The Irish Naval Service’s new ship LÉ William Butler Yeats has been officially named and commissioned this morning at Galway Docks.
In a ceremony officiated by the Taoiseach, the Commissioning Warrant was presented to the ship’s Captain, Lieutenant Commander, Eric Timon by Minister for Defense Paul Kehoe. The ship was officially named by the famous poet’s granddaughter Caitriona Yeats.
Guard of honour forming at Galway harbour ahead of Taoiseach’s arrival pic.twitter.com/uAeYq0ug1E
— Pat McGrath (@patmcgrath) October 17, 2016
The naval vessel will be twinned with city at a later date. Galway had previously been twinned with the long-serving and recently decommissioned LÉ Aisling.
LIVE on #Periscope: Commissioning Ceremony for the LÉ William Butler Yeats underway in Galway https://t.co/mlemLCn2aV
— Pat McGrath (@patmcgrath) October 17, 2016
The LÉ William Butler Yeats joins two other new offshore patrol vessel, LÉ James Joyce and LÉ Samuel Beckett, which entered naval service in the last two years.
Cover image – Brian Mcgrath
