Floating chapel for maritime marriage

Peter Levy

The Cill Áirne, a former tender vessel for Atlantic liners at Cobh, has been bought by two Dublin businesses from Cork Institute of Technology who used it for maritime training. The opening of the maritime college at Ringaskiddy made the Cill Áirne redundant.

The Dublin businessmen plan to spend E2.5 million on the ship to covert it into floating bar, restaurant and art gallery. But they also have plans to use it as a sea-going wedding chapel, running between Dublin and Dun Laoghaire.

"What better place to get married," said Sam Corbett, project manager, who works for the Irish Ship and Barge Fabrication Company, joint purchasers with Richmond Properties. He said that developers expect a big demand for weddings afloat now following a recent change in the rules so that civil weddings can be held almost anywhere.

But the Cill Áirne, which narrowly missed being concerted into a restaurant for Cork's riverfront, will be the jewel in the crown of the development of Dublin's docklands and will be berthed right outside the planned new National Conference Centre at North Wall Quay.

The vessel was bought for a bargain price of E40,000 the Cill Áirne's previous agreed sale price to two Cork businessmen was for E76,000, but the deal fell through.

Some work is taking place at Cork Dockyard to make the ship seaworthy and more work will be done in Dublin.

"We expect to receive the vessel late in August and plan that the work will be complete in two years' time," said Mr Corbett.

The developers plan that the Cill Áirne will eventually be in working condition and licensed by the Department of the Marine to take 180 passengers.

The Cill Áirne will be on show to the public just two berths away from Jeanie Johnston which was sold to the Dublin Docklands Development Authority for E2.75m.

The Jeanie Johnston was also a bargain for the Dublin port interests as the vessel cost over 14m to build.