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Belfast Telegraph
an hour ago
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
Wreck of Irish fishing vessel sunk by U-boat in World War II finally found off Donegal coast
Just over 85 years after the steam trawler Leukos went missing with 11 young fishermen on board, the wreck of the vessel has been located by diver and submariner John Kearney's commercial submersible in 105 metres of water. Mr Kearney, a former Naval Service diver, is now hoping to contact relatives of those who died in the attack – from Dublin, England and Scotland – with a view to laying a plaque on the wreck after further examination. Mystery has surrounded why the 216-tonne trawler was targeted by the German submarine U-38 (Heinrich Liebe), and whether it was trying to use its neutrality as an Irish-owned vessel to shield five British fishing vessels from enemy fire. Owned by the Dublin Steam Trawling Co Ltd, the Leukos had been working in Donegal Bay close to five vessels from Fleetwood, England, at the time. Video footage which Mr Kearney recorded from his submersible, Atlantic Explorer 2, shows that the bow of the vessel is missing – indicating that it may have been cut in two. The research website states that at 9.13pm on March 9, 1940, the neutral Leukos, under skipper James Potter Thomasson (28), was attacked without warning by submarine U-38 about 48km north-west of Tory. It says that the U-boat spotted six trawlers near Tory, and thought they were forming a patrol line. It says the U-boat had surfaced and fired a shot from its deck gun at the Leukos. The shot is said to have hit the trawler's engine room, and it sank. The U-boat waited one hour and then continued its patrol. On board with Mr Thomasson, who was from Dublin, were fireman Michael Cullen (17) from Ringsend, Dublin, mate William Donnelly (no age recorded) from Blackpool, England, apprentice James Hawkins (17) from Ringsend, Dublin, cook Patricio McCarthy (42) from Dublin and chief engineer Alexander McLeod from Stornoway, Scotland. Also on board were young deckhands Thomas Mulligan and Anthony Pill from Dublin, bosun PJ Scanlon from Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, second engineer Bernard Smith (23) from Marino, Dublin, and apprentice Robert Sumler (16) from Dublin. The Leukos was only reported missing on March 12, three days after the sinking, when it failed to return to Dublin. A lifeboat bearing the ship's logo was washed ashore near Scarinish on Tiree on the Scottish west coast on March 21, 1940. Mr Kearney, from Baltimore, Co Cork, has been involved in many search, rescue and recovery operations in Irish waters. Last year, he acquired the first of two commercial Dutch-built submersibles, as the craft offers a much larger window for working at depth than diving. There are many stories about what really happened, as some say that it was torpedoed The Atlantic Submersible 2, which he deployed off Donegal last week, can take three people to a depth of 300 metres for 18 hours. It is currently undertaking a number of searches around the coast for the non-profit company, Fastnet Maritime Heritage, he said. 'I had obtained the drawings of the Leukos, and knew the reported position where it was sunk 12 nautical miles north-west of Tory, so I would say that without doubt this is it. I picked a really calm day last week and began diving at 4am. I could see the rudder, the propeller, the engine space, but the wheelhouse had gone. 'A pod of dolphins met up with us and accompanied us on the dive and to the wreck and halfway back into Lough Swilly.' Mr Kearney says the Leukos hull requires further forensic examination, if funding is forthcoming. Seamus Bovaird, a director of the Inishowen Maritime Museum in Greencastle, Co Donegal, welcomed Mr Kearney's confirmation of the vessel's location, and said the Leukos had 'almost been forgotten about'. 'The crew who came from Ringsend and Dublin would be remembered in this area, and a wreath was laid for it at sea by a Greencastle vessel some years ago,' he said. 'There are many stories about what really happened, as some say that it was torpedoed and others say the U-boat started shelling the fleet, while there is another story that the Leukos tried to ram the submarine.' A total of 18 Irish vessels were sunk during the second world war, the first being the passenger ship Munster in Liverpool Bay in February 1940, a month before the Leukos. The late artist Kenneth King was commissioned by the Maritime Institute of Ireland to paint the Leukos as part of a series organised by the institute's president Des Branigan to commemorate the role of Irish seafarers during 'the Emergency'. Maritime historian Capt Frank Forde reported that 136 people died aboard the 16 ships lost and 14 fishermen died on two trawlers, including the Leukos.
