An Irish return

Built in Baltimore in West Cork in 1926, the 56-foot ketch Ilen holds a special place in Ireland’s maritime heritage – she’s the country’s only surviving vessel of her kind. Her survival is to be cherished – but her recent resumption of cargo deliveries is also widely-regarded as supporting a new, global eco-trading trend – a sustainable alternative to powered vessels.

Designed by Limerick’s Conor O’Brien (1880-1952), she was built for and delivered to the Falkland Islands where she braved those harsh, demanding latitudes for 70 years – ferrying passengers, cargo, mail and livestock between the islands.

A BOAT BUILT IN IRELAND FOR THE FALKLANDS?

It seems a little improbable, but it all began with O’Brien’s visit to that remote outpost between. Along the way he stopped off at Port Stanley where the locals, impressed at how well the rode the waves, asked O’Brien if he could build them a similar boat.