.

Bora Gulari, the 2013 Moth world champion returns this year after taking a year off. Since his win in Hawaii, the American has been training with the Luna Rossa America's Cup syndicate.

Missing in action will be America's Cup winning skipper, Jimmy Spithill, who is having his elbow operated on, but another Spithill will take his place. Younger brother Tom will try his luck in this fast-paced high-level foiling class and has also been putting in practice.

In the younger set too is 2012 Moth world champion, Josh McKnight (AUS), who has to be considered a threat after winning the title at his first Worlds. He was also crowned the 2013 NSW Moth title and in July, won the Open Italian Moth Championship.

 

Women have thrown their hats in the 'Moth sphere' too, notably local sailor, Sam England. The 2011 Moth Worlds Women's winner is training hard to bring the trophy home again. Multi-skilled Wakako Tabata, 470 Women's Japanese representative at the 2012 Olympics, also competes in the Laser Radial and Mixed Nacra 17, while Annalise Murphy (IRE) finished fourth at the 2012 Olympics in the Laser Radial.

Japan, Great Britain, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland, USA, South Africa, New Zealand, Austria, Hong Kong, France, Ireland, Sweden and Australia are all well represented.

It is not the first time that SSCBC, located in the pretty seaside holiday destination of Sorrento, has hosted a major event; numerous competitors are familiar with the waters having contested the 49er Worlds here in 2008.

"The Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club enjoys a first-class reputation for managing and running major sailing events," Andrew Plympton, SSCBC's Commodore commented. "And we're looking forward to welcoming everyone here. Already Glenn Ashby and others from Emirates Team New Zealand are training here," he said.

"The McDougall + McConaghy Moth Worlds will be the centre of attention during our typically busy January period and 10 days of sea breeze, sunshine and flat seas have been ordered.

"Planning with the Moth Association and our club started some two years ago," he said of the event organised by SSCBC in conjunction with the International Moth Class Association.

Co-sponsor of the Moth Worlds, McConaghy's Jono Morris said: "McConaghy Boats has had an enduring association with the Moth class. As foiling started to become the norm for the fleet, we started to work with Andrew McDougall on the Bladerider project when we set up in China in 2006. Between 2006 and 2008, we built around 300 Bladeriders together.

"In 2008 we launched the Mach2, which took everything we had learned collectively from the Bladerider and improved it in every respect. Today, we've built over 500 Mach 2's, combined with 300 Bladeriders; that's 800 hydrofoiling moths and counting," he said.

McDougall is also a stalwart sailor of the class and will have his work cut out taking on the younger guns in the fleet. "I'm realistic. A top ten finish would make me proud. I no longer have a serious speed advantage over the fleet, because they've got the gear I developed, so it's a more even playing field now."

Spectators can catch a glimpse of what is to come when the SSCBC hosts a round of the Victorian Moth Grand Prix sponsored by KA Sails this weekend and the McDougall + McConaghy Moth Australian Championship ahead of the Worlds from 6-8 January. Those keen to go on the water to view the Worlds can register their interest with Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club.

Published in Moth

#mothsailing – Irish sailing superstar Annalise Murphy was Moth sailing at the weekend, participating in the latest round of the Irish Moth circuit at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire. A combination of high speed video action from a chasing RIB plus and onboard shots shows how the Laser ace also had the skills to win the Women's World Moth champs at Hayling Island in the UK in August. 

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About the Irish Navy

The Navy maintains a constant presence 24 hours a day, 365 days a year throughout Ireland’s enormous and rich maritime jurisdiction, upholding Ireland’s sovereign rights. The Naval Service is tasked with a variety of roles including defending territorial seas, deterring intrusive or aggressive acts, conducting maritime surveillance, maintaining an armed naval presence, ensuring right of passage, protecting marine assets, countering port blockades; people or arms smuggling, illegal drugs interdiction, and providing the primary diving team in the State.

The Service supports Army operations in the littoral and by sealift, has undertaken supply and reconnaissance missions to overseas peace support operations and participates in foreign visits all over the world in support of Irish Trade and Diplomacy.  The eight ships of the Naval Service are flexible and adaptable State assets. Although relatively small when compared to their international counterparts and the environment within which they operate, their patrol outputs have outperformed international norms.

The Irish Naval Service Fleet

The Naval Service is the State's principal seagoing agency. The Naval Service operates jointly with the Army and Air Corps.

The fleet comprises one Helicopter Patrol Vessel (HPV), three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), two Large Patrol Vessel (LPV) and two Coastal Patrol Vessels (CPV). Each vessel is equipped with state of the art machinery, weapons, communications and navigation systems.

