This list identifies active and former maritime vessels of the Irish state, both civilian and military. This list is incomplete.
Active Irish Naval Service
Naval Service Reserve
Name Image Type No. Entered service Displacement Length Notes Motor launches Fionnghuala Cygnus Typhoon motor launch YP01 2024 30 t 14 m Used for training, port security, and coastal patrol. Manned by a crew of four. Fitted for two 7.62mm GPMG. Two more on order; Due to be named Conn and Fiachra. Aodh YP02 2026
Garda Water Unit
Revenue Commissioners
Marine Institute
Geological Survey of Ireland
NameImageTypeEntered serviceDisplacement LengthNotes RV Keary Near-shore hydrographic survey vessel 2009 36 t 15.5 m Built by Veecraft Marine, South Africa RV Geo Shallow water survey vessel 2007 7.4 m Redbay Stormforce RIB RV Tonn Shallow water survey vessel 2015 7.9 m Cheetah Catamaran RV Mallet Inshore hydrographic research vessel 18 m RV Lir Shallow water survey vessel 11 m Redbay Stormforce RIB RV Galtee Shallow water survey vessel
Commissioners of Irish Lights
NameImageTypeEntered serviceDisplacement LengthNotes ILV Granuaile III Multipurpose support vessel 2000 3903 t 80 m
Dublin Fire Brigade
NameImageTypeEntered serviceLengthNotes Rescue One Redbay Stormforce RIB 2022 7.4 m Search and rescue
Dublin Port
NameImageTypeEntered serviceDisplacement LengthNotes Shackleton Harbour tug 2010 24 m Built by Astilleros Zamakona Beaufort Camac Pilot boat2007 16.5 lightship tons 13.4 m Safehaven Marine Interceptor 42 Liffey2008 Tolka2019 22 lightship tons 17.1 m Goodchild Marine ORC 171 Dodder2022
Port of Cork NameImageTypeEntered serviceDisplacement LengthNotes Failte Pilot boat2012 14.3 m Safehaven Marine Interceptor 48 Solas2024 Port of Cork previously operated another Savehaven Marine Interceptor 42 pilot boat, Gleann Mor, which was acquired in 2005.
Port of Waterford NameImageTypeEntered serviceDisplacement LengthNotes Port Láirge Pilot boat202114.3 mSafehaven Marine Interceptor 48
Inland Fisheries Ireland
NameImageTypeEntered serviceLengthNotes Delta 1 - 12 Delta 780HX RIB 2018 7.8 m Fishery protection of rivers, lakes and coastal waters
Dublin City Council
NameImageTypeEntered serviceDisplacementLengthNotes Three-masted barque 2002 518 t 47 m A museum ship replica of the original 1847 ship. Docked at Custom House Quay
Former Irish Naval Service
The following vessels have served with the Naval Service:
NameImageTypeNo.Service yearsFateNotes 01 1946–1970 Sold for scrap in 1970 Former 02 1946–1972 Scrapped in 1972 Former 03 1947–1970 Sold for scrap in 1970 Former CM10 1971–1987 Sold for scrap in 1987 Former HMS Oulston CM11 1971–1984 Sold for scrap in 1984 Former HMS Alverton CM12 1971–1987 Sold to a Spanish company for scrap in 1987 Former HMS Blaxton Offshore patrol vessel P20 1972–2001 Scrapped in 2014 Prototype of the P20 class Auxiliary ship A15 1976–1984 Sold for scrap in 1984 Former Irish Lights vessel Isolde Patrol vessel A16 1977–1978 Chartered for one year Former MFV Helen Basse P21 1978–2013 Acquired by Nigerian Navy in 2015 Modified version of LÉ Deirdre. Renamed NNS Prosperity P22 1979–2015 Donated to Maltese Navy in 2015 Modified version of LÉ Deirdre. Renamed P62 by Maltese P23 1980–2016 Acquired by Libyan National Army in 2018 Modified version of LÉ Deirdre. Renamed Al-Karama Helicopter patrol vessel P31 1984–2022 Scrapped in 2024 Equipped with helicopter hangar and deck coastal patrol vessel P41 1989–2022 Scrapped in 2024 Former HMS Swift P42 1989–2022 Scrapped in 2024 Former HMS Swallow
Marine and Coastwatching Service
The Marine and Coastwatching Service was a naval service that operated during The Emergency. In 1946, the service was integrated into the Defence Forces as the Naval Service and these ships were sold off.
