Civic award for de Courcy Ireland

The maritime historian, Dr John de Courcy Ireland, who has received widespread international recognition for his work, is to …

The maritime historian, Dr John de Courcy Ireland, who has received widespread international recognition for his work, is to be honoured by his home borough on Monday.

The cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Council, Ms Betty Coffey, is due to present Dr de Courcy Ireland with a civic award in the town hall. A similar tribute will also be made to Ms Claire O'Dwyer, World Masters' Swimming Champion.

On the same evening the Irish branch of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) will unveil a plaque in Dún Laoghaire's People's Park which pays tribute to the work of Dr de Courcy Ireland and his late wife, Betty, as peace activists.

The plaque is just below one erected by Irish CND for the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

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Dr de Courcy Ireland's peace activism will be acknowledged at the civic reception, as will his work as an historian, author and contributor to the maritime life of Dún Laoghaire and Ireland. Dr de Courcy Ireland, who was 90 last October, joined the Maritime Institute in 1943 and was one of the founders of the Maritime Museum in 1959. He has undertaken extensive research into Ireland's maritime history and has been a lifelong campaigner for recognition of the State's maritime heritage.

Among the 10 books he has written are The History of Dún Laoghaire Harbour, The Sea and the Easter Rising, Ireland's Sea Fisheries and Ireland and the Irish in Maritime History.

A plaque and photograph of the RMS Leinster, the ship which was sunk with the loss of 501 lives by a German U-boat on the Kish Bank in 1918, is also due to be unveiled by Ms Coffey. The plaque is dedicated to those who died when the ship was torpedoed twice, including military passengers, postal workers and crew from Dún Laoghaire and Holyhead.

The ship, which was en route to Wales under the command of Capt William Birch, was carrying over 700 passengers and mail. Of 22 postal workers on board, only one survived.

The military on board as passengers were from Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and relatives are expected to attend on Monday night.