#1916sub2016 – A Dutch attack-reconnaissance submarine docked in Dublin Port today, in the same week of the 100th anniversary of Sir Roger Casement’s landing in Co. Kerry from a German U- boat, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 2,650 displacement tonnes (submerged) Royal Netherlands Navy ‘Walrus’ class submarine HNLMS Walrus was met by Dublin Port tug Beaufort off Scotsmans Bay, Dun Laoghaire Harbour. At mid-afternoon the submarine proceeded to Dublin Port.

HNLMS Walrus is the leadship of a quartet and the class are regarded as among the most sophisticated non-nuclear submarines in the world. They are the only submarines in the navy which have responsibility for patrolling the Dutch territories in the Caribbean where there are two naval bases in Curaçao and one on Aruba.

Submarine off howth head #submarine #howth #irishsea pic.twitter.com/jwPXOF3PLH

— Daniel (@dapr86) April 24, 2016

The submarine has been in service since 1990. A speed of 13 knots (24 km/h) is achieved when surfaced and submerged is reported to be 20 knots (37 km/h).

At almost 68m long the HNLMS Walrus is some 12m shorter of the Irish Naval Service OPV80 class L.É. Niamh (not the L.É. Aoife*) as reported on the Irish Times story on the occasion at Banna Strand where President Higgins addressed the ceremony of Casement's capture. This was the biggest State centenary commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising to take place outside of Dublin.

The ceremony including an Air Corps flyover, was the first major event to coincide with the chronological centenary of the Rising that began this day 100 years ago.

In attendance at the Kerry event were relatives of Casement and ambassadors from the UK and Germany. A wreath was also laid in front of the anchor of a German gun smuggling ship the Aud, in the guise as a Norwegian cargoship.

Earlier this month a flotilla of naval vessels comprising some members that make up the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) paid a courtesy call to Dublin Port. The navies involved were from the UK, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Norway.

*L.É. Aoife was decomissioned in 2015. The Irish Government donated the OPV to the Armed Forces (AFM) of Malta where also last year as the 'P62' the patrol vessel made a delivery voyage to Valetta.