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by Lt Cmdr Patricia Butler (NS Press Officer) Photos by A/Sea David Jones
I
n October, Cork Harbour was a hive of activity as the
Naval Service welcomed visiting foreign naval vessels
to Cork as part of Cork Rebel Week's naval festivities.
The international naval festival began when visiting foreign warships from the UK, Russia, Belgium and France,
took part alongside Naval Service ships in a spectacular
fleet review in Cork Harbour, the world's second largest
natural harbour.
A naval fleet review is a traditional gathering of ships
that is observed by a dignitary from the hosting state and
for the event in Cork the Minister for Justice, Equality and
Defence, Mr Alan Shatter TD took the fleet review onboard LÉ Eithne, taking a salute from each of the ships at
anchor as LÉ Eithne sailed past.
Normally, each of the 11 warships, both saluting and
being saluted, would have their
decks lined with their crews and
the ships dressed overall with
colourful naval flags. However,
due to challenging weather conditions on the day, this element
of the review was not carried
out. The fleet review was still an
impressive spectacle.
Once the review was completed, the fleet weighed anchor and
proceeded to Cork City where
they remained for the festival
dressed overall with colourful
flags by day and lights by night.
Five of the visiting foreign naval
ships and two Naval Service
ships berthed alongside the
quays while the Russian ship
berthed alongside Cobh.
As part of routine naval ceremonial, each of the ships
performed a synchronised lowering of its flags at sunset,
before lighting the ships overall for night hours. With so
many ships it was an impressive display
each evening.
The ships were open to the public over the weekend and
visitors were able to meet the sailors and see the ships
up close.
The festival, part of Cork's Rebel Week festivities organised for 'The Gathering 2013', witnessed a true celebration
of the connection between navies and the civil society
which they serve to protect, and displayed real potential to
be repeated.
www.military.ie the defence forces magazine
