isl ship paintings

My father, the late Michael Campbell, worked for Marconi, but was aboard the Irish Ships 1942 onwards. He was born 04.08.1923 and was a radio officer. When Irish Shipping went into liquidation in the 80s he was fortunate enough to buy the paintings of the ships that hung in the Irish Shipping Offices.

The following images of 6 paintings of Irish Ships, hung in our Restaurant in Limerick (Hi-Way Restaurant, Dooradoyle, Limerick) until our family sold it a few years back. My father bought these paintings when Irish Shipping was in liquidation.

S.S The Irish Poplar - Watercolour

Net Tonnage 2031

Reg Tonnage 3241

Built in Hull, England and named 'Withernsea'. In 1941, sailing under Greek registration and named 'Vassilios Destounis', she was attacked by a German bomber in the Bay of Biscay and was abandoned by her crew. She was eventually salvaged and towed to Aviles, Spain from where Irish Shipping purchased her.

In very bad condition when taken over at Aviles, and after an eventful voyage back to Ireland via Lisbon, she became the first Irish Shipping Vessel to bring grain to Cork in March in 1942.

This vessel was sold in 1949 and was eventually scrapped in 1961

S.S Irish Beech - Oil Painting

Net Tonnage 1206

During the Second World War, the Irish Shipping Fleet consisted mainly of old vessels, which in peacetime, no doubt would have been considered quite unsuitable for transatlantic crossings. The Beech was without doubt the most problematic of all ships, indeed the very manner in which she came into Irish possession proved a portent of things to come.

Built in Hamburg in 1884, she sailed as a German Depot Ship during World War 1. In 1941, she was found drifting in Dingle Bay by the Irish Marine Service vessel, the Fort Rannock, complete with a cargo of rotting fish. Yugoslavian registered, named 'Cevriti' she had been enroute from the Faroe Islands to Spain when she was attacked by a German bomber, was promptly abandoned by her crew.

In December 1941, she docked in Dublin with a cargo of grain, being the first Irish Shipping vessel to complete the round trip, after what the captain described as the worst voyage of his life.
Engine trouble was a frequent occurrence and the records show incidences of 23 breakdowns on a trip between Waterford and Canada and in June 1944, on a voyage from St. John's New Brunswick, Canada to Limerick, on which Michael Campbell served as Radio Officer, he claims she broke down at least 13 times. Leaks were almost equally frequently. The solution was to construct a concrete box around the area of the leak. When the Beech was finally scrapped in 1948, she was found to have 60 such boxes.
Ireland remained neutral throughout the War and all Irish Vessels wore prominent neutrality markings, especially at night when floodlights shone on the ship's name, nationality (Eire) and flag. Such markings were not always enough to save a ship from attack by U-Boats or German aircraft. In fact Irish Shipping, lost two vessels during the War, once of which (The Irish Pine) was sunk with a loss of 33 men. In 1943 the Beech herself had a narrow escape, when a U-Boat fired a torpedo, but missed, having incredibly mistaken her for a French Ship. She certainly did lead a charmed life!

S.S The Irish Elm – Watercolour – not one of the original collection

Net Tonnage 1409

Reg Tonnage 2541

Built in 1910 in Sunderland, she was under Panamanian registration and named the 'Leda', when purchased by the company.

she was the first Irish Shipping vessel to make a commercial voyage, when she docked in Dublin in august, 1941 with a cargo of Canadian Wheat.

This painting is from the photograph taken in St. John's New Brunswick, in 1948 and is not part of the original collection purchased from Irish Shipping.

The Elm was sold shortly afterwards and was scrapped in 1961.

S.S The Irish Spruce - Watercolour

Built in Hartlepool, England in 1896 and named the 'Cornham'. Purchased in 1942 by Irish Shipping, at which time she was registered in Finland and sailing under the name 'Vicia'.

She was in an almost derelict condition and was sent to Rushbrooke, Cork, to be refitted. Due to wartime shortages of steel this took three years, and she did not sail until just before the end of the War.

She was sold in 1949 to Turkish interests.

S.S The Irish Ash - Watercolour

This vessel was built in Glasgow in 1921. In 1940, sailing under the Danish flag and named the 'Mathilde Maersk', she was discharging a cargo in Limerick, when Denmark was invaded by the Germans.

For two years she remained tied up, before complicated negotiations secured her for Irish Shipping.

She continued in service all through the War and was finally sold to Sweden in 1949, when she was renamed the 'Scania'

S.S The Irish Alder - Watercolour

To gain possession of the Irish Alder, the Irish Government had to take on the Soviet Union. Not quite as dramatic as it sounds. The vessel, along with the Irish Rose, had been chartered fro their Estonian owners (the Alder being then registered to Estonia and named the 'Piret') In 1941 the Russians annexed the State of Estonia and in so doing, they claimed jurisdiction over the ships in an action in the Irish High Court. Eventually a settlement was agreed and the Alder sailed in 1942.

