The BRIDGET CARMEL

From what I can gather, the fishing vessel, the BRIDGET CARMEL was built in 1997 as the MARSDIEP, a name she sported until 2005 when she was sold to her current owner, Johnny Keating from Kilmore Quay, County Wexford, which was to became her homeport. 

She became well known nationally from, I think, 2010, as she was featured back then as part of RTE 1's Angelus broadcast, which is broadcast each evening before the Six One News, and filmed in Wicklow Bay with Johnny at the wheel! To this day, a crucifix cross is still visible in one of her wheelhouse windows!

She became a regular visitor to Wicklow Port from as far back as early 2010, right up to 2024, landing her catches at the East Pier. A beam trawler by design, she was equipped with a long arm or derrick on each side of the vessel, attached to a large fishing net on a beam. As she regularly fished in the mid-Irish Sea, Wicklow became her second 'home port', as it saved the vessel time and fuel steaming back down to Kilmore Quay.

I loved the stylish design of the BRIDGET CARMEL, so much so that I added her to the East Pier gallery in May 2010. Johnny and his crew were amazed by the work that I had put into the mural, and were delighted with the end result, which I keep well-maintained.

The vessel had a very remarkable narrow  escape in September 2011 when she was hit by a 234 metre-long crude oil tanker called the OCEAN LADY, while fishing off the Welsh coast. Fortunately, none of the 3 crew members were injured, and the tanker managed to avoid more serious damage and was able to resume her journey without any reports of pollution in the area. 

Under the escort of Holyhead lifeboat, the trawler was able to motor back towards the Irish coast, where she was joined by the Wicklow lifeboat, the R.N.L.B. ANNIE BLAKER for the remainderof the journey. The very capable crew members were aware that a collision had occurred, and their experience from constant training exercises enabled them to guide the BRIDGET CARMEL safely back to port and alongside the East Pier. The impact could have been a lot worse, with the vessel lucky not to have sustained greater damage.

In the words of Johnny Keating: "We were totally blessed.They could have been all goners! The whole side of the boat was under water and one of the fishing booms (arms) was badlly bent, damaging the wheelhouse during the incident." Johnny, a man of great faith, reckoned that their regular appearances on the Angelus stood to the crew of the trawler, skippered by Ballyhack native, Mickey Meyler, during the dramatic collision. He put it down to divine Intervention - hence, the crucifix remaining as a feature in the wheelhouse!

In October 2021, the BRIDGET CARMEL was involved in another incident when fishing some 30 miles south of Tuskar Rock, with 5 or 6 crew members on board. An electrical distribution box had gone up in flames and, following a mayday call being sent out, within minutes  other fishing boats, along with the survey vessel, the CELTIC EXPLORER, were on the scene. The situation was quickly brought under control, and with the fire out and all crew members unharmed, the BRIDGET CARMEL made its way safely back to her home port, with support from the Rosslare and Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboats.

For you all, here are the following pictures:

- The mural as completed in 2010.

- A picture of the oil tanker, OCEAN LADY, courtesy of Uwe Muller, Shipspottig.com.

- A photo of the BRIDGET CARMEL courtesy of Wicklow RNLI.

- A selphie of the BRIDGET CARMEL at dusk that shows off her fishing gear!