Asgard (yacht) facts for kids
Asgard at sea, near Dublin
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Quick facts for kids History |
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| Name | Asgard |
| Builder | Colin Archer |
| Laid down | April 1905 |
| Launched | August 1905 |
| Status | Preserved in Collins Barracks, Dublin |
| General characteristics | |
| Length | 15.5 m (51 ft) |
| Beam | 4 m (13 ft) |
| Sail plan | Gaff rigged |
Asgard is a famous 51-foot (16 m) sailing boat. She is a type of boat called a gaff-rigged yacht, which means she has a special kind of sail. Asgard was owned by Erskine Childers, a writer born in England who supported Irish independence, and his wife Molly Childers.
This yacht is most famous for her role in the Howth gun-running event in 1914. Asgard is sometimes confused with Dulcibella, a boat from Erskine Childers's well-known novel, The Riddle of the Sands. However, that book's boat was actually based on a smaller vessel named Vixen.
Contents
Building and First Journeys
Asgard was built in 1905 by Colin Archer, a very famous boat designer from Norway. The Childers bought her for £1,000, which would be a lot of money today. The inside of the boat was specially designed for Erskine and Molly.
Molly Childers had been in an accident as a child, which affected her movement. Even so, she often steered Asgard. She would be strapped to the deck with special harnesses to help her guide the boat through rough seas.
The Howth Gun-Running
Asgard made her most important trip in 1914. Erskine and Molly Childers, along with a small crew, sailed across the sea from Germany. Their boat was secretly filled with rifles. They brought these weapons into Howth harbour, just north of Dublin.
The rifles were meant for the Irish Volunteers. This group wanted to arm themselves because another group, the Ulster Volunteers, had also received weapons earlier that year. Today, there is a special plaque on the dock wall in Howth to remember this historic journey.
Later Years of Asgard
After the Easter Rising in 1916, Asgard was stored away in Northern Wales. She was sold in 1928. Many years later, in 1968, the Irish government created a group called Coiste an Asgard. They decided Asgard should be used to teach young people in Ireland how to sail.
From 1969 to 1974, Asgard was used for sail training cruises every year. This helped many young people learn important sailing skills.
Bringing Asgard Home
In 1961, a journalist named Liam MacGabhann found Asgard in the River Truro in Cornwall, England. The Irish Government bought the old boat and brought her back to Howth. On July 30, 1961, they even re-enacted the famous 1914 landing. Some of the original rifles and surviving members of the Irish Volunteers were there.
The Irish Navy used Asgard for sail training for a few years in the 1960s. Then, from 1969 to 1974, she was the national sail training vessel, led by Captain Erik Healy. After that, she was moved to Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin. She stayed there as a museum exhibit until 2001.
Restoring the Historic Yacht
In 2007, new work began to restore Asgard. The main goal was to save as much of the original wooden hull and metal parts as possible. Then, new materials were used to replace the parts that couldn't be saved.
A skilled ship builder named John Kearon led this project. They managed to keep over 70% of the original deck and hull. This was a huge effort to preserve the boat's history.
Asgard's New Home
Since August 2012, the fully restored Asgard has been on display. You can see her permanently at Collins Barracks in Dublin. The yacht and other items from her history are part of an exhibit called 'Asgard: The 1914 Howth Gun Running Vessel Conserved'.
Nessa Childers and Professor Rory Childers, who are the grandchildren of Erskine and Molly, were special guests at the opening. Arts Minister Jimmy Deenihan officially opened the exhibit.
See also
- Asgard II
