LÉ Banba (CM11)

LÉ Banba (CM11) was a Ton-class minesweeper in the Irish Naval Service (INS) and was one of three purchased by the Irish government in light of changing politics in Northern Ireland that was creating more gunrunning, and, the beginning of the drugs trade. The other two were Grainne and Fola.[2]

Silhouette of LÉ Banba (CM11)
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Alverton
NamesakeAlverton
BuilderThornycroft
Launched24 March 1954
IdentificationM1104
FateSold to Ireland, February 1971
Republic of Ireland
NameLÉ Banba
NamesakeBanba
Acquired21 February 1971
Commissioned23 February 1971
Decommissioned1984
IdentificationCM11
FateSold to Spanish interests for breaking
General characteristics
Class and typeTon-class minesweeper
Displacement425 tonnes (max)
Length42.67 m (140.0 ft) overall
Beam8.4 m (28 ft)
Draught2.49 m (8 ft 2 in)
Speed15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) maximum
Complement30
Armament

LÉ Banba was named after Banba, a legendary queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann and also a poetic name for Ireland. The ship was the former Royal Navy vessel HMS Alverton.

Handover

The name Banba was originally allocated to be borne by one of the six Flower-class corvettes ordered in 1946, but only three were delivered and the name was not used. On 22 February 1971, the former Alverton was handed over to the INS, and commissioned on 23 February by Lt. Cdr. Deasy at Gibraltar.[1]

Following her commissioning, Banba, in company with Fola, worked up in the Western Mediterranean so that they could complete Harbour Acceptance Trials and Sea Acceptance Trials. On 20 March both ships left the Mediterranean for home, however on the way a storm blew up forcing them to take refuge in Lisbon.[1] The two newest additions to the Navy finally arrived on 29 March 1971.

In 1984 Banba was decommissioned and sold on to Spanish interests for breaking.

References
  1. "LÉ Banba (CM11)". singaporemoms.net. Archived from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  2. "The Irish Navy 1939-1996". homepage.eircom.net. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
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