LÉ Eithne P31
She was built in Verlome Dockyard in Cork and was commissioned into service in 1984. L.É. EITHNE patrols the Irish EEZ and over the years she has completed numerous foreign deployments. The equipment fit was to a very high standard and included the Naval Services first operations room which integrated control of armament and aircraft to a designated centre, remote from the bridge.
Ship's Name
Many characters named Eithne exist in Irish Classical Literature. One was the daughter of the Fomorian King Balor. The name means ‘Sweet Kernel’ and she was renowned for her beauty.
Significant History
In the summer of 1986 L.É. EITHNE scored a notable first, by becoming the first Irish Naval Ship to cross the Atlantic, when she sailed to the United States, visiting Hamilton, New York and Boston. Since then L.É. EITHNE has crossed the Atlantic several times and crossed the equator in 2006 during her historic South American Deployment.
| Ship's Characteristics |
| Type | Helicopter Patrol Vessel |
| Length | 80.0m |
| Beam | 12m |
| Draught | 4.3m |
| Main Engines | 2 X Ruston 12RKC Diesels6, 800 HP2 Shafts |
| Speed | 18 knots |
| Range | 7000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots |
| Crew | 55 (6 Officers) |
| Commissioned | 7 December 1984 |
| Weaponary Aboard |
| Main Armament | Bofors 57mm Canon LIOD Fire Control System |
| Secondary Armament | 2 X 20mm Rheinmetall Canon |
| Small Arms | Various small arms ranging from:
9mm Pistol to 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun |
