Heritage Boat – Ketch Ilen – Dec 2009

The Sailing Ketch Ilen (eye-len), 56 by 14 feet built of oak and commissioned by the architect Conor O’Brien in the 1920’s is featured in the winter edition of Heritage Outlook.

Conor O’Brien on his boat Saoirse set out in 1923 with a crew of two, to circumnavigate the world, going south of the Capes. On his way back he docked in Port Stanley on the Falkland Islands for a few weeks. The islanders admired the lines of the Saoirse and asked him to have one built like it. When he returned to Ireland and with an OK received from the Falkland Island Company in London, he placed an order for the new boat with Tom Moynihan at Baltimore.

So in 1927 off he sailed again from the Shannon Estuary to Port Stanley and handed over the boat to her new owners. She worked off the Falklands for many years until the early 1990’s. In 1997 Gary McMahon contacted the Harbour Master in Port Stanley and heard she was well but unused. He flew with the RAF to the Falklands and successfully negotiated her return to Ireland as cargo. There was great celebration in Dublin on her return in November 1997.

Now, through an on-going series of volunteer workshops, her refit is underway. The current work involves shaping and fitting oak for her frames and other timbers.

Take a look at this great website www.bigboatbuild.com which describes the history and the workshops with wonderful old and new photographs.

And for that wooden boat enthusiast on your list, you might Buy a Plank as a present.

Heritage Council’s Heritage Outlook Magazine 2009-2010 (6.9MB)

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