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Listen and learn: Enterprise Ireland hits the road for Irish start-ups in ‘Founders Listening Tour'
Their experience, resilience, and ambition form the backbone of Ireland's innovation economy. That's why Enterprise Ireland is currently hosting a Founders Listening Tour – a nationwide initiative designed to connect directly with entrepreneurs in every region. The goal is simple; to listen, learn, and ensure the right supports are in place to help Irish start-ups thrive globally. Enterprise Ireland's purpose is to 'Accelerate Sustainable Irish Business', and its ambition is to support Irish-owned exporting companies to make an even greater contribution to the Irish economy through international growth and by creating thousands of jobs in towns and communities around the country. Enterprise Ireland's recently published new strategy, 'Delivering for Ireland, Leading Globally (2025-2029)', sets out our four strategic objectives for the Irish enterprise base; Start, Compete, Scale and Connect. Over the course of this five-year strategy, Enterprise Ireland will continue to enhance the pipeline of innovative and scalable start-ups and support their long-term, sustainable growth ambitions, with a goal of helping 1,000 new start-ups between now and 2029. Irish-owned companies supported by Enterprise Ireland are economic cornerstones in communities around the country, these businesses currently employ 234,454 people, and almost two-thirds of these roles are located outside of Dublin. The Founders Listening Tour takes in a number of locations around the country, and at these events we're hosting panel discussions and roundtable consultations with a cross-section of founders from companies of all sizes in multiple sectors. These conversations aim to identify challenges, evaluate existing supports and shape a stronger start-up ecosystem in this country. It kicked off in TU Dublin in early May, where companies from the capital got together to share thoughts on the entrepreneurship journey. Those presenting at the event included JustTip, a fully automated contactless tipping and gratuities system, and which has developed an artificial intelligence solution for market research companies. Since then, we've organised two more events. The first was held at Galway's Portershed, bringing together companies from the local innovation cluster. The panel featured local founders Emma Meehan of KinetikIQ (formerly Precision Sports Technology), which leverages AI to enhance training accuracy and reduce injury risk, and Brandon Blacoe of ByoWave, a company dedicated to making gaming more inclusive. Both speakers shared valuable insights and participated in one-on-one consultations. What we've learned from entrepreneurs so far is that funding and revenue generation continue to be key areas of focus Our most recent event took place at GreenTech HQ in Wexford, attracting participants from across the southeast region. The panel included Max Shannon from and Yvonne Jonson of Brand Builders. Upcoming events are slated for Axis BIC in Cork, AlphaInnovation in Donegal, and IMR Mullingar in Westmeath, with the series concluding at a stakeholder event in Dublin later this month. What we've learned from entrepreneurs so far is that funding and revenue generation continue to be key areas of focus for them, and they're always keen to have more ways to connect with investors and international customers. Along with getting the right contacts, it can also be a challenge for companies to know which support programmes and initiatives are right for them, and where to apply for them. Clarity and accessibility around these types of support is a critical priority for founders. Once complete, we intend to develop a roadmap of initiatives, focused on addressing the priorities shared by founders Founders are also keen to access mentorship opportunities with successful entrepreneurs, and to find the right talent and encourage people to join start-ups. Once complete, we intend to develop a roadmap of initiatives, focused on addressing the priorities shared by founders. By harnessing this real-world insight, we can better support our new startup strategy, through our network of 42 offices in Ireland and around the world. As the EU seeks to harmonise the European market as a great place to scale a business, we're also working with our colleagues in Brussels and elsewhere to ensure our programme of supports ties in with the European Start-Up and Scale-up Strategy. If you're an existing or aspiring founder with ideas for supports or other feedback to share, drop a line to StartupIreland@ or complete the Founders Listening Tour survey. Conor O'Donovan is Head of Start-ups and Entrepreneurship at Enterprise Ireland
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Enterprise Ireland names Jenny Melia as new chief executive
Enterprise Ireland has announced Jenny Melia as its new chief executive officer. Ms Melia, who has worked in the agency for 29 years, is currently an executive director of Enterprise Ireland, which includes the role of chief client officer. She will take up her new role as chief executive in July. Ms Melia will replace interim chief executive Kevin Sherry, who will return to his position as executive director in July. Ms Melia has worked with companies from all sectors, including food, industrial and technology, and has also worked with the High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) Division, and the research and innovation team. 'I am looking forward to working with Jenny and her leadership team, as this Government continues to focus on supporting Irish exporters and indigenous SMEs. Irish-owned enterprises are critical to our economy, and we are committed to supporting this sector to continue to be agile, and to grow and scale both domestically and in international markets," said Minister for Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment, Peter Burke. Enterprise Ireland chair Michael Carey said Ms Melia has worked extensively and directly with its client companies. "She was also centrally involved in the design and implementation of the organisation's new client operating model, and Enterprise Ireland's new strategy, 'Delivering for Ireland, Leading Globally (2025-2029)'. She will bring this vast experience and leadership to her new role, and we look forward to working with her to achieve our long-term ambition, that exporting Irish companies will become the primary driver of the Irish economy.' Employment at companies supported by Enterprise Ireland rose to a record 234,454 earlier this year, and the organisation's new strategy sets out a number of ambitious targets for the Irish enterprise base, including plans to increase exports to €50bn by 2029.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Enterprise Ireland names Jenny Melia as new CEO
