#ByRoyalAppointment - This week's historic first Irish state visit of President Michael D. Higgins to the United Kingdom, also saw the arrival of Royal Navy inshore fast patrol-boats of the First Patrol Squadron call to Dublin Bay ports within the last fortnight, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The increasing relationship between the two countries on many levels is borne out of such visits of the Royal Navy which have become increasingly more frequent over the last decade and by the Naval Service to port and harbours on both sides of the Irish Sea.

One of those visiting patrol boats, the P2000 Archer class HMS Express (P 163) is due to make a return call to Dun Laoghaire Marina later this month, having been a recent visitor this week.

Trainee cadets from one of the University Royal Naval Units (URNU) at HMS Cambria, a Royal Navy Reserve establishment near Cardiff were onboard the Archer class boat, which is one of the patrol boats based at Penarth Marina in Cardiff Bay.

Dun Laoghaire Marina is the marine depot and base for reserve lifeboats that serve the Irish Sea fleet of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) which collectively operates 340 lifeboats and since 1952 the institution's patron is Queen Elizabeth.

There are 9 relief lifeboats in which two of them were noted while walking the Eastern Breakwater of the marina, notably the 'Severn' class RNLB The Duke of Kent (17-45). Her presence is particularly apt given this week's symbolic Anglo-Irish reciprocal relationships reaching a zenith.

The Duke of Kent holds the title of President of the RNLI and less than a year ago in May 2013, he was accompanied by British Ambassador Domnick Chilcott on a visit the Youghal RNLI as well to touring lifeboat stations in Helvick, An Rinn, Tramore and Dunmore East in Co Waterford.

It could also be said, that the naming of the RNLI's latest and fastest lifeboat class the 'Shannon', which historically have all been named in honour of UK rivers was long overdue and is a reflection of maturing ties. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the Derry-based naval architect Peter Eyre was instrumental to the design of the class.

Moored adjacent to RNLB The Duke of Kent was the Revenue Commissioners Maritime Unit customs cutter RCC Suirbheir. In 2004 she became the first customs cutter commissioned by the Irish Government since the foundation of the state. She was joined into service by sister RCC Faire in 2009.