As we drove down the meandering roads around the Lough shore the summer blossoms and scenery were spectacular. As we rounded the last corner into Ballydoran the bright red bow of the Light Ship came into view.
We parked up and were ushered up the gangway by two of Down Cruising Club members. Gathering on deck we were told of the history of this magnificent ship, built way back in 1915 in Dublin and used all around the coast of Ireland to protect ships from our rugged coastline.
It was decommissioned in 1968 and advertised for tender in the Dublin papers. It was then spotted by the commodores father in law who got club members together and put in an auction offer of £1800. They were outbid by a salvage company in Dublin who were planning to scrap it but were able to renegotiate and agreed to give then £50 profit and after commission paid a price of £2049.
The boat was towed from Dublin to the mouth of Strangford Lough by a large ship and then to her resting place by local fishing boats.
Over the years using voluntary labour the club refurbished the ship and turned it into their magnificent clubhouse but kept a lot of the original features. We were shown around the ship and into the captain's cabin and witnessed all the unique features of the boat.
With its heavily riveted iron hull it was built to last and is the only remaining lightship left in Northern Ireland.
We thanked our hosts and took the short drive past the picturesque Sketrick Island and on to Balloo House were we finished the evening with a great supper and plenty of chat.
