Name LÉ Cliona Laid down 17 September 1940 Commissioned 3 February 1947 Construction started 17 September 1940 Length 62 m | Namesake Cliodhna Acquired 3 February 1947 Decommissioned 2 November 1970 Launched 11 August 1941 | |
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LÉ Cliona was a Flower-class corvette in the Irish Naval Service. She was named after Cliodhna, an ancient Irish goddess of love; she was the former HMS Bellwort
Bellwort was built by George Brown & Co, Greenock. After wartime service in the Royal Navy she was handed over to the Naval Service on 3 February 1947 and commissioned Cliona by Lieutenant Walter J. Reidy the same day. She was sold to Haulbowline Industries for scrap and was removed to Passage West on 4 November 1970.
Fire incident
On 29 May 1962, Cliona was participating in an annual exercise south of Roches Point. The Cliona had a press party including a number of RTÉ cameras embarked to do some filming for the new national broadcaster. The ship initially carried out a successful Hedgehog mortar exercise. During her second pattern of depth charges, she suffered a premature explosion from a charge dropped from the port stern rail. The resulting explosion lifted the stern of the ship out of the water and the concussion ruptured fuel oil feed pipes in the after boiler room. The leaking oil resulted in a serious fire which rapidly accelerated out of control. Stoker William Mynes closed the feed valves, isolating the supply of fuel to the fire. Mynes had to be ordered to leave his post so he could receive medical attention for burns he had sustained in the fire fighting effort. The Executive Officer, Lt. Pat O'Mahoney, then entered the aft boiler room where he fought the fire for at least another thirty minutes. The fire was eventually extinguished, despite the Marine Rescue Coordination centre dispatching an oceangoing tug, the Clonmel to the scene to assist, the Cliona was able to proceed to Haulbowline under her own steam for an investigation and repairs. Neither Mynes or O'Mahoney received a decoration for the bravery they showed in their fire fighting effort.