‘Jeanie Johnston’ Welcomed by Bristol’s Catholic Community
A ship built to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Irish Famine
arrived in Bristol and received a special joint welcome from the city’s
Irish community and local Catholic Church.
The ‘Jeanie Johnston’ - a replica of a ship that carried 2500 Irish emigrants to the USA - was met at Bristol Dock’s lock gates in the Cumberland Basin by Deacon Kevin Moloney from Clifton Cathedral and Mrs Honoria O’Leary, a 101 year old former Irish emigrant to the USA and parishioner at St Bonaventure’s Church in Bishopston, Bristol.
Deacon Kevin and Mrs O’Leary were welcomed aboard by Jeanie Johnston’s Captain, Liam Kavanagh, as she began her first ever visit to Bristol as part of the city’s Harbour Festival.
Deacon Kevin and Mrs O’Leary presented the Captain and his crew with a special print of the icon - Our Lady Star of the Sea, or ‘Stella Maris’ in Latin - as a sign of welcome on behalf of the Clifton Diocese and local Irish community.
Deacon Kevin said, “Jeanie Johnston, and hundreds of vessels like her, represent an important part of Ireland’s heritage and I was delighted to welcome her, Captain Liam and crew members to our city.”
Captain Liam said, “This is my first voyage as Captain of Jeanie Johnston, so it was lovely to be received in such style.”
The Stella Maris icon was provided by the Catholic Church’s Apostleship of the Sea. Commodore Chris York, National Director of Apostleship of the Sea, who lives in the Clifton Diocese, said, “As a powerful symbol of the importance of our maritime history, and the enduring relationship between people in Ireland and England with the sea, in good times as well in bad, I would like to welcome the Jeanie Johnston to Bristol on behalf of all of us who work to provide the outreach of the Catholic Church to seafarers. I entrust all who sale in her to the loving intercession of Our Lady Star of the Sea, the ancient title by which seafarers have for centuries called upon the mother of Jesus for protection.”
At the dockside, Mrs O’Leary received much attention from sightseers and the media, with both the BBC and ITV in attendance. Many photographers crowded around to secure images of the presentation. A cameraman from the BBC boarded the Jeanie Johnston for the journey up stream into Bristol City Centre, capturing Mrs O’Leary’s delighted as she enjoyed a full tour of the vessel, surely bringing back many memories so familiar with members of Irish communities throughout the world.
Jeanie Johnston will be arriving in Cork on Thursday 3 August.
The Stella Maris icon is currently touring Britain’s coastline as part of a drive to raise awareness of the work of the Apostleship of the Sea and the conditions faced by seafarers, many of whom suffer loneliness, exploitation, dangerous working conditions and spiritual deprivation as they spend nine months away from home at a time transporting 95 percent of the world’s trade. The icon will arrive in the Bristol Channel over Christmas and reside in a number of local parishes until it moves on to Milford Haven in February.
Jeanie Johnston history and background
Quebec shipbuilder John Munn built Jeanie Johnston in 1847. He loaded the barque with timber and sailed to Liverpool where the cargo was sold and the vessel surveyed by Lloyds before being sold to a Tralee merchant, Nicholas Donovan.
Donovan used the vessel to import timber from North America to Europe. On the return voyages to the USA and Canada Jeanie Johnston carried passengers from Tralee.
During the 1840s and 1850s Ireland was devastated by famine and disease resulting in mass emigration, often under horrendous conditions aboard “coffin ships”. While large numbers of emigrants died on these coffin ships, the Jeanie Johnston never lost a soul, despite carrying an average of 200 people on voyages of approximately 47 days. In all Jeanie Johnston carried over 2,500 people on 16 voyages to North America.
In the late 1990s, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Famine, the people of Tralee undertook to build a replica of the Jeanie Johnston and sail her to North America as an envoy to the descendants of all the people who sailed there on famine ships and to remember those who did not survive the journey.
Onboard museum - open to the public
The onboard museum transports the visitor back 150 years to join the poverty stricken emigrants in their harsh world below deck. The original Jeanie Johnston was purchased in 1848 as a cargo ship by Tralee merchant Nicholas Donovan. As the devastation of the famine gripped Ireland, the owners began to carry the fleeing Irish emigrants.