LÉ EITHNE P31

LE Eithne was built in Verlome Dockyard in Cork and was commissioned into service in 1984. She patrols the Irish EEZ and over the years she has completed numerous foreign deployments.

Type Helicopter Patrol Vessel
Length 80.0m
Beam 12m
Draught 4.3m
Main Engines 2 X Ruston 12RKC Diesels6, 800 HP2 Shafts
Speed 18 knots
Range 7000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 55 (6 Officers)
Commissioned 7 December 1984

LÉ ORLA P41

L.É. Orla was formerly the HMS SWIFT a British Royal Navy patrol vessel stationed in the waters of Hong Kong. She was purchased by the Irish State in 1988. She scored a notable operational success in 1993 when she conducted the biggest drug seizure in the history of the state at the time, with her interception and boarding at sea of the 65ft ketch, Brime.

Type Coastal Patrol Vessel
Length 62.6m
Beam 10m
Draught 2.7m
Main Engines 2 X Crossley SEMT- Pielstick Diesels 14,400 HP 2 Shafts
Speed 25 + Knots
Range 2500 Nautical Miles @ 17 knots
Crew 39 (5 Officers)

LÉ CIARA P42

L.É. Ciara was formerly the HMS SWALLOW a British Royal Navy patrol vessel stationed in the waters of Hong Kong. She was purchased by the Irish State in 1988. She scored a notable operational success in Nov 1999 when she conducted the second biggest drug seizure in the history of the state at that time, with her interception and boarding at sea of MV POSIDONIA of the south-west coast of Ireland.

Type Coastal Patrol Vessel
Length 62.6m
Beam 10m
Draught 2.7m
Main Engines 2 X Crossley SEMT- Pielstick Diesels 14,400 HP 2 Shafts
Speed 25 + Knots
Range 2500 Nautical Miles @ 17 knots
Crew 39 (5 Officers)

LÉ ROISIN P51

L.É. Roisin (the first of the Roisín class of vessel) was built in Appledore Shipyards in the UK for the Naval Service in 2001. She was built to a design that optimises her patrol performance in Irish waters (which are some of the roughest in the world), all year round. For that reason a greater length overall (78.8m) was chosen, giving her a long sleek appearance and allowing the opportunity to improve the conditions on board for her crew.

Type Long Offshore Patrol Vessel
Length 78.84m
Beam 14m
Draught 3.8m
Main Engines 2 X Twin 16 cly V26 Wartsila 26 medium speed Diesels
5000 KW at 1,000 RPM 2 Shafts
Speed 23 knots
Range 6000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 44 (6 Officers)
Commissioned 18 September 2001

LÉ NIAMH P52

L.É. Niamh (the second of the Róisín class) was built in Appledore Shipyard in the UK for the Naval Service in 2001. She is an improved version of her sister ship, L.É.Roisin

Type Long Offshore Patrol Vessel
Length 78.84m
Beam 14m
Draught 3.8m
Main Engines 2 X Twin 16 cly V26 Wartsila 26 medium speed Diesels
5000 KW at 1,000 RPM 2 Shafts
Speed 23 knots
Range 6000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 44 (6 Officers)
Commissioned 18 September 2001

LÉ SAMUEL BECKETT P61

LÉ Samuel Beckett is an Offshore Patrol Vessel built and fitted out to the highest international standards in terms of safety, equipment fit, technological innovation and crew comfort. She is also designed to cope with the rigours of the North-East Atlantic.

Type Offshore Patrol Vessel
Length 90.0m
Beam 14m
Draught 3.8m
Main Engines 2 x Wärtsilä diesel engines and Power Take In, 2 x shafts, 10000kw
Speed 23 knots
Range 6000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 44 (6 Officers)

LÉ JAMES JOYCE P62

LÉ James Joyce is an Offshore Patrol Vessel and represents an updated and lengthened version of the original RÓISÍN Class OPVs which were also designed and built to the Irish Navy specifications by Babcock Marine Appledore and she is truly a state of the art ship. She was commissioned into the naval fleet in September 2015. Since then she has been constantly engaged in Maritime Security and Defence patrolling of the Irish coast. She has also deployed to the Defence Forces mission in the Mediterranean from July to end of September 2016, rescuing 2491 persons and recovering the bodies of 21 deceased

Type Offshore Patrol Vessel
Length 90.0m
Beam 14m
Draught 3.8m
Main Engines 2 x Wärtsilä diesel engines and Power Take In, 2 x shafts, 10000kw
Speed 23 knots
Range 6000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 44 (6 Officers)

LÉ WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS P63

L.É. William Butler Yeats was commissioned into the naval fleet in October 2016. Since then she has been constantly engaged in Maritime Security and Defence patrolling of the Irish coast. She has also deployed to the Defence Forces mission in the Mediterranean from July to October 2017, rescuing 704 persons and recovering the bodies of three deceased.

