THE commissioning of two navy vessels by the Irish Navy Service had a Gaeltacht Mhuscraí twist – with one them named after St Gobnait.

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin hosted the recent naming and commissioning ceremonies of the two new inshore patrol vessels (IPVs), LÉ Gobnait and LÉ Aoibhinn, in
Haulbowline.

Speaking to The Southern Star, FF councillor Gobnait Moynihan, who attended the ceremonies, said she is delighted to see the navy vessel named after Naomh Gobnait, her namesake, who is said to have built her convent in Ballyvourney in the sixth century.

‘This gives her the national and international recognition she deserves,’ said Cllr Moynihan.

‘Naomh Gobnait has a huge following not just locally, but around Kerry, Waterford and the Aran Islands,’ she added.

‘You need only try to pass through the village of Ballyvourney on February 11th, her feast day to see the crowds gather.’

Cllr Moynihan added that while touring the naval vessel, a bumblebee, conicidentally, appeared out of nowhere. ‘This was kind of ironic as Naomh Gobnait is the patron saint of beekeepers and even had her own bees!’

The Irish Naval Service has a long-standing practice that the names of service vessels in the first instance, be selected from those of female mythological and historical personages, with the prefix LÉ (Long Éireannach -Irish Sip).

These two new Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPVs) were purchased from the New Zealand Government and reoriented to specific Irish Naval Service requirements, overseen by the Irish Naval Service and the Department of Defence. 

They will replace the now decommissioned LÉ Orla and LÉ Ciara and are highly manoeuvrable and can reach speeds of up to 25 knots