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IT’S ALL ABOUT naming things in Ireland today with a famous bridge and a new ship set to be given some very prestigious titles.
In Fermoy, Cork, a famous bridge over the River Blackwater looks set to be named for Thomas Kent, the only man outside of Dublin who was executed following the 1916 Easter Rising.
A famous picture exists of Kent, along with his brother David, being led across the same bridge en route to his execution.
The local Castlelyons (from where Kent hailed) 1916 Commemoration Committee have made a submission to local council that the bridge be renamed for the long-dead patriot, whose remains were believed to have been discovered in Cork Prison recently.
Local Sinn Féin councillor June Murphy told TheJournal.ie that she thinks renaming the bridge would be “a lovely way to commemorate his name”.
“I can’t tell you whether or not it will happen, but it has all the councillors backing for sure,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s Defence Forces’ newest ship is to continue their recent trend of being named for a famous literary figure.
The LÉ William Butler Yeats, the third new ship for the Naval Service, will follow hard in the boatsteps of the LÉs James Joyce and Samuel Beckett as it represents Ireland on the seas.
The ship is scheduled for delivery in July 2016 and will be an identical build to its sister ships.
The Samuel Beckett was delivered in 2014 while the James Joyce arrived at base for the first time at Haulbowline last Friday.
The commission of the LÉ William Butler Yeats was announced by Minister for Defence Simon Coveney who said the literary naming of the ship will mean “greater recognition of our Naval Service ships when visiting foreign ports” and that it was “very appropriate to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of W.B. Yeats by making this announcement”.
The naming continues a strong link between W.B. Yeats and Irish Naval Service as the first foreign mission by an Irish Naval Service ship, LÉ Macha, in 1948 was to repatriate the poet’s remains to Ireland following his passing in France.
It has been a hectic few months for the Irish Naval Service, with the William Butler Yeats’ sister ship the LÉ Eithne being deployed constantly to help deal with a migrant crisis in the Mediterranean.
Over the last two months the ship has rescued almost 4,000 people as they try to make their way to Europe by sea.
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LE Goulding?
Should be named after one of the leaders of 1916.
Ray, why is there not enough things named after them all ready? Train stations, streets, military barracks, buildings?
Our navy play a pivotal role in representing the Irish state and they have broken a tradition of female names for vessels to further this role
I have to agree Wayne.
Indeed there was an interesting interview in the Western People (I think) lately with the proprietors of the Michael Davitt museum in Straide who are struggling for funding. They made the comparison between Davitt who directly achieved so much through peaceful campaigning and reform, and the 1916 leaders who directly achieved very little through violence. Nobody can deny that we have spent plenty, and are spending more, on the 1916 leaders.
Don’t the Brits have a battleship named after mother-in-laws? HMS Battleaxe!
Interesting that naming ships after men is “breaking tradition” but naming bridges after women is breaking important new ground
Looking forward to seeing a dinghy named LÉ Michael D. Higgins.
I think a banana boat would be more his style.
Human lives saved by the innovation of all Irish poets and writers combined: 0
Human lives saved by the innovation of Robert Boyle: countless billions
Yeah, let’s name another ship after another fukcing poet.
Save lives, shmave lives. Gimme a ship named after a lad who smote his enemies!
The LÉ Yaweh?
LÉ Darth Vader.
They saved plenty of lives and helped people think about the purpose of those lives too – still do and always will
I love it when people clutch at straws in order to give relevance to writers, poets and artists.
The wrote some pretty words down on paper. BFG. Boyle invented scientific scepticism and was instrumental in removing the superstitious nonsense from alchemy to create the field we know today as chemistry.
I would not have lived to the age of 20 if it were not for Robert Boyle. But sure, praise the pretty words.
LÉ Taxi would be more appropriate.
Joe LÉ Taxi
“Only man outside of Dublin who was executed” Er – was Roger Casement not executed in London at Pentonville?
Maybe they mean Dublin as West Britain.
Casement didn’t take part in the Rising. He was arrested three days before.
Also, his intention was to get the leaders to cancel it as he felt German support was severely inadequate. Had he not been arrested upon arriving back in Ireland, it’s likely there wouldn’t even have been a Rising.
There’s your history lesson for the day now lads!
This annoys me to be honest.. The names are picked to the least offensive to anyone.. Pathetic pc nonsense.. Military ships should be named after military figures or presidents, the c in chief. Jeez, even mythical figures.. Not this wishy washy b.s.
L.E Adams
Where are they building the Ship?
A shipyard
Babcock Marine in the UK
They should’ve named it after Tom Crean.
I was hoping for LE Bram Stoker :(
LE Lagos ?
LE Padraig Pearse would be nice for the centenary next year.
Even though ships are always ‘she’….
Le merkal
USS Independence, HMS Victory……eeeeh, L E Samuel Beckett? Some name for a fighting ship!
I would be a bit worried in case I accidentally miss type the Fremont bridge
Fermoy bridge
The fact that Irish ships are Patrol boats and not specifically designed for full on battle should allow for some leeway.
Should the boats not be named after Irish independence and Military hero’s ?
John, they traditionally were named of females from Celtic mythology. Our 1916 leaders have plenty of name recognition, via buildings, transport infrastructure, and military barracks
LÉ Wellington. Let’s watch the Loyalists and Shinners compete for who can be most offended.
better get on to John Bruton fine Gael (right wing) about this. I’m sure he’ll stand by his comments that the heroes of 1916 were wasting their time. the relatives of Thomas Kent will no doubt understand his concerns.perhaps rename it eoin o Duffy (Irish fascist) and founder of fine Gael(right wing)
You’re wrong about Kent being the only man executed outside of Dublin after the Rising. Rodger Casement was executed in England after being captured just before the Rising.
LE Pamela Izevbekhai
Quote:
> will follow hard in the boatsteps of
Surely that should be “in the wake of”
Quote:
> the LÉs James Joyce and Samuel Beckett
Is there not a convention about putting the English-language plural onto an Irish-Language abbreviation?
LÉs is just wrong!
And finally, why are all these named for men?
Because every Irish ship in history before these 3 where named after women
“And finally, why are all these named for men?”
This is what it looks like when you feminist first and Google later
Ray do don’t disrespect our patriots of 1916. Is this the country they gave their lives for ha..
Nail and head Cyril. Nail and head.
LE Destiny
waiting for the day we see LÉ U2.
That would have to be a submarine, they could fly a little red swastika flag from the back of it, imagine the controversy.
The LÉ Baluba would be more appropriate given the current objectives of the naval ferry service.
HMS Ireland
The LE Merkel
We should be naming our Naval ship after the Patriot, Thomas Kent, and the bridge after the writer WB Yeats!
British War Museum in Manchester on exhibition say 14 men executed in 1916 rising. This in accuracy was challenged the only sense made out of their reply was Cork and London execution sites don’t count in there recording of the 1916 executions.
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