31 merchant seamen receive awards for Emergency valour

Clutching the certificate of honour bestowed on her father who was killed serving on the Irish Pine during the second World War, Ms Emer Cleary was unable to hide her pride. "It's a wonderful gesture. A lot of years have passed but it's better late than never," she said.

Patrick Cleary was one of 31 merchant seamen who received valour awards at Dublin Castle yesterday for their service on Irish ships during the Emergency. Seven of the recipients were present at the ceremony. The others - 11 of whom were killed during their years of service - were represented by next-of-kin and relatives.

Mr Cleary, an engineer, died when the Irish Pine was struck by a torpedo from a German U-boat on November 16th, 1942. It was one of 13 Irish-registered ships lost during the war. A total of 156 Irish seamen were killed.

Mrs Sarah Cleary (97), the Wexford man's widow, was present to receive a three-bar medal of valour, the highest award. "It's lovely to have all the family together to remember him like this," she said.

Among the other recipients were two Scottish seafarers who served on Irish ships and four brothers from the same Dublin family, Jim, Al, Sylvester and William Pidgeon.

The eldest of the four, Jim (74), originally from Ringsend, Dublin, recalled the poor conditions on board the ships at the time. "They were nothing like the ships we have today. They're like floating hotels by comparison. It was tough and you were working non-stop."

He was only 14 when he joined the Merchant Navy in April 1939. While he was constantly aware of the dangers, he said, he did not dwell on them, and the pay helped to ease his mind. "You used to get war money, or risk money: £12 for a round trip to Lisbon or £24 for Canada and back. That was a small fortune back then. I was a millionaire - until the war ended."

The Minister for the Marine and National Resources, Dr Woods, who presented the awards, said Ireland owed an enormous debt to the seamen who helped to keep open vital supply routes for food, clothing, fuel and other essentials during the war. "As an island nation we depended on their skill and sense of duty almost for our very survival."

Dr Woods also paid tribute to those seamen who put their lives at risk to help others during the war. "They made compassion synonymous with the Irish flag by saving the lives of countless seamen from all nations."

Four recipients were crew members of the Kerlogue, the Wexford motor coaster which saved 164 Germans from a naval battle in the Bay of Biscay in December 1943.