Facebook drive behind huge wave of applications to navy
A life on the ocean wave seems a popular choice for the younger generation, especially considering that 1,225 people applied for 80 recruit places.
The Defence Forces press office confirmed the considerable interest which had been expressed in the positions in the three weeks up to the closing date for applications on March 27.
Sources within the naval service said they were delighted with the response and believe it may have been down to a Facebook campaign which also featured a video highlighting the activities of the seaborne force, which alone had 2,315 hits.
The would-be recruits will now have to undergo fitness testing and medicals which are likely to get under way in the next few weeks.
After that the best 80 will be offered jobs and it is likely that the first recruit class of 40 will then undergo training in the autumn.
They will spend 20 weeks studying seamanship, basic sea survival, naval boarding, foot drill, weapons handling, damage control, and fire-fighting at the Naval Service headquarters at Haulbowline Island, Co Cork.
The service is an equal opportunities employer and it is understood a large number of women have sent in applications. Overall, women make up 7% of Defence Forces personnel, but in the Naval Service it is 20% and four women have gone on to captain ships.
Another factor in the number of people applying to join up is likely to be that the fleet is the most modern in Naval Service history.
Last year it acquired the €54m LÉ Samuel Beckett. The LÉ James Joyce is currently undergoing final sea trials in the Bristol Channel and snag list checks. When these are completed she will be delivered to the navy.
Both vessels were built by Babcock Marine & Technology at Appledore, Devon and the same company has won a contract from the government to build a third vessel which is likely to go into service in the spring of 2016.
Meanwhile, according to Defence Forces sources they expect Government approval in the very near future to announce recruitment competitions for officer cadetships in the army, air corps, army equitation school, and naval service.
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