Type Offshore Patrol Vessel
Length 90.0m
Beam 14m
Draught 3.8m
Main Engines 2 x Wärtsilä diesel engines and Power Take In, 2 x shafts, 10000kw
Speed 23 knots
Range 6000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 44 (6 Officers)

LÉ GEORGE BERNARD SHAW P64

LÉ George Bernard Shaw (pennant number P64) is the fourth and final ship of the P60 class vessels built for the Naval Service in Babcock Marine Appledore, Devon. The ship was accepted into State service in October 2018, and, following a military fit-out, commenced Maritime Defence and Security Operations at sea.

Type Offshore Patrol Vessel
Length 90.0m
Beam 14m
Draught 3.8m
Main Engines 2 x Wärtsilä diesel engines and Power Take In, 2 x shafts, 10000kw
Speed 23 knots
Range 6000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 44 (6 Officers)

Ship information courtesy of the Defence Forces

Irish Navy FAQs

The Naval Service is the Irish State's principal seagoing agency with "a general responsibility to meet contingent and actual maritime defence requirements". It is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles.

The Naval Service is based in Ringaskiddy, Cork harbour, with headquarters in the Defence Forces headquarters in Dublin.

The Naval Service provides the maritime component of the Irish State's defence capabilities and is the State's principal seagoing agency. It "protects Ireland's interests at and from the sea, including lines of communication, fisheries and offshore resources" within the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Naval Service operates jointly with the Army and Air Corps as part of the Irish defence forces.

The Naval Service was established in 1946, replacing the Marine and Coastwatching Service set up in 1939. It had replaced the Coastal and Marine Service, the State's first marine service after independence, which was disbanded after a year. Its only ship was the Muirchú, formerly the British armed steam yacht Helga, which had been used by the Royal Navy to shell Dublin during the 1916 Rising. In 1938, Britain handed over the three "treaty" ports of Cork harbour, Bere haven and Lough Swilly.

The Naval Service has nine ships - one Helicopter Patrol Vessel (HPV), three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), two Large Patrol Vessel (LPV) and two Coastal Patrol Vessels (CPV). Each vessel is equipped with State of the art machinery, weapons, communications and navigation systems.

The ships' names are prefaced with the title of Irish ship or "long Éireannach" (LE). The older ships bear Irish female names - LÉ Eithne, LÉ Orla, LÉ Ciara, LÉ Roisín, and LÉ Niamh. The newer ships, named after male Irish literary figures, are LÉ Samuel Beckett, LÉ James Joyce, LÉ William Butler Yeats and LÉ George Bernard Shaw.

Yes. The 76mm Oto Melara medium calibre naval armament is the most powerful weapon in the Naval Services arsenal. The 76mm is "capable of engaging naval targets at a range of up to 17km with a high level of precision, ensuring that the Naval Service can maintain a range advantage over all close-range naval armaments and man-portable weapon systems", according to the Defence Forces.

The Fleet Operational Readiness Standards and Training (FORST) unit is responsible for the coordination of the fleet needs. Ships are maintained at the Mechanical Engineering and Naval Dockyard Unit at Ringaskiddy, Cork harbour.

The helicopters are designated as airborne from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours, and 45 minutes at night. The aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, on inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains and cover the 32 counties. They can also assist in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and can transport offshore firefighters and ambulance teams. The Irish Coast Guard volunteers units are expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time of departing from the station house in ten minutes from notification during daylight and 20 minutes at night. They are also expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time to the scene of the incident in less than 60 minutes from notification by day and 75 minutes at night, subject to geographical limitations.

The Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service (FOCNS) is Commodore Michael Malone. The head of the Defence Forces is a former Naval Service flag officer, now Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett – appointed in 2015 and the first Naval Service flag officer to hold this senior position. The Flag Officer oversees Naval Operations Command, which is tasked with the conduct of all operations afloat and ashore by the Naval Service including the operations of Naval Service ships. The Naval Operations Command is split into different sections, including Operations HQ and Intelligence and Fishery Section.

The Intelligence and Fishery Section is responsible for Naval Intelligence, the Specialist Navigation centre, the Fishery Protection supervisory and information centre, and the Naval Computer Centre. The Naval Intelligence Cell is responsible for the collection, collation and dissemination of naval intelligence. The Navigation Cell is the naval centre for navigational expertise.

