LÉ Orla (P41) is a in the Irish Naval Service

Irish Naval Service

The Naval Service is the navy of Ireland and is one of the three standing branches of the Irish Defence Forces. Its main base is in Haulbowline, County Cork....

. Like the rest of her class, she was originally designed for use by the British Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

 waters, and was delivered in 1985 by Hall, Russell & Company

Hall, Russell & Company

Hall, Russell & Company, Limited was a shipbuilder based in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK-History:Brothers James and William Hall, Thomas Russell, a Glasgow engineer, and James Cardno Couper founded the company in 1864 to build steam engines and boilers. In 1867 the company built its first ship, the Kwang...

 as HMS Swift (P243). She is the sister ship to LÉ Ciara

LÉ Ciara (P42)

LÉ Ciara is a in the Irish Naval Service. Like the rest of her class, she was originally designed for use by the British Royal Navy in Hong Kong waters, and was delivered in 1984 by Hall, Russell & Company as HMS Swallow . She passed to the Irish Naval Service in 1988 and was commissioned under...

.

In July 2007, the LÉ Orla assisted in an operation

Operation Seabight

Operation Seabight, or Sea Bight, is the codename used to describe the tracking and eventual seizure of up to €750 million of cocaine off the Irish coast in November 2008, originally thought to have been the largest such haul in the history of Ireland and one of the largest in Europe in 2008...

 which resulted in the largest seizure of cocaine

Cocaine

Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...

 in the history of the state.

Specifications

LÉ Orla (P41) has 712 tons displacement, fully loaded, was launched in 1984 and bought by the Irish government in 1988. She is powered by two Crossley Pielstick 18 PA6V 280 diesels rated at 14,000 hp, providing a top speed of 25 knots and a range of 4,000 km at 17 knots. She carries a crew of 39, including six officers. She is armed with one 76 mm/62 OTO Melara

Oto Melara

Oto Melara is an Italian defence company with factories in Brescia and La Spezia. It was founded in 1905 as a joint venture of Vickers and Terni. During World War I, Vickers Terni produced many weapons with calibre 40 mm and upwards. In 1929 the company was renamed Odero Terni Orlando with the...

 compact gun; 2 x 20mm Rh202 Rheinmetall

Rheinmetall

Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and defence company with factories in Düsseldorf, Kassel and Unterlüß. The company has a long tradition of making guns and artillery pieces...

 weapons and four 7.62 mm machine-guns.

Etymology

The ship is named after Orla, a grand niece (great niece) of Brian Boru

Brian Boru

Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig, , , was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill. Building on the achievements of his father, Cennétig mac Lorcain, and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain, Brian first made himself King of Munster, then subjugated...

. She was murdered by her husband around 1090. The crest shows the arms of Clare on the top segment and a sword and royal collar on the base.

External links

• IDF LÉ Orla webpage