NAVAL SERVICE

NAVAL SERVICE TO CELEBRATE 75 YEARS IN OPERATION

Ireland’s Naval Service will mark its 75th anniversary in September with a series of celebrations during the month to mark the significant historical milestone since the maritime, defence and security service was founded in 1946. Report by Ruairí de Barra.

(All images courtesy of the Press Office)

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uring his recent anniversary and small boats, shall address, the current Flag then sail to City, for Officer Commanding the a civic reception hosted Naval Service (FOCNS), by the Lord Mayor of DCommodore Michael Malone, said: Cork, Colm Kelleher. “Underpinning our achievements While it is hoped over the last 75 years have been our that public events such personnel and their families at home. as the ‘Meet the Fleet – “I take this opportunity to thank, It’s Your Navy’ planned not only those who have served in the tours of the ships will Naval Service, but those who have be well attended, they supported them. The mothers, fathers, are all dependant on husbands, wives, family and friends restrictions in place at who have held the fort at home and the time. Other events who have also made sacrifices, so that planned for September others could serve.” include a ‘Naval Family Celebrations planned for the Day’, the publication month of September include a of a special book of ‘Meet the Fleet’ event in Dublin photographs, a special and Cork. A number of vessels shall edition of the Defence visit Dublin, where the President Forces’ magazine ‘An “Underpinning our achievements over the last 75 Michael D. Higgins will conduct a sail Cosantóir’, and the years has been our personnel and their families past on Wednesday 1 September. presentation of a special at home” – Michael Malone before hosting the crews at a special Certificate of Service to afternoon reception to honour their all serving Navy personnel and civilian special message to the Navy on this service. staff at the Naval HQ in . momentous occasion, President The flotilla will then proceed to Michael D. Higgins noted: “The Cork for Saturday 4 September, where INTEGRAL AND FORMATIVE ROLE connection between Ireland and the the Michéal Martin shall The creation of the Naval Service in seas that surround us is as ancient as take the salute during a sail past at 1946 laid down the foundations of a it is fundamental to our understanding Haulbowline and Cobh. The ships, service which has proven steadfast of ourselves. Our seas have played escorted by a parade of sailing yachts and resilient over the years. In his an integral and formative role in our

The pinnacle of this service to date has been the deployments to the Southern Mediterranean, during Operations PONTUS and SOPHIA, where over 18,000 individuals were rescued while tragically many deceased people were also recovered.

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on 16 July, Minister LÉ Cliona completed the first overseas for Defence Simon naval mission, by returning the Coveney highlighted remains of the Nobel prize-winning the recently launched poet William Butler Yeats, who had ‘tailored recruitment’ died in France in 1939, to rest ‘under drive by the Naval bare Ben Bulben’s head’. Service, which will That was the very first of countless include pop-up deployments, operations and recruitment centres missions in the decades that followed: in ports around the ‘MV Claudia’, ‘Marita Ann’, the Air India country. Disaster, the terrible loss of Leading The Minister called Seaman Mick Quinn DSM during on others to consider the attempted rescue of the crew of joining the next ‘Nuestra Senora de Gardtoza’ to name generation of sailors. but a few. “I hope that we can The incredible interdiction encourage other successes of ever-increasing young people to take quantities of narcotics, demonstrate on the exciting and the value of constant vigilance of the rewarding challenge coast, sea lanes and approaches, of a career in the Naval while strong international links and Service.” co-operation are also vital. Vice Admiral Mark Mellett (the first naval officer to The Naval Service is part of hold the position as Defence Forces Chief of Staff) will MARITIME DEFENCE MARSUR (the European Maritime be in service for the 75th anniversary before he retires AND SECURITY Surveillance Network), which shares on 29 September. Today the work of maritime information for Situational the Naval Service is Awareness and also the Maritime social, cultural and economic history.” primarily carried out during Maritime Analysis Operations Centre-Narcotics It will also be a day of Defence and Security Operations (MAOC-N). remembrance, when families and (MDSO) patrols. The range of work These linkages have been very shipmates will think of those who are is vast, and the area of operations important and have aided the Navy no longer with us. Those who shared is astonishing, with maritime – working as part of the Joint Task a youth spent in service at sea, have interdiction of narcotics and arms, Force, with An Garda Síochána and an unbreakable bond which can only search and rescue, fisheries inspection Revenue Customs Service – to stop be found by those who have endured etc, conducted within the harsh nearly €1 billion of narcotics entering hardship together. Navy veterans environment of the North Atlantic. Ireland or the European Market. continue to meet, support and mind Speaking of her respect and Lt Cdr Mike Brunicardi, former their old shipmates. admiration of the Navy, the Secretary Officer Commanding (OC) of LÉ “The selfless manner that the General of the Department of Defence James Joyce, says: “This is vital work members of the Naval Service meet all Jacqui McCrum said: “The versatility as the interdiction is the last and challenges, head on, reflects the spirit of a Naval Ship and her crew on patrol critical part in getting boots on deck of the generations that proceeded are displayed by the ability to adapt; of these smuggling boats. That’s why them and inspires the next to make from a day- a difference,” according to Defence to-day fishery Forces Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral protection role Mark Mellett. to search and It is very fitting that VADM Mellett rescue, diving will still be in office when the 75th operations, anniversary takes place, as he’s the drugs first naval officer to hold the most interdiction as senior Defence Forces position. well as many He retires on 29 September, when more. This is a Major General Sean Clancy shall then testament to assume command; and the new the varied skills Chief of Staff will also make history as maintained by the first Air Corps officer to hold the each and every position. member of the Naval officers pictured during an armed boarding exercise Attending a commissioning Naval Service.” as part of a training operation for maritime interdiction of ceremony of five new naval officers In 1948 the narcotics and arms.