The Fishery Monitoring Centre provides for fishery data collection, collation, analysis and dissemination to the Naval Service and client agencies, including the State's Sea Fisheries Protection Agency. The centre also supervises fishery efforts in the Irish EEZ and provides data for the enhanced effectiveness of fishery protection operations, as part of the EU Common Fisheries Policy. The Naval Computer Centre provides information technology (IT) support service to the Naval Service ashore and afloat.

This headquarters includes specific responsibility for the Executive/Operations Branch duties. The Naval Service Operations Room is a coordination centre for all NS current Operations. The Naval Service Reserve Staff Officer is responsible for the supervision, regulation and training of the reserve. The Diving section is responsible for all aspects of Naval diving and the provision of a diving service to the Naval Service and client agencies. The Ops Security Section is responsible for the coordination of base security and the coordination of all shore-based security parties operating away from the Naval base. The Naval Base Comcen is responsible for the running of a communications service. Boat transport is under the control of Harbour Master Naval Base, who is responsible for the supervision of berthage at the Naval Base and the provision of a boat service, including the civilian manned ferry service from Haulbowline.

Naval Service ships have undertaken trade and supply missions abroad, and personnel have served as peacekeepers with the United Nations. In 2015, Naval Service ships were sent on rotation to rescue migrants in the Mediterranean as part of a bi-lateral arrangement with Italy, known as Operation Pontus. Naval Service and Army medical staff rescued some 18,000 migrants, either pulling people from the sea or taking them off small boats, which were often close to capsizing having been towed into open water and abandoned by smugglers. Irish ships then became deployed as part of EU operations in the Mediterranean, but this ended in March 2019 amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the EU.

Essentially, you have to be Irish, young (less than 32), in good physical and mental health and with normal vision. You must be above 5'2″, and your weight should be in keeping with your age.

Yes, women have been recruited since 1995. One of the first two female cadets, Roberta O'Brien from the Glen of Aherlow in Co Tipperary, became its first female commander in September 2020. Sub Lieutenant Tahlia Britton from Donegal also became the first female diver in the navy's history in the summer of 2020.

A naval cadet enlists for a cadetship to become an officer in the Defence Forces. After successfully completing training at the Naval Service College, a cadet is commissioned into the officer ranks of the Naval Service as a Ensign or Sub Lieutenant.

A cadet trains for approximately two years duration divided into different stages. The first year is spent in military training at the Naval Base in Haulbowline, Cork. The second-year follows a course set by the National Maritime College of Ireland course. At the end of the second year and on completion of exams, and a sea term, the cadets will be qualified for the award of a commission in the Permanent Defence Force as Ensign.

The Defence Forces say it is looking for people who have "the ability to plan, prioritise and organise", to "carefully analyse problems, in order to generate appropriate solutions, who have "clear, concise and effective communication skills", and the ability to "motivate others and work with a team". More information is on the 2020 Qualifications Information Leaflet.

When you are 18 years of age or over and under 26 years of age on the date mentioned in the notice for the current competition, the officer cadet competition is held annually and is the only way for potential candidates to join the Defence Forces to become a Naval Service officer. Candidates undergo psychometric and fitness testing, an interview and a medical exam.
The NMCI was built beside the Naval Service base at Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, and was the first third-level college in Ireland to be built under the Government's Public-Private Partnership scheme. The public partners are the Naval Service and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and the private partner is Focus Education.
A Naval Service recruit enlists for general service in the "Other Ranks" of the Defence Forces. After successfully completing the initial recruit training course, a recruit passes out as an Ordinary Seaman and will then go onto their branch training course before becoming qualified as an Able Body sailor in the Naval Service.
No formal education qualifications are required to join the Defence Forces as a recruit. You need to satisfy the interview board and the recruiting officer that you possess a sufficient standard of education for service in the Defence Forces.
Recruit training is 18 weeks in duration and is designed to "develop a physically fit, disciplined and motivated person using basic military and naval skills" to "prepare them for further training in the service. Recruits are instilled with the Naval Service ethos and the values of "courage, respect, integrity and loyalty".
On the progression up through the various ranks, an Able Rate will have to complete a number of career courses to provide them with training to develop their skills in a number of areas, such as leadership and management, administration and naval/military skills. The first of these courses is the Naval Service Potential NCO course, followed by the Naval Service Standard NCO course and the Naval Service senior NCO course. This course qualifies successful candidates of Petty officer (or Senior Petty Officer) rank to fill the rank of Chief Petty Officer upwards. The successful candidate may also complete and graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Leadership, Management and Naval Studies in partnership with Cork Institute of Technology.
Pay has long been an issue for just the Naval Service, at just over 1,000 personnel. Cadets and recruits are required to join the single public service pension scheme, which is a defined benefit scheme, based on career-average earnings. For current rates of pay, see the Department of Defence website.