The Irish Naval Service hosted a naming and commissioning ceremony for its latest addition to the fleet, the Naval Service vessel L.É. Samuel Beckett.
The ceremony was held on Saturday the 16th of May at Sir John Rodgerson’s Quay, Dublin, The Taoiseach and Minister for Defence, Mr. Enda Kenny, T.D., being the host.
The ceremony was open to members of the public, who got an exclusive look at the new vessel.
Ms. Caroline Murphy, niece of the Nobel Prize winning writer and former Saoi of Aosdána Mr. Samuel Beckett (RIP), named the vessel, which was followed by The Taoiseach’s hand over of the Commissioning Warrant to the ship’s Captain, Commander Ken Minehane. The biggest Irish Navy ship, LE Samuel Beckett, was launched in November 2013 and her primary mission will be fisheries protection, search and rescue, and maritime protection operations, including vessel boardings.
The Irish Navy ordered two ships of the Samuel Beckett-class from Babcock Marine in 2010, their total value being €100 mil.
The second ship of this class is LE James Joyce, which is scheduled to be commissioned in 2015.
The vessels have been designed by STX Marine and have much in common with an earlier design, the Roisin Class, in service with the Irish Naval Service since 1999.
[mappress] Press Release, May 21, 2014, Image: Irish Naval Service