A new Irish Mercantile Marine Memorial plaque and plinth will be unveiled in Irishtown, Dublin, later this month to remember the merchant seafarers who served during the Second World War.
The dedication ceremony will take place at 11 am on Saturday, 26 September, at Seán Moore Road, Irishtown, followed by refreshments at The Merry Cobbler at 11.45 am. The memorial commemorates the men of Ireland’s wartime merchant fleet whose service became known as “The Long Watch”.
150 Men Never Returned
During the Second World War, Irish merchant ships sailed unarmed and often without naval escort, displaying the Irish tricolour and carrying large ÉIRE markings on their decks and hulls to signal the State’s neutrality.
According to the organisers, 150 men never returned home from wartime service.
Despite the dangers faced at sea, Irish merchant crews maintained a humanitarian tradition by responding to distress calls and rescuing more than 500 shipwrecked sailors, irrespective of nationality or which side of the conflict they served.
The organisers said the courage and sacrifice of the seafarers represented “an enduring strand in the long line of Ireland’s maritime history”, with particular significance for the maritime communities of Ringsend and Irishtown.
Seán Moore Memorial Legacy
The original memorial was unveiled in 1984 following the efforts of Seán Moore TD, who was instrumental in ensuring that the merchant seafarers were formally commemorated in the area. This year’s ceremony also marks the 40th anniversary of Moore’s death.
The new plaque and plinth are intended to continue that memorial tradition and preserve the story of Ireland’s merchant seafarers and their contribution during the Second World War for future generations.
Further information on the ceremony is available from Rachel Lopez, acting secretary of the Ringsend and District Historical Society, at [email protected]