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UN mandated mission until 2019. Operation SOPHIA’s mission was ABOUT THE AUTHOR primarily a security one, designed SCPO Ruairí de Barra is to disrupt the trafficker’s business Senior Enlisted Leader of the model, and to counter oil and Mechanical Engineering and weapons smuggling. Irish sailors Naval Dockyard Unit of the Naval continue to serve in EUNAVFOR HQ Service. An Engine Room Artificer in Rome as part of Operation IRINI, by trade and a Marine Engineer the successor mission to SOPHIA. by qualification, he has served During the deployments, over for 23 years; including overseas 18,000 individuals were rescued while service on Operations PONTUS tragically many deceased people and SOPHIA. He holds a BA in were also recovered. Working in Leadership, Management and harsh environmental conditions and Naval Studies from CIT and an bearing witness to human suffering MComm in Government and at a level normally only associated Public Policy from UCC. with that of violent conflict, Naval Major General Sean Clancy who Service personnel completed all tasks assumes command as the new DF assigned to them. Chief of Staff in September, will also make history as the first Air Corps The Navy brought tremendous officer to hold the position. pride to the entire nation through hard work, courage, respect and above all their humanity. The way in the Navy maintains a presence at sea which they performed their harrowing at all times and aims to stop the illegal duties has been in keeping with the shipments.” finest traditions of the service and of Óglaigh na hÉireann. OPERATIONS PONTUS & SOPHIA The pinnacle of this service to date BACK TO THE FUTURE must be the deployments to the The last 75 years have seen the Southern Mediterranean, during Naval Service prove itself capable, Operations PONTUS and SOPHIA. In adaptable, resilient and responsive. 2015, Italy was nearly single-handedly The next 25 years are being charted dealing with a migration crisis. by a Commission on the Defence to come. Fatalities were mounting as desperate Forces, which is examining every facet What the future holds is unknown. people displaced by wars or conflicts, of its structure and its work. However, one thing is for sure, and vast numbers of people displaced With a firm commitment to the somewhere on the first morning of by poor economic conditions, fleet replacement programme by the next 25 years, an Irish warship attempted the perilous journey Government, including the purchase ‘with our own flag to the fore’ will across the Southern Mediterranean in of a new large multi-role vessel to be conducting its duties, a physical unseaworthy craft. replace the flagship, LÉ Eithne, there expression of the sovereignty of this As part of Operation PONTUS, will certainly be no lack of challenges island nation. the LÉ Eithne was the first to depart in May 2015, forging the trail that LÉ Niamh and LÉ Samuel Beckett followed over the course of the year. Each year, thereafter, Ireland continued to answer that call, with three ships dispatched annually to conduct complex and dangerous missions, not just recovering people from sinking craft, but the traumatic task of recovering deceased bodies from dark and cramped bilges (the bottom part of a boat), not to mention from the sea. The Naval Service transitioned to Minister for Defence highlighted a ‘tailored recruitment’ drive EUNAVFOR’s Operation SOPHIA in by the Naval Service, when he attended a commissioning ceremony for five 2017 and committed vessels to this new naval officers on 16 July.

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