Naval Service passing out ceremony held in Haulbowline

Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service, Commodore Michael Malone with Officer Commanding and Commandant Naval College, Commander Caoimhin MacUnfraidh, attended the passing out parade of 27 newly qualified Ordinary Ratings in Haulbowline Naval Base on Thursday last.

The 27 recruits of Class CIARA have successfully completed 23 weeks of intensive training preparing them as Ordinary Rates and the class includes natives from 14 counties, including Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford. Three recruits have family members currently serving in the Irish Navy and Army. Recruit Class CIARA has nine female members and 2 of the Recruits are of Lithuanian decent.

They will continue their training to commence branch/specialised training prior to being posted to the fleet as Able Rates. Specialised training will include Seamanship, Gunnery, Logistics, Communications and Mechanical/Engineering.

The recruit class is named for the Naval Service vessel LÉ CIARA (P42) which has served with the Defence Forces since 1989. LÉ CIARA, a coastal patrol vessel previously known as HMS SWALLOW of the Royal Navy, is currently still commissioned.

During their training the recruits raised €5,322 for the Cope Foundation with a 24 hour runathon carried out in the new Haulbowline Amenity Park.

This was the first passing out parade held on the Naval Base to have family and friends present since the easing of national Covid-19 restrictions.

The class photo of new recruits with Senior Officers, Class Officer and NCO Staff. Front row: Father Desmond Campion; Commander Caoimhín MacUnfraidh; Captain (NS) Kenneth Minehane; Commodore Michael Malone; Captain (NS) William Roberts; Lt Cdr Brian Dempsey and Lt (NS) Eoghan O’Hara; Second row l-r: SCPO Brendan Madden, LS Conor Lang, PO Dave Buckley, LS Clodagh Bradshaw, LS Diarmuid Hallahan; third row l-r: A/Rates Evan Breslin, Eadaoin O’Riordan, Alexandra Nolan, Roisin Corcoran, Niamh Coughlan, Emmy Lehane, Davin Rohan and Cian Bennett; fourth row l-r: A/Rates, Holly Murphy, Aaron Troy, Patrick Pitman, Laimis Leonvicius, Ultan O’Neill, Seana O’Connor and Michael Purcell; fifth row l-r: A/Rates, Zyginantas Starta, Thomas Cornally, Luke Monaghan, Thomas Howard-Curley, LS William Kenny (DE NCO), A/Rates Kelly Rainsford and Simone Tighe; sixth row l-r: A/Rates Daire McDowell, Adam O’Leary, Lee Murray, Troy Pienaar, Storm LeRoux and Ashley Jordan.