List of Irish state vessels

This list identifies active and former maritime vessels of the Irish state, both civilian and military. This list is incomplete.

Active

Irish Naval Service

Name Image Type No. Comm. Displacement Length Notes
Patrol vessels
LÉ Samuel Beckett Samuel Beckett-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) P61 2014 2,256 t (2,220 long tons) 90 m (295 ft 3 in) Three P60s on operational rotation as of November 2025[1]
LÉ James Joyce P62 2015
LÉ William Butler Yeats P63 2016
LÉ George Bernard Shaw P64 2019[2]
LÉ Róisín Róisín-class large patrol vessel (LPV) P51 1999 1,500 t (1,500 long tons) 78.84 m (258 ft 8 in) In reserve as of November 2025.[1]
LÉ Niamh P52 2001
LÉ Aoibhinn Lake-class inshore patrol vessel (IPV) P71 2024[3] 340 t (330 long tons) 55 m (180 ft 5 in) Operational as of November 2025 in rotation with P60s[1]
LÉ Gobnait P72 2024[3] Not operational
Name Image Type No. Entered service Displacement Length Notes
Motor launches
Fionnghuala Cygnus Typhoon motor launch[4] YP01 2024[5][6] 30 t (30 long tons; 33 short tons) 12–14 m (39–46 ft) Used by NSR for port security (main role), coastal patrols and training. Manned by a crew of four. Mounts for 7.62 mm (0.3 in) machine guns.

Three more on order; Due to be named Aodh, Conn, and Fiachra. [7][8][9]

Garda Síochána: Garda Water Unit

Quantity Type Commissioned
1 Arvor 250 Inland Patrol Boat 2007
1 Targa 31 Colm na Cora Inland Patrol Boat[10] 2000
1 Osprey Rigid Inflatable Boat 1996
3 Delta Inflatable Boat 2007
1 Zodiac Inflatable Boat 1999
3 Zodiac Inflatable Boat 2013
5 Other inflatable boats 2009–2011[11]

Revenue Commissioners

Name Image Type Entered service Displacement Length Notes
RCC Suirbhéir[12] Customs cutter 2004 50 t (49 long tons) 23.6 m (77 ft 5 in)
RCC Faire[13] 2009
RCC Cosaint[14] 2025 35 m (114 ft 10 in)

Marine Institute

Name Image Type Entered service Displacement Length Notes
RV Tom Crean[15] Multi-purpose research vessel 2022 52.8 m (173 ft 3 in) Designed by Skipsteknisk AS, and built by Astilleros Armon Vigo S.A.
RV Celtic Explorer[16] Multi-purpose research vessel 2003 2,425 GT[17] 65.5 m (214 ft 11 in)
Dulra na Mara[18] Inshore research vessel 15.1 GT 12.3 m (40 ft 4 in)

Geological Survey of Ireland

Name Image Type Entered service Displacement Length Notes
RV Keary[19][20] Near-shore hydrographic survey vessel 2009 36 t (35 long tons) 15.5 m (50 ft 10 in) Built by Veecraft Marine, South Africa
RV Geo[19][21] Shallow water survey vessel 2007 7.4 m (24 ft) Redbay Stormforce RIB
RV Tonn[19][22] Shallow water survey vessel 2015 7.9 m (26 ft) Cheetah Catamaran
RV Mallet[19][23] Inshore hydrographic research vessel 18 m (59 ft)
RV Lir[19][24] Shallow water survey vessel 11 m (36 ft) Redbay Stormforce RIB
RV Galtee[19][25] Shallow water survey vessel

Commissioners of Irish Lights

Name Image Type Entered service Displacement Length Notes
ILV Granuaile III[26] Multipurpose support vessel 2000 3,903 t (3,841 long tons)[27] 80 m (262 ft 6 in)

Dublin Fire Brigade

Name Image Type Entered service Length Notes
Rescue One[28] Redbay Stormforce RIB 2022 7.4 m (24 ft) Search and rescue

Dublin Port

Name Image Type Entered service Displacement Length Notes
Shackleton[29] Harbour tug 2010 284 GT 24 m (78 ft 9 in) Built by Astilleros Zamakona[30]
Beaufort[31]

Inland Fisheries Ireland

Name Image Type Entered service Length Notes
Delta 1 - 12 [32][33][34] Delta 780HX RIB 2018 7.8 m (26 ft) Fishery protection of rivers, lakes and coastal waters

Dublin City Council

Name Image Type Entered service Displacement Length Notes
Jeanie Johnston[35] Three-masted barque 2002 518 t (510 long tons) 47 m (154 ft 2 in) A museum ship replica of the original 1847 ship. Docked at Custom House Quay[35]

Former

Irish Naval Service

The following vessels have served with the Naval Service:[36][37][38]