NameImageTypeService yearsFateNotes PV Patrol vessel 1939–1947 Sold in January 1947 for scrap, but sank off Saltee Islands in May. Launched in 1908 and served the Irish Free State from 1923 as an unarmed fisheries protection vessel. Later armed with a 12-pounder gun. SS Fort Rannoch Armed trawler 1939–1947 Sold in July 1947 to commercial service, and scrapped in 1963. Leased by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in 1937 for fisheries protection. Later armed with a 12-pounder gun. SS Shark Minelayer 1940–1948 Sold in 1948 and scrapped in 1952. Built in 1891 as trawler, and later a salvage vessel. Isallt Sail training 1940–1945 Sold in 1945 and sank off Wicklow in December 1947. A wooden three-masted schooner built in Wales in 1909. M1 Motor Torpedo Boat 1940–1948 Sold between 1948–1950 to Colonel James Fitzmaurice M1 and M2 were originally built for Estonia and Latvia respectively. Built by Thornycroft, they were 72 feet in length, displaced 32 tons, a crew of ten, and powered by Isotta-Fraschini engines giving a top speed of 40 knots. They were armed with two 18-inch torpedoes, a 0.303-inch Hotchkiss machine gun, and two depth charges. M4, M5, and M6 were slightly larger, powered by Rolls Royce engines with a lower speed of 28 knots, and replaced the Hotchkiss with a 20 mm Madsen cannon. Their small size meant that these boats were not suited to Atlantic waters. M2 1940–1948 M3 1940–1948 M4 1942–1948 M5 1942–1948 M6 1943–1948
Coastal and Marine Service
The Coastal and Marine Service (CMS) was a short-lived naval service that operated during the Irish Civil War. In addition to the CMS vessels listed below, several coastal landings were undertaken by the Irish National Army, during the civil war, using commandeered civilian passenger ships such as the TSS Arvonia and the SS Lady Wicklow. The CMS was disbanded in March 1924 after only several months of existence, and all of its ships, except Muirchú, were sold off.
NameImageTypeNotes SS Dainty Salvage tug/Patrol sloop STOIC-class tug built in Chepstow in 1918 for the Admiralty. She had a length of 142 feet, displaced 459 GRT, and armed with a 12-pounder gun. Sold to French interests, renamed SS Cherbourgeois. PV Patrol vessel Launched in 1908 as HMY Helga (Pendant No 064). Armed with a 12-pounder gun. Disarmed and transferred to Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for fisheries protection. John Dunn (Adty No 3741) The Mersey trawlers were a class of over 100 naval trawlers built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The trawlers were 148 feet in length, displaced 438 long tons, a crew of 15, a speed of 11 knots, and armed with a 12-pounder gun. John Dutton (Adty No 3739) William Honnor (Adty No 3796) Robert Murray (Adty No 4256) Thomas Thresher (Adty No 3572) Christopher Dixon (Adty No 3563) TR.24 TR series trawler The TR trawlers were a Canadian version of the built by Canadian Vickers, Montreal during World War I. The trawlers were 133 feet 10 inches in length, displaced 275 long tons, a crew of 15, a speed of 10 knots, and armed with a 12-pounder gun. TR.25 TR.27 TR.29 TR.30 TR.31 Inishirrer (Official No. 135637) Drifter Built in Arklow in 1913, she was 65 feet in length and was assessed at 51 GRT. Acquired from Congested Districts Board in August 1922. Armed with machine guns John S Summers (Official No 125960) (Admiralty No 2147) Built in Lowestoft in 1910, she was 77 feet length and assessed at 62 GRT. Was hired by Royal Navy as a net vessel during World War I. Armed with machine guns ML1 Motor Launch Four ELCO motor launches were acquired in May 1922 for the Marine Investigations Department. ML2 sank off Cornwall in July 1922 while being delivered. The launches were 80 feet in length, with a displacement of 37 long tons, a crew of 8, a speed of 19 knots, and armed with a 3-pounder gun. ML2 ML3 ML4 190 Steam pinnace A pinnace is a type of ship's boat. They were 50 feet in length, displaced 14.4 long tons, a speed of 12 knots, and armed with machine guns. 199
There were also five unnamed patrol boats of unknown type used for river patrol.
Marine Institute
Before Marine Institute Ireland was founded in 1991, government of Ireland operated a number of vessels as research ships.
From the late 1960s to the 1970s, the government operated two research vessels, Cú Feasa and Cú na Mara. Cú na Mara was sold after being damaged due to a fire in 1972.
In 1976, Lough Beltra was purchased by the government of Ireland and refitted as a research vessel. Cú Feasa was taken out of service in 1976 due to poor condition, leaving Lough Beltra as the only remaining Irish research vessel.
Commissioners of Irish Lights
Here are listed all former Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL) vessels (Irish Lights Tender, ILT) that served for some time after the formation of the Irish Free State in 1922. CIL as an organization predates the Republic of Ireland, and some historic CIL ships ended their service long before 1922. Tearaght (1892–1928) – see Kingstown Lifeboat Disaster Ierne (1898–1954) Alexandra (1904–1955) Deirdre (1919–1927) Nabro (1926–1949) Isolda (1928–1940) (Sunk off the Saltee Islands, County Wexford by German aircraft) Discovery II (1947–1948) Valonia (1947–1962) Granuaile (1948–1970) Blaskbeg (1953–1955) Isolda (1953–1976), sold to Irish Naval Service, renamed LÉ Setanta Ierne II (1955–1971) Atlanta (1959–1988) Granuaile II (1970–2000) Gray Seal (1988–1994)
Coiste an Asgard NameImageTypeService yearsDisplacementLengthNotes Brigantine 1981–2008 26.6 m Was used for sail training Sunk in Bay of Biscay
See also Irish Coast Guard
References