Traditional Boats of Ireland Book
History, Folklore and Construction
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By October 1925, a 56 foot ketch, with auxiliary engine, was under construction at the Fishery School, Baltimore under the supervision of Tom Moynihan. O'Brien remarked when he saw her ready for launching, in 1926, on the slip at Baltimore that she was 'a handsomer model' than the Saoirse. With two Cadogan cousins as crew O’Brien delivered her to the Falklands. The fact that she was to survive 60 brutally busy years as the Falklands service boat, undertaking harsh work of many kinds, testifies to the excellent quality of her construction.
The Ilen was brought back to Ireland in 1997 by Gary MacMahon and is at present under repair and re-construction at Hegartys’ Boatyard, Oldcourt.