Enterprise Ireland has appointed Jenny Melia as its new chief executive officer (designate). Ms Melia, who has worked in the state agency for 29 years, is currently an Executive Director of Enterprise Ireland, which includes the role of Chief Client Officer. She will take up her new role as CEO in July and will replace interim CEO Kevin Sherry. Ms Melia has held a number of senior leadership roles across the organisation throughout her career and has worked extensively with client companies of varying scales from all sectors, including food, industrial and technology, and has also worked with the High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) Division, and the Research and Innovation team. Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Minister Peter Burke said that Ms Melia is a dedicated public servant, who has spent much of her career supporting and fostering the development of the Irish enterprise base through her impressive tenure with Enterprise Ireland, which spans almost three decades. "I am looking forward to working with Jenny and her leadership team, as this Government continues to focus on supporting Irish exporters and indigenous SMEs," Mr Burke said. "Irish-owned enterprises are critical to our economy, and we are committed to supporting this sector to continue to be agile, and to grow and scale both domestically and in international markets," he added. Michael Carey, Chairman of Enterprise Ireland, said the new CEO has an outstanding track record of providing clear vision and strategic leadership within the organisation, has established deep relationships working collaboratively with key stakeholders from across the ecosystem, and has worked extensively and directly with our client companies. "Enterprise Ireland has successfully helped Irish enterprise to scale and grow enormously in recent years, with our client base now employing and exporting at record levels, and Jenny has played a pivotal role in this success," Mr Carey said. "She will bring this vast experience and leadership to her new role, and we look forward to working with her to achieve our long-term ambition, that exporting Irish companies will become the primary driver of the Irish economy," he added. Mr Carey also thanked Kevin Sherry for his leadership as interim CEO, adding that Kevin, who will return to his position as Executive Director in July, demonstrated an exceptional level of commitment as he filled this role in recent months. Employment at companies supported by Enterprise Ireland rose to a record 234,454 earlier this year, and the organisation's new strategy sets out a number of ambitious targets for the Irish enterprise base, including plans to increase exports to €50 billion by 2029.
RTÉ News
26-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Tourism may help support long-term economic growth
A new report shows that while export-driven economic growth in the first quarter of this year may not be sustainable, efforts to boost domestic tourism should help to sustain employment and support more balanced growth. But the latest SME Monitor from Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) also shows that cost pressures and price increases remain. Early estimates from the Central Statistics Office shows that Irish gross domestic product (GDP) is up 13.3% compared to the same time last year. BPFI said that most of this growth, however, was driven by multinational exports. It said that 99% of the increase of €34.3 billion in total exports was accounted for by exports of medical and pharmaceutical products, largely due to front loading - particularly to the US - by multinational firms reacting to tariff threats by the new US administration in early April. Today's survey also noted that employment reached historic highs by the end of 2024, with 2.8 million people in work, almost 400,000 more than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Irish-owned businesses accounted for nearly 75% of total employment and 66% of total earnings in the Irish economy, according to recent CSO data. Today's survey noted that in the hospitality sector, some 86% of employment is in Irish-owned enterprises. Ireland saw 6.6 million foreign resident visitors last year who spent an estimated €8.2 billion, including on travel fares, up 12% from 2023. BPFI said that while nearly 1.1 million foreign residents visited Ireland in the first quarter of 2025, that was down from 1.4 million visitors during the same time in 2024. "Given their importance to the economy, this trend in foreign visitors should be monitored closely, but domestic tourists also make a crucial contribution to the sector," Brian Hayes, the chief executive of BPFI, said. "Irish residents spent an estimated €3.6 billion on domestic travel in 2024, an increase of 15.3% year-on-year. More broadly, Irish consumers and businesses spent €12.3 billion in hospitality and tourist outlets in Ireland in the 12 months ending March 2025 according to BPFI analysis of payment card data from the Central Bank of Ireland," he said. 80% of tourism businesses expect stable or increased visitor numbers in 2025, according to Fáilte Ireland's latest Tourism Barometer. But Brian Hayes cautioned that cost pressures along with continued increases in prices could risk Ireland's affordability and competitiveness in the tourism sector in the future. "It is encouraging to see that with the publication of the new Tourism Policy Framework for the period to 2030, there are new efforts to boost business tourism and year-round domestic travel," he said. "Given that global trading conditions are likely to deteriorate, and Ireland's reliance on foreign direct investment, these efforts will be critical to ensuring that growth is more balanced and not overly reliant on unpredictable international trends," he added.
