One of the hundreds of sailing ships to ply her trade out of Arklow in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was the Denbighshire Lass. This schooner has two claims to fame. The first is the fact that she was owned by, and often skippered by, a woman – Kate Tyrrell. The second is, she is acknowledged as the first Irish vessel to fly the national flag in a British port, which she did in Swansea in 1921.
A painting of the Denbighshire Lass has just been presented to the Maritime Museum by Kate’s grandson, John Mahon, who has told the story of this sailing ship and its remarkable owner in his book, Kate Tyrrell – lady mariner. ‘When I was in Australia, I met Brian Harvey and his late wife Tara. Brian is an artist and he became fascinated by the story of Kate and her ship.’ The vessel was once painted by the famous marine painter Reuben Chappell over a hundred years ago. Originally from London, Brian Harvey had a copy of Chappell’s work sent to him, and using the precise detail for which Chappell is famous, Brian created a new work of art. ‘This is not a copy of the original. It is a completely new image with just the rigging and other details taken from the Chappell painting. It is a brilliant work’, said John. ‘When Brian had it finished, he parcelled it up, supported it with pillows and other packing, and personally brought it over here to Arklow all the way from Perth.’
Arklow Maritime Museum has a national, and even international, reputation for the quality of its collections. ‘We have visitors from all over the world coming to the museum and they are amazed that such a small town has such a collection’, said museum chairman Danny O’Neill. ‘This donation by John Mahon of the painting of his family’s schooner is very much appreciated and fits in very well with our display about the Denbighshire Lass.’ The new addition to the museum can be seen during normal opening hours, open seven days a week, 10-5. More information can be found on the museum’s Facebook page. Their new website will be up and running shortly