The Egeria

The schooner Egeria was built in 1865.

Egeria was was one of the most successful racing yachts owned by John Mulholland, later 1st Baron Dunleath.

1st Baron Dunleath (Image: The Lord Dunleath)

Lord Dunleath was Vice-Commodore of the Royal St George Yacht Club from 1892 until 1895 (presumably the 3rd Marquess Conyngham was Commodore).

The 1st Baron, of BALLYWALTER PARK, owned Egeria for more than thirty years.

In 1865 he commissioned the 153-ton schooner Egeria from the top designer-builder of the time, Thomas Wanhill of Poole, Dorset.

At just under 100 feet in length, the handsome new vessel soon became known as 'the wonderful Egeria'.

2nd Baron Dunleath wearing his skipper cap
(Image: National Maritime Museum, Cornwall)

For more than a decade she was the winner par excellence, with more than sixty major trophies to her credit, while Lord Dunleath was so fond of Egeria that he kept her for many years after she had been out-classed as a racer.

Egeria was a nymph attributed a legendary role in the early history of Rome as a divine consort and counsellor of Numa Pompilius, the second Sabine king of Rome, to whom she imparted laws and rituals pertaining to ancient Roman religion.

First published in December, 2019.

MV Trasna

The 5th Duke of Westminster had a beautiful, classic, wooden motor yacht which was moored at His Grace's County Fermanagh seat, Ely Lodge.

Trasna, the finest vessel I have ever seen on Lough Erne, is 54 feet in length and holds sixteen passengers in comfort.

The yacht was designed for the 5th Duke by the firm G L Watson, and built by Bruce Cowley at Bangor Shipyard Company in Bangor, County Down.

Originally called Trasna of Ely, she was completed in 1968-9.

Trasna sports a splendid figurehead on her bow, a golden wheatsheaf or garb, part of the Grosvenor coat-of-arms.

Lough Erne’s most handsome motor yacht is clipper-style.

When the 6th Duke moved permanently to the family's Cheshire seat, Eaton Hall, Trasna was acquired briefly by the National Trust, when it was moored near the boat-house at Crom estate for several years during the late 1980s.

I sailed on her several times, under the captaincy of Robert Lowry, of Blessingbourne.

Trasna belonged to the Duke of Abercorn until recently, and has been based at Belle Isle estate, County Fermanagh.

First published in July, 2013.