THE REAL STREETS OF DUBLIN

LÉ Ciara (P42) is a ship in the Irish Naval Service. She is the sister ship to LÉ Orla. They were originally constructed in 1984 for the Royal Navy by Hall Russell, these two vessels, along with three others formed the Peacock Class. The LÉ Ciara (P42) was formally known as H.M.S. SWALLOW and she passed to the Irish Naval Service in 1988. Her official commissioning was by the then Taoiseach Mr. C. Haughey on 16 January 1989. Previously the vessel had been part of the Hong Kong patrol. This ship takes her name from a Tipperary woman who was born around the year 611. In her teens she took holy orders and founded a convent near Nenagh, Kilkeary. The ship's coat-of-arms depict three golden chalices which represent the three ancient Diocese among which Tipperary was divided. Also featured is a Celtic cross a representation of the North Cross at Athenny, County Tipperary. The coat of arms incorporates the Tipperary colours of Blue and Yellow as well as the background or field colours of the Tipperary Arms which is Ermine - white with a pattern of black arrowhead shaped points. The ship's principal armament is a 76mm OTO Melara Gun with a 14 kilometre (9 mile) range which can fire 85 rounds per minute. There are also 2 single 12.7mm heavy machine guns and four single 7.62mm machine guns. She is equipped with Navigation, Communications and Surveillance equipment, a fishery protect information system which is regularly updated via a satellite link with the Irish Naval Service base at Haulbowline Island, Cobh. The LÉ Ciara has a cruising speed of 46.3 km/h (25 knots) and a sprint speed of 55.6 km/h (30 knots). The crewman have come to give the vessel the nickname Road Runner and this can be seen by the cartoon mascot on the funnel.The name was chosen to signify that the LÉ Ciara is the fastest ship in the Irish Navy.