LÉ Grainne
Irish Ton-class minesweeper
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
LÉ Gráinne (CM10) was a Ton-class minesweeper in the Irish Naval Service. She was the former HMS Oulston. She was named after Gráinne, a legendary princess who was promised to Fionn Mac Cumhail but ran away with his young follower Diarmuid.
Silhouette of LÉ Grainne (CM10) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Oulston |
| Namesake | Oulston |
| Builder | Thornycroft |
| Launched | September 1953[1] |
| Out of service | 1970 |
| Renamed | 1970 |
| Identification | M1129 |
 Ireland | |
| Name | LÉ Grainne |
| Namesake | Gráinne, a legendary Irish princess |
| Acquired | 1970 |
| Commissioned | 30 January 1971 |
| Decommissioned | 1987 |
| Identification | CM10 |
| Fate | Sold to Spanish interests for breaking, 1987 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Ton-class minesweeper |
| Displacement | 360 tonnes[2] |
| Length | 42.67 m (140.0 ft) overall |
| Beam | 8.4 m (28 ft) |
| Draught | 2.49 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Speed | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) maximum |
| Complement | 30[2] |
| Armament |
|
Oulston was purchased from the Royal Navy in December 1970 and entered Irish service in January 1971.[2] The purchase coincided with the removal from service of the Irish Naval Service's only fisheries protection vessel, LÉ Maev.[3] The official naming ceremony for the LÉ Gráinne was held in February 1971.[4]
Involved in fisheries protection,[5] she was stricken in 1987 and sold to a Spanish company for breaking.[2]
