Jeanie Johnston facts for kids
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|} The Jeanie Johnston is a famous ship! It's a copy, or "replica," of a real sailing ship from the 1800s. The original Jeanie Johnston was a three-masted barque, which means it had three tall poles (masts) with sails. It was built in Canada in 1847. Today, the replica ship helps people learn about history, especially about Irish people who moved to North America long ago. It also sails the seas and can be used for special events.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 Ireland |
|
| Name | Jeanie Johnston |
| Owner | Dublin Docklands Development Authority |
| Operator | Aiseanna Mara Teoranta |
| Port of registry | Tralee, County Kerry |
| Builder | The Jeanie Johnston (Ireland) Company Ltd., Blennerville, Tralee |
| Cost | €13.7m |
| Laid down | 1998 |
| Launched | 6 May 2000 |
| Sponsored by | President Mary McAleese |
| Christened | 7 May 2000 |
| Completed | 2002 |
| Maiden voyage | March 2003 |
| Identification |
|
| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Three-masted barque |
| Tonnage | 301 GT |
| Displacement | 518 t (510 long tons) |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 8 m (26 ft 3 in) |
| Height | 28 m (91 ft 10 in) air draft |
| Draft | 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Sail plan |
|
| Endurance |
|
| Crew | 40 (11 permanent and 29 voyage crew) |
The First Jeanie Johnston
The original Jeanie Johnston was bought by a company in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. It was a cargo vessel, meaning it carried goods. It sailed between Ireland and North America. It would take people from Ireland to North America and then bring wood back to Europe.
Journeys During the Famine
The Jeanie Johnston made its first trip from County Kerry to Quebec, Canada, on April 24, 1848. This was during the terrible time of the Great Famine in Ireland. Many people were leaving Ireland to find a better life.
Between 1848 and 1855, the Jeanie Johnston made 16 trips across the Atlantic Ocean. It sailed to Quebec, Baltimore, and New York. Each trip usually took about 47 days. The most passengers it ever carried was 254 people on one trip from Tralee to Quebec in 1852. The replica ship today can only carry 40 people, including the crew.
What makes the Jeanie Johnston special is that no one ever died on board during these long voyages. This was very unusual for ships carrying Irish immigrants at that time. Many other ships, sadly known as "coffin ships," had many deaths due to overcrowding and disease.
The captain, James Attridge, made sure the ship was not too crowded. Also, a qualified doctor, Richard Blennerhassett, was always on board to care for the passengers. These two things helped keep everyone safe.
In 1855, the ship was sold to a new owner in England. In 1858, while carrying wood to Quebec, it started to fill with water. The crew climbed onto the ship's ropes and masts. After nine days, they were rescued by a Dutch ship. Even when it sank, the Jeanie Johnston kept its perfect safety record.
Building the New Jeanie Johnston
The idea to build a copy of the Jeanie Johnston started in the late 1980s. The project officially began in 1995. Fred Walker, a top ship designer from England, created the plans for the new ship. The project was inspired by other famous ship reconstructions like the Batavia and the Matthew.
Construction and Design Details
A team of young people from different countries, including Ireland, the United States, and Canada, helped build the replica. They worked under the guidance of experienced shipbuilders. The project cost about 14 million Euro by the time it was finished in 2002. Many groups, including the Irish government and the European Union, helped pay for it. People also raised over 2 million Euro through donations.
The ship's main body, called the hull, was made from larch wood planks on strong oak frames. The decks were built with iroko and Douglas fir wood. The tall masts and spars (poles for sails) were also made from Douglas fir.
To meet modern safety rules, the new Jeanie Johnston has some modern features. It has two powerful diesel engines and generators. It also has a special bow thruster to help it move easily in tight spaces like rivers. The ship has strong steel walls inside to prevent water from spreading if there's a leak. It also has modern fire-fighting equipment.
A special wooden plaque on the ship lists many people who helped build it. The project also brought together young people from different backgrounds in Northern Ireland. This helped promote peace and understanding.
During construction, builders found that the ship might float too high in the water. To fix this, a heavy steel keel (a long piece along the bottom of the ship) was added under the original wooden one. This makes the Jeanie Johnston sit deeper in the water than the original ship. However, it also makes the ship very stable, even in rough seas. On its first trip to America in 2003, it sailed through a very strong storm and was perfectly fine.
Launching the Replica Ship
The plan was to launch the ship from its building site. But old shipwrecks were found in the riverbed. So, on April 19, 2000, the hull of the Jeanie Johnston was moved onto a special barge. Its masts and sails were added there. On May 4, it was taken to Fenit, a nearby port.
Finally, on May 6, the barge was lowered into the water, and the Jeanie Johnston floated for the very first time! The next day, the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, officially named the ship.
The Ship's Recent History
In 2003, the replica Jeanie Johnston sailed from Tralee to Canada and the United States. It visited 32 cities and welcomed over 100,000 visitors. In 2005, it took part in the Tall Ships Race.
The ship is currently owned by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. From 2006 to 2008, it was used for sail training and carried many passengers. It visited ports around Britain and Ireland and even sailed to Spain. It also offered day trips in Dublin Bay.
In 2009, there was a disagreement about who would operate the ship. The Irish Department of Defence was offered the ship for training, but they turned it down. They said it wasn't fast enough and needed too many crew members.
A new operator was found in 2010, and the ship now works as a museum. However, it needed a lot of repairs. In 2011, water damage was found, but repairs were delayed for three years because of a lack of money. As of 2015, more money was needed to make the ship ready for sailing and training again.
Running the ship as a tourist attraction costs about €240,000 each year. This includes money for repairs, maintenance, and marketing. In 2014, ticket sales from 20,000 visitors brought in €140,000.
Gallery
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Jeanie Johnston, moored off Custom House Quay, Dublin
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Jeanie Johnston in New York, 2003
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Jeanie Johnston below decks
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At the Jacques Cartier Pier in Montréal in September 2003