Over the next seven years the ship made 16 voyages to America carrying over 2500 emigrants. Though the conditions were hard the Jeanie Johnston never became a ‘coffin ship’. In fact, it achieved the remarkable record of never having had a death on board. This is largely due to the care taken by owner, Nicholas Donovan, the ships captain, Castletownsend born James Attridge, and the very experienced Ship's Doctor, Dr Richard Blennerhassett.
About the Jeanie Johnston
The ship was designed by Fred M Walker, Chief Naval Architect with the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich who was the supervising architect for the recreation of the 18th century Captain Cook Endeavour II ship. The recreation project was modelled closely on the restoration of the 17th century Dutch East India ship, The Batavia, in Lelystad, Holland.
The recreation of the Jeanie Johnston was one of the most ambitious maritime heritage projects ever undertaken in Ireland. The ship is a replica of one of the last of the 19th century sailing ships, before the steam ship era dawned. The replica was built at Blennerville, near Tralee, County Kerry.
Building the remarkable wooden tall ship involved a massive and complex undertaking, which began with in-depth research in 1993 and culminated in the completion of the graceful, triple-masted vessel in 2002. As a seagoing vessel and to comply with current Irish and international maritime regulations, some concessions had to be made to modernity. The recreation, therefore, marries traditional materials and skills with features such as steel bulkheads and the necessary modern technology to sail the Atlantic safely.
Stella Maris icon
The icon of Our Lady Star of the Sea, or ‘Stella Maris’ in Latin, was commissioned by the Apostleship of the Sea and painted by renowned neo-Coptic iconographer Dr Stéphane René. Blessed by Cardinal Stephen Fumio Hamao in June 2005, it depicts the Virgin Mary as the guiding light to her son for all the people of the earth. The boat in the background is a symbol of the individual soul of the believer on the spiritual path. This boat of life can be navigated safely by turning to Christ as guided by Our Lady star of the Sea, the star of our life. The boat is also an image of the Church - navigating through time, through life and to the promised land.
Useful URL : http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk
The ‘Jeanie Johnston’ - a replica of a ship that carried 2500 Irish emigrants to the USA - was met at Bristol Dock’s lock gates in the Cumberland Basin by Deacon Kevin Moloney from Clifton Cathedral and Mrs Honoria O’Leary, a 101 year old former Irish emigrant to the USA and parishioner at St Bonaventure’s Church in Bishopston, Bristol.
Deacon Kevin and Mrs O’Leary were welcomed aboard by Jeanie Johnston’s Captain, Liam Kavanagh, as she began her first ever visit to Bristol as part of the city’s Harbour Festival.
Deacon Kevin and Mrs O’Leary presented the Captain and his crew with a special print of the icon - Our Lady Star of the Sea, or ‘Stella Maris’ in Latin - as a sign of welcome on behalf of the Clifton Diocese and local Irish community.
Deacon Kevin said, “Jeanie Johnston, and hundreds of vessels like her, represent an important part of Ireland’s heritage and I was delighted to welcome her, Captain Liam and crew members to our city.”
Captain Liam said, “This is my first voyage as Captain of Jeanie Johnston, so it was lovely to be received in such style.”
The Stella Maris icon was provided by the Catholic Church’s Apostleship of the Sea. Commodore Chris York, National Director of Apostleship of the Sea, who lives in the Clifton Diocese, said, “As a powerful symbol of the importance of our maritime history, and the enduring relationship between people in Ireland and England with the sea, in good times as well in bad, I would like to welcome the Jeanie Johnston to Bristol on behalf of all of us who work to provide the outreach of the Catholic Church to seafarers. I entrust all who sale in her to the loving intercession of Our Lady Star of the Sea, the ancient title by which seafarers have for centuries called upon the mother of Jesus for protection.”
