Exhibits

This working Optic is the light from Baily lighthouse in Howth, North Dublin. It was installed in 1902 and removed in 1972 when the lighthouse was modernised. The lighthouse was originally gas, then vaporised paraffin powered, the light was equivalent to 2,000,000 candle power. The optic now shines a lesser light over the museum.

The tragic events of Christmas 1895. The Kingstown Lifeboat Disaster. The lifeboat and its crew of 15 were lost.

Engineering – The age of Steam. Since early times ships were driven by oars and sail. The crews of these ships consisted of ordinary seamen who did the work and officers who controlled the ship and decided where it should go.   Then in the 1700′s with the discovery of how to use steam, everything…

In November 1807 two ships, the Rochdale and Prince of Wales set sail from Pigeonhouse harbour in Dublin, bound for England. They were carrying newly recruited militia for the Napoleonic War, and their families. But bad fortune struck and an easterly gale forced the two ships onto rocks between Blackrock and Seapoint. They were wrecked…

There have been lifeboats in Dublin Bay for more than 200 years. This is one of the oldest services in existence. The first lifeboat was located at Sandycove and run by the Dublin Ballast Board. In 1817 a lifeboat was located in Old Dunleary, before the present harbour was built.

The “Rescue Cart”. These carts were located all around the coast. Many lives were saved. This cart is complete with all its equipment, including the “breeches buoy”

When the Great Eastern was launched in 1858 it was the largest ship in the world.   It was designed by a great Victorian engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunell. It was built at Milwall on the River Thames. There was no dry dock large enough for it, and it had to be built alongside the river…

From 1924 to 1938 there was little official interest in maritime affairs in this country. The ports were controlled by Britain, and the only vessel representing the Irish Free State was the Muirchú. She was operated by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, but was not very effective in her duties to protect our fisheries from illegal fishing as she was unarmed.

The Service started with three ex naval corvettes bought from Britain. These stayed in use until they were disposed of between 1968 and 1970, when they were replaced by three former coastal minesweepers, which had better sea-keeping capabilities and were more suited for the job.

Artifacts of the Maritime museum  Captain Hutchison’s Gold RNLI medal Captain William Hutchison (1793-1881), from County Kildare, first harbour master of Kingstown, who also acted as coxswain of the lifeboat. On 14 August 1829 the brig Iron Duke was driven ashore in an easterly gale at Sandycove.  The Sandycove lifeboat with Hutchison three coastguards and…

This rare Tayleur medal (click here for further details) was awarded to James Doyle for his part in the Enota rescue on 4 November 1869 in Kingstown Harbour.  He was one of three man from the coastguard guardship based at Kingstown to receive the award. Several boats from the Royal George went to the assistance…

Shipping on the Irish Sea – empty page – under construction

Captain Robert Halpin was born in Wicklow town on 17th February 1836. He was the youngest of 13 children and went to sea when he was 11 years old. His first trips were on sailing ships. The young Halpin saw where the future lay and transferred to a steam ship, the Circassian.

An exhibit illustrating this event will, on occasion, be displayed in the Museum The date is 10th October 1918. The place is Kingstown (now DunLaoghaire), Britain (of which Ireland is an integral part) is at war with Germany. A war that came to a close within a number of weeks. At the Carlisle pier one…