Name Image Type No. Service years Fate Notes
LÉ Macha Flower-class corvette 01 1946–1970 Sold for scrap in 1970 Former HMS Borage
LÉ Maev 02 1946–1972 Scrapped in 1972 Former HMS Oxlip
LÉ Cliona 03 1947–1970 Sold for scrap in 1970 Former HMS Bellwort
LÉ Grainne Ton-class minesweeper CM10 1971–1987 Sold for scrap in 1987 Former HMS Oulston
LÉ Banba CM11 1971–1984 Sold for scrap in 1984 Former HMS Alverton
LÉ Fola CM12 1971–1987 Sold to a Spanish company for scrap in 1987 Former HMS Blaxton
LÉ Deirdre Offshore patrol vessel P20 1972–2001 Scrapped in 2014 Prototype of the P20 class
LÉ Setanta Auxiliary ship A15 1976–1984 Sold for scrap in 1984 Former Irish Lights vessel Isolde
LÉ Ferdia Patrol vessel A16 1977–1978 Chartered for one year Former MFV Helen Basse
LÉ Emer Emer-class offshore patrol vessel[39] P21 1978–2013 Acquired by Nigerian Navy in 2015 Modified version of LÉ Deirdre. Renamed NNS Prosperity
LÉ Aoife P22 1979–2015 Donated to Maltese Navy in 2015 Modified version of LÉ Deirdre. Renamed P62 by Maltese
LÉ Aisling P23 1980–2016 Acquired by Libyan National Army in 2018 Modified version of LÉ Deirdre. Renamed Al-Karama
LÉ Eithne Helicopter patrol vessel[40] P31 1984–2022 Scrapped in 2024 Equipped with helicopter hangar and deck
LÉ Orla Peacock-class coastal patrol vessel[41] P41 1989–2022 Scrapped in 2024 Former HMS Swift
LÉ Ciara 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.[42][43][44]

Name Image Type Service years Fate Notes
PV Muirchú 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[45] 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 22 m (72 ft) in length, displaced 33 t (32 long tons), a crew of ten, and powered by Isotta-Fraschini engines giving a top speed of 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph). 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 (52 km/h; 32 mph), and replaced the Hotchkiss with a 20 mm Madsen cannon. Their small size meant that these boats were not suited to Atlantic waters.[46][47]

M2 1940–1948
M3 1940–1948
M4 1942–1948
M5 1942–1948
M6 1943–1948

Coastal and Marine Service

The Coastal and Marine Service was a short-lived naval service that operated during The Irish Civil War. The Service was disbanded in March 1924 after only several months of existence, and all of its ships, except Muirchú, were sold off.[42][44][48][49][50][51][52]

Name Image Type Notes
SS Dainty Salvage tug/Patrol sloop STOIC-class tug built in Chepstow in 1918 for the Admiralty. She had a length of 43 m (142 ft), a displacement of 476 t (468 long tons) and armed with a 12-pounder gun.

Sold to French interests, renamed SS Cherbourgeois.[53]

PV Muirchú 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) Mersey-class trawler The Mersey trawlers were a class of over 100 naval trawlers built for the Royal Navy during World War I.

The trawlers were 45 m (148 ft) in length, with a displacement of 445 t (438 long tons), a crew of 15, a speed of 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) 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 Castle-class trawler built by Canadian Vickers, Montreal during World War I.

The trawlers were 41 m (133 ft) in length, with a displacement of 283 t (279 long tons), a crew of 15, a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) 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 20 metres (65 ft) in length and was assessed at 51 gross register tons (GRT).[54][55]

Acquired from Congested Districts Board in August 1922. Armed with machine guns

John S Summers

(Official No 125960) (Admiralty No 2147)[56]

Built in Lowestoft in 1910, she was 23 m (77 ft) length and assessed at 62 gross register tons (GRT).[57]

Was hired by Royal Navy as a net vessel during World War I.[58] 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 24 m (80 ft) in length, with a displacement of 38 t (37 long tons), a crew of 8, a speed of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph), and armed with a 3-pounder gun.[59]

ML2
ML3
ML4
190 Steam pinnace A pinnace is a type of ship's boat.

They were 15 m (50 ft) in length, displaced 14.6 t (14.4 long tons), a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph), and armed with machine guns.[60]

199

There were also five unnamed patrol boats of unknown type used for river patrol.

Marine Institute

Name Image Type Service years Displacement Length Notes
RV Lough Beltra[61] Fishing trawler/research vessel 1976–1997[62] 21 m (68 ft 11 in)
RV Celtic Voyager[63] Multi-purpose research vessel 1997–2022[64] 340 t (330 long tons)[65] 31.4 m (103 ft 0 in)

Coiste an Asgard

Name Image Type Service years Displacement Length Notes
Asgard II[66] Brigantine 1981–2008 26.6 m (87 ft 3 in) Was used for sail training

Sunk in Bay of Biscay[67]

See also

References

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