Captain's orders - A new era for the Ouzel Galley Society

The Ouzel Galley Society celebrates its 300th anniversary this year.

It came into being after a committee of merchants had resolved through arbitration a difficult dispute among the Ouzel Galley's owners and insurers over its booty. It was formally established in 1705 and became a permanent arbitration body, taking as its name the vessel that brought it into being. The Ouzel Galley Society is one of the world's first legally constituted arbitration bodies.

Not only did the new society take the name of the legendary ship, its membership mirrored the crew in number and in name - 40 members, each with titles such a captain, coxswain, boatswain, etc. Members paid an annual subscription for the society's upkeep, while fees charged for its arbitration work went to various worthy causes.

In the 18th century, meetings were mainly held in public houses. Some of these are mentioned in James Joyce's Finnegans Wake in reference to the society, "the Rose and Bottle or Phoenix Tavern or Power's Inn or Jude's Hotel".

A huge painting of a ship purported to be the Ouzel Galley (top) was commissioned in the late 18th century and wherever the society's meetings were held, the painting was hung to oversee proceedings and to remind members of their seafaring origins.

Historically, members of the society were drawn from among the most eminent political and business leaders in Ireland, including William Colville, Travers Hartley, Arthur Guinness, John Jameson and various wine merchants, such as Sir John Kingston James. Sir John was also a director of the Bank of Ireland, which over the years provided numerous members, including David La Touche, the bank's first governor.

In 1783 the society was partially subsumed by the newly formed Dublin Chamber of Commerce. The society was wound up in 1888. Exactly a century later, in the year of Dublin's millennium celebrations, the society was reconstituted at the initiative of the chamber's then president Denis Shelly and chief executive Tom Cox, and the encouragement of some of the past-presidents, notably Desmond Miller, the first captain of the new era.

Membership now comprises former presidents of the chamber of commerce and others who are deemed to have "made a significant contribution to the economy of the capital". While throughout its entire 300 years the society remained an impenetrable male bastion, it is all change on deck this year with the election of Mary Finan (left) as captain. She is currently charting a new course for the society beyond the safe waters of charitable work and convivial dining.