January 26, 2023

An antique ship that once transported passengers to and from the Aran Islands capsized in the Dublin Docklands.

The primary means of transportation between Co. Galway and the Aran Islands from the 1960s to the 1980s was the MV Naomh Eanna, which was constructed in Dublin in the 1950s.

The ship was also shown in the 1996 motion picture Michael Collins.

The ship has been left to rot in Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock despite schemes to salvage it being floated over the years, including making it a part of a Maritime Quarter in Dublin, it still lies in Dublins Grand Canal Dock.

“From what I’m looking at, from the pictures… it looks like it’s actually sitting on the bottom of the graving dock because it’s not that deep. It was only meant for much smaller ships.

“So it’s kind of sitting perched up. Now it’s basically going to sit there… I wouldn’t be surprised (if) nothing happens (to it).” Said Nathan Wheeler, an Irish artist who researches derelict ships in the country.

According to him, there have been prior campaigns calling for the ship to be recognized as a national monument.

“(They argued) this ship should be saved, should be in the public ownership and should be preserved in a museum.

“I was talking to Aran Islanders – they have very fond memories of the ship, Aran Islanders have great memories of it, it was a huge thing down there,” he said.

Nathan is hopeful that historic monuments such as this will be recognised and restored in the future, noting the importance of heritage.

“We mustn’t leave our history as abandoned rusting hulks, because if we do, there won’t be anything left.”

If topics such as this are of interest to you, more can be found at the National Maritime Museum of Ireland located in Dun Laoghaire Co.Dublin