LÉ Fola (CM12) was a in the
Irish Naval ServiceThe Irish Naval Service is the navy of Ireland and is one of the three standing branches of the Irish Defence Forces...
(INS).
Launched in 1955 as
HMS Blaxton (M1131) for the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
(RN), the minesweeper was transferred fo the INS on 22 February 1971, and renamed after
FólaIn Irish mythology, Fódla , daughter of Ernmas of the Tuatha Dé Danann, was one of the tutelary goddesses of Ireland. Her husband was Mac Cecht....
, a legendary queen of the
Tuatha Dé DanannThe Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
and a poetic name for
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
.
The minehunter remained in service until 1987, when she was sold for
breakingShip breaking or ship demolition is a type of ship disposal involving the breaking up of ships for scrap recycling, with the hulls being discarded in ship graveyards. Most ships have a lifespan of a few decades before there is so much wear that refitting and repair becomes uneconomical. Ship...
.
HMS
Blaxton was handed over to the INS on 22 February 1971 and commissioned as
Fola by Lieutenant Commander Deasy at
GibraltarGibraltar is a self-governing British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe at the entrance of the Mediterranean overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory covers and shares a land border with Spain to the north...
the next day.
Following her commissioning,
Fola in company with
BanbaLÉ Banba was a in the Irish Naval Service . She was named after Banba, a legendary queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann and a poetic name for Ireland. The ship was the former ....
worked up in the Western Mediterranean so that they could complete Harbour Acceptance Trials and Sea Acceptance Trials.
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LÉ Fola (CM12) was a in the
Irish Naval ServiceThe Irish Naval Service is the navy of Ireland and is one of the three standing branches of the Irish Defence Forces...
(INS).
Launched in 1955 as
HMS Blaxton (M1131) for the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
(RN), the minesweeper was transferred fo the INS on 22 February 1971, and renamed after
FólaIn Irish mythology, Fódla , daughter of Ernmas of the Tuatha Dé Danann, was one of the tutelary goddesses of Ireland. Her husband was Mac Cecht....
, a legendary queen of the
Tuatha Dé DanannThe Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
and a poetic name for
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
.
The minehunter remained in service until 1987, when she was sold for
breakingShip breaking or ship demolition is a type of ship disposal involving the breaking up of ships for scrap recycling, with the hulls being discarded in ship graveyards. Most ships have a lifespan of a few decades before there is so much wear that refitting and repair becomes uneconomical. Ship...
.
Irish Naval Service
HMS
Blaxton was handed over to the INS on 22 February 1971 and commissioned as
Fola by Lieutenant Commander Deasy at
GibraltarGibraltar is a self-governing British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe at the entrance of the Mediterranean overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory covers and shares a land border with Spain to the north...
the next day.
Following her commissioning,
Fola