by John Gore-Grimes

Some years ago the former Irish Lights Motor Tender Nabro was purchased by Mr Patrick Conlan. Mr Conlan is a wood machinist by trade and runs his own timber business in Dublin. The vessel had been lying at the inner harbour on Sherkin Island off Baltimore, Co. Cork, in a very poor state of repair. After purchase Nabro was towed to Hegarty's Boatyard at Old Court, near Skibbereen.

Each weekend Mr Conlan travels from Dublin to Old Court to work on the vessel, and he has made very substantial progress in its re-building. The engines were completely seized, but one engine was made good by using parts from the other, and a second engine was purchased. The old wheel-house was too small, with no direct access below. A new wheel house has been designed by Myles Stapleton of Malahide, larger than the original, allowing for direct access below decks.

The vessel was commissioned on 2nd June 1925 when the Commissioners of Irish Lights accepted the tender submitted by John Tyrrell & Sons of Arklow. A new 61.7 foot motor tender was to be built of oak, American elm, and pitch pine. Application was made to the Department of Trade and Industry to name the vessel MT Moya but that name had already been registered, so the name Nabro was chosen. The name comes from Inish na Bró (island of the quernstone), anglicised Inishnabro, one of the islands in the Blasket group.

The building at Tyrrell's yard was supervised by Captain W. H. Davis, Inspector & Marine Superintendent, and Mr George Idle, Surveyor of Shipping. The sum quoted by Tyrrell's was exceeded by £534 16s 4d. The Board of Trade sanctioned this extra expenditure somewhat ungraciously. In a letter of the 17th May 1927, the Board of Trade instructed the Commissioners to ensure that their staff exercised great care in the handling of contracts. Ten days later the final sanction was received.

Nabro was launched in Arklow on 9th September 1926. After sea trials she set out a month later, bound for the south west coast. She was based at Castletownbere carrying out the Keeper reliefs, fuelling, watering and storing of rock stations off the West Cork and Kerry coasts. The Captain and the majority of her crew were permanently resident in Castletown.

In April 1950 Nabro was sold to a Mr Hugh Larkin of the Royal Hotel, Arklow for £800

At the time of her sale the crew of Nabro was -

J. Moran - Master
J. McLoughlin - Mate
P. Sheehan - Engineman
T. Driscoll - Assistant Engineman
P. Sullivan - Seaman
Denis Driscoll - Seaman
Daniel Driscoll - Seaman
M. O'Shea - Seaman


The assistant engine man, T. Driscoll, and the seamen P. Sullivan, Denis Driscoll and Daniel Driscoll had been with the boat during her entire service with the Commissioners of Irish Lights.

Our Service wishes Patrick Conlan every success with his enormous project. His dedication is to be greatly admired. He is receiving tremendous help and support from Hegarty's Yard and, in his own quiet way, will bring this mammoth project to a successful conclusion.