At the dockside, Mrs O’Leary received much attention from sightseers and the media, with both the BBC and ITV in attendance. Many photographers crowded around to secure images of the presentation. A cameraman from the BBC boarded the Jeanie Johnston for the journey up stream into Bristol City Centre, capturing Mrs O’Leary’s delighted as she enjoyed a full tour of the vessel, surely bringing back many memories so familiar with members of Irish communities throughout the world.
Jeanie Johnston will be arriving in Cork on Thursday 3 August.
The Stella Maris icon is currently touring Britain’s coastline as part of a drive to raise awareness of the work of the Apostleship of the Sea and the conditions faced by seafarers, many of whom suffer loneliness, exploitation, dangerous working conditions and spiritual deprivation as they spend nine months away from home at a time transporting 95 percent of the world’s trade. The icon will arrive in the Bristol Channel over Christmas and reside in a number of local parishes until it moves on to Milford Haven in February.
Jeanie Johnston history and background
Quebec shipbuilder John Munn built Jeanie Johnston in 1847. He loaded the barque with timber and sailed to Liverpool where the cargo was sold and the vessel surveyed by Lloyds before being sold to a Tralee merchant, Nicholas Donovan.
Donovan used the vessel to import timber from North America to Europe. On the return voyages to the USA and Canada Jeanie Johnston carried passengers from Tralee.
During the 1840s and 1850s Ireland was devastated by famine and disease resulting in mass emigration, often under horrendous conditions aboard “coffin ships”. While large numbers of emigrants died on these coffin ships, the Jeanie Johnston never lost a soul, despite carrying an average of 200 people on voyages of approximately 47 days. In all Jeanie Johnston carried over 2,500 people on 16 voyages to North America.
In the late 1990s, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Famine, the people of Tralee undertook to build a replica of the Jeanie Johnston and sail her to North America as an envoy to the descendants of all the people who sailed there on famine ships and to remember those who did not survive the journey.
Onboard museum - open to the public
The onboard museum transports the visitor back 150 years to join the poverty stricken emigrants in their harsh world below deck. The original Jeanie Johnston was purchased in 1848 as a cargo ship by Tralee merchant Nicholas Donovan. As the devastation of the famine gripped Ireland, the owners began to carry the fleeing Irish emigrants.
Over the next seven years the ship made 16 voyages to America carrying over 2500 emigrants. Though the conditions were hard the Jeanie Johnston never became a ‘coffin ship’. In fact, it achieved the remarkable record of never having had a death on board. This is largely due to the care taken by owner, Nicholas Donovan, the ships captain, Castletownsend born James Attridge, and the very experienced Ship's Doctor, Dr Richard Blennerhassett.
About the Jeanie Johnston
The ship was designed by Fred M Walker, Chief Naval Architect with the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich who was the supervising architect for the recreation of the 18th century Captain Cook Endeavour II ship. The recreation project was modelled closely on the restoration of the 17th century Dutch East India ship, The Batavia, in Lelystad, Holland.
The recreation of the Jeanie Johnston was one of the most ambitious maritime heritage projects ever undertaken in Ireland. The ship is a replica of one of the last of the 19th century sailing ships, before the steam ship era dawned. The replica was built at Blennerville, near Tralee, County Kerry.
Building the remarkable wooden tall ship involved a massive and complex undertaking, which began with in-depth research in 1993 and culminated in the completion of the graceful, triple-masted vessel in 2002. As a seagoing vessel and to comply with current Irish and international maritime regulations, some concessions had to be made to modernity. The recreation, therefore, marries traditional materials and skills with features such as steel bulkheads and the necessary modern technology to sail the Atlantic safely.
Stella Maris icon
The icon of Our Lady Star of the Sea, or ‘Stella Maris’ in Latin, was commissioned by the Apostleship of the Sea and painted by renowned neo-Coptic iconographer Dr Stéphane René. Blessed by Cardinal Stephen Fumio Hamao in June 2005, it depicts the Virgin Mary as the guiding light to her son for all the people of the earth. The boat in the background is a symbol of the individual soul of the believer on the spiritual path. This boat of life can be navigated safely by turning to Christ as guided by Our Lady star of the Sea, the star of our life. The boat is also an image of the Church - navigating through time, through life and to the promised land.
Useful URL : http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk
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