Daire Brunicardi

The Sea Hound: the Story of a Small Irish Ship Daire Brunicardi Illustrated edition

The Helga, later the Muirchu (Sea Hound) was present at the birth of a new state and was Ireland's first fishery-patrol and research ship. Its lifetime, 1908-1947, coincided with the most important period in Irish history. Helga's shelling of Liberty Hall is mentioned in every account of the 1916 Rising while it also played a key role in the Civil War. In 1923 it resumed fishery patrol and research work, despite being unarmed and unable to enforce orders. In 1939 it was refitted for naval duties, the flagship of the world's smallest navy, patrolling against invasion (Germany had planed an invasion of Ireland) and carrying out mine destruction. In 1945, on her last voyage from navy headquarters in Cork to Dublin for scrapping, she sank in a storm off Wexford.