Lightvessels in Ireland describes any lightvessel or light float previously stationed off the coast of Ireland. The Commissioners of Irish Lights are responsible for the majority of marine navigation aids around the whole of the island of Ireland.
Lightvessels
Guillemot: built 1921-23 – sold 1968 – set in concrete as the Kilmore Quay Maritime Museum retains much original equipment and fittings. Scrapped during 2011.http://www.wexfordcameraclub.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1300478453 Kittiwake: built 1955 – Removed from station in 2009 and replaced with a superbuoy. Sold, then docked in Dublin's River Liffey and in 2022 removed from Alexandra Basin to be restored and placed on public display in a new docklands heritage project. Osprey: built 1953-55 – sold 1975 – now known as Le Batofar, a nightclub/pub moored on the Seine in Paris Petrel: built 1913-15 – sold 1968 – club house for Down Cruising Club in Ballydorn Puffin Lightvessel, Roche's Point, County Cork – washed away in 1896
Name Built By Where Length Breadth DepthFrameDecks Cost £ WithdrawnFateNotesPalmer's Light17351768 Replaced by Richmond1806OakOak, teak and elm1,5001826Broken up Seagull1824W. RobertsMilford Haven6720OakOak, teak and elm1,6591864SoldFirst purpose-built lightvesselStar1825W. RobertsMilford Haven67209OakOak, teak and elm1,8411855sold Relief1826W. RobertsMilford Haven6720OakOak, teak and elm1,8411867Sold Brilliant1832Brady'sDublin6720OakOak, teak and elm1,9831867Sold Seagull II1853Charles Hill & SonsBristol822111OakOak, teak and elm3,6511867Sold. Petrel1854Charles Hill & SonsBristol822111OakOak, teak and elm3,8001867Sold. Brilliant II1856WheelerCork822111OakOak, teak and elm3,2001913Sold. Star II1857WheelerCork822111OakOak, teak and elm3,2001862Sold. Star III1862Charles Hill & SonsBristol912110OakOak, teak and elm4,1891911Sold and scrapped. Relief II1863Charles Hill & SonsBristol912110OakOak, teak and elm4,1891925Sold. Gannet1865Charles Hill & SonsBristol912110OakOak, teak and elm4,1891928Sold and scrapped.when stationed at DAUNT, run into by Largo Bay, in 1884Comet1867J & W DudgeonCubitt Town, London912110Composite ship Wrought ironTeak5,7501905Sold and scrapped. Shamrock1867Walpole, Webb & BewleyDublin962110OakOak, teak and elm sheathed with muntz metal.5,1251936Soldday markers were introducedOsprey1868Walpole, Webb & BewleyDublin962110WoodWood5,1251915Sold. Albatross1875Fletcher & Farnall, MillwallLondon912110WoodWood5,6258 September 1902Salvaged and sold.Run down and sunk on Kish by RMS Leinster.Cormorant1878Victoria Shipbuilding CoPassage West, Cork912111IronTwo thicknesses of teak, sheathed with muntz metal7,5001942Salvaged and sold.Renamed Lady December and moored at Hoo, Near Rochester, Kent.Torch1881Milford Haven CoMilford Haven912111IronTwo thicknesses of teak, sheathed with muntz metal8,1001945Sold and scrapped. Puffin1887Schlesinger Davis & CoWallsend9121compositecomposite6,0008 October 1896Salvaged, beached at Rushbrooke, scrapped on beach.Sank during storm on Daunt, 8 October 1896, crew of 7 lost.Shearwater1894 Allsup & SonsPreston96Steel sheathed with teakTeak sheathed with muntz metal;7,9001955Sold and scrapped.watertight bulkheadGuillemot1894Allsup & SonsPreston96Steel sheathed with teakTeak sheathed with muntz metal;7,90028 March 1917Sunk by a German submarinecrew survivedKittiwake1898Allsup & SonsPreston962412Steel sheathed with teakTeak sheathed with muntz metal;7,9001956Sold and scrapped.first to have an engine to work the windlass and the first fitted with oil engines for the sirenSeagull1901Allsup & SonsPreston962412Steel sheathed with teakTeak sheathed with muntz metal;7,90028 March 1917Sunk by a German submarineCrew survivedFulmar1904 J. ReidGlasgow9623SteelIron6,6001964Sold for scrapFive watertight bulkheadsComet II1904 J. ReidGlasgow9623SteelIron6,7401965Became Radio ScotlandCrew rescued by 1936Penguin1910Dublin DockyardDublin10024SteelIron7,2301966renamed Hallowe'en, as a Youth Adventure Sea Training Vessel1995 Maritime Museum at Inveraray PierTern1912L. Hawthorn & CoLeith10224SteelIron7,4201967Sold and scrappedWirelessPetrel1915Dublin DockyardDublin10224SteelIron10,3101968Club House for Down Cruising Club, Strangford Loughnow privately ownedGuillemot1923Cran & SomervilleLeith10224SteelSteel17,7001968now Wexford Maritime MuseumSet in concrete at Kilmore Quay. Scrapped in 2011.Albatross1925H. Robb LtdLeith10224SteelIron15,6501970sold to Scouting Association of Irelandnow privately owned in ArklowGannet1954Philip and SonDartmouth1342515SteelSteel95,200still in serviceas an automatic light float Osprey1955Philip & SonDartmouth1342515SteelSteel98,1001975SoldMoored on the Seine, Paris as the Batofar RestaurantShearwater1955Philip & SonDartmouth1342515SteelSteel98,1001976Sold for scrap Kittiwake1959Philip & SonDartmouth1342515SteelSteel124,1282005Soldmoored beside O2 (Point Depot), DublinSkua1960Philip & SonDartmouth1342515SteelSteel124,1282005Rotting at the North Quay of Arklow HarbourThe "Blue Planet" charity are seeking restoration fundsCormorant1964Charles Hill & SonsBristol133SteelSteel145,7501983Sold
Lightvessel stations Coningbeg, off the Saltee Islands, 14 km from the County Wexford coast, was established in 1824 and replaced on 26 February 2007 with a "Superbuoy"
See also Lighthouses in Ireland Lightvessel stations of Great Britain List of lightvessels of Great Britain List of lighthouses and lightvessels
Gallery
References
External links Lightships in the Commissioners of Irish Lights service Lightships from all over the world