After the war she was returned to her owners and was sold to Panama in 1946

The paintings depict some of the vessels that were used by the company during the war (There were 15 ships used in total) and as Ireland remained neutral , all Irish Vessels wore prominent neutrality markings, especially at night when floodlights shone on the ship's name, nationality (Eire) and flag. Such markings were not always enough to save a ship from attack by U-Boats or German aircraft. In fact Irish Shipping, lost two vessels during the War, once of which (The Irish Pine) was sunk with a loss of 33 men. In 1943 the Beech herself had a narrow escape, when a U-Boat fired a torpedo, but missed, having incredibly mistaken her for a French Ship.

We had the information that I have provided for each of the photos, and the ships themselves printed on table mats in our restaurant. As you can imagine it made for interesting reading for our customers.

S.S The Irish Poplar - Watercolour Net Tonnage 2031 Reg Tonnage 3241 Built in Hull, England and named 'Withernsea'. In 1941, sailing under Greek registration and named 'Vassilios Destounis', she was attacked by a German bomber in the Bay of Biscay and was abandoned by her crew. She was eventually salvaged and towed to Aviles, Spain from where Irish Shipping purchased her. In very bad condition when taken over at Aviles, and after an eventful voyage back to Ireland via Lisbon, she became the first Irish Shipping Vessel to bring grain to Cork in March in 1942. This vessel was sold in 1949 and was eventually scrapped in 1961
S.S Irish Beech - Oil Painting Net Tonnage 1206 During the Second World War, the Irish Shipping Fleet consisted mainly of old vessels, which in peacetime, no doubt would have been considered quite unsuitable for transatlantic crossings. The Beech was without doubt the most problematic of all ships, indeed the very manner in which she came into Irish possession proved a portent of things to come. Built in Hamburg in 1884, she sailed as a German Depot Ship during World War 1. In 1941, she was found drifting in Dingle Bay by the Irish Marine Service vessel, the Fort Rannock, complete with a cargo of rotting fish. Yugoslavian registered, named 'Cevriti' she had been enroute from the Faroe Islands to Spain when she was attacked by a German bomber, was promptly abandoned by her crew. In December 1941, she docked in Dublin with a cargo of grain, being the first Irish Shipping vessel to complete the round trip, after what the captain described as the worst voyage of his life. Engine trouble was a frequent occurrence and the records show incidences of 23 breakdowns on a trip between Waterford and Canada and in June 1944, on a voyage from St. John's New Brunswick, Canada to Limerick, on which Michael Campbell served as Radio Officer, he claims she broke down at least 13 times. Leaks were almost equally frequently. The solution was to construct a concrete box around the area of the leak. When the Beech was finally scrapped in 1948, she was found to have 60 such boxes. Ireland remained neutral throughout the War and all Irish Vessels wore prominent neutrality markings, especially at night when floodlights shone on the ship's name, nationality (Eire) and flag. Such markings were not always enough to save a ship from attack by U-Boats or German aircraft. In fact Irish Shipping, lost two vessels during the War, once of which (The Irish Pine) was sunk with a loss of 33 men. In 1943 the Beech herself had a narrow escape, when a U-Boat fired a torpedo, but missed, having incredibly mistaken her for a French Ship. She certainly did lead a charmed life!
S.S The Irish Elm – Watercolour – not one of the original collection Net Tonnage 1409 Reg Tonnage 2541 Built in 1910 in Sunderland, she was under Panamanian registration and named the 'Leda', when purchased by the company. she was the first Irish Shipping vessel to make a commercial voyage, when she docked in Dublin in august, 1941 with a cargo of Canadian Wheat. This painting is from the photograph taken in St. John's New Brunswick, in 1948 and is not part of the original collection purchased from Irish Shipping. The Elm was sold shortly afterwards and was scrapped in 1961.
S.S The Irish Spruce - Watercolour Built in Hartlepool, England in 1896 and named the 'Cornham'. Purchased in 1942 by Irish Shipping, at which time she was registered in Finland and sailing under the name 'Vicia'. She was in an almost derelict condition and was sent to Rushbrooke, Cork, to be refitted. Due to wartime shortages of steel this took three years, and she did not sail until just before the end of the War. She was sold in 1949 to Turkish interests.
S.S The Irish Ash - Watercolour This vessel was built in Glasgow in 1921. In 1940, sailing under the Danish flag and named the 'Mathilde Maersk', she was discharging a cargo in Limerick, when Denmark was invaded by the Germans. For two years she remained tied up, before complicated negotiations secured her for Irish Shipping. She continued in service all through the War and was finally sold to Sweden in 1949, when she was renamed the 'Scania'
S.S The Irish Alder - Watercolour To gain possession of the Irish Alder, the Irish Government had to take on the Soviet Union. Not quite as dramatic as it sounds. The vessel, along with the Irish Rose, had been chartered fro their Estonian owners (the Alder being then registered to Estonia and named the 'Piret') In 1941 the Russians annexed the State of Estonia and in so doing, they claimed jurisdiction over the ships in an action in the Irish High Court. Eventually a settlement was agreed and the Alder sailed in 1942. After the war she was returned to her owners and was sold to Panama in 1946

www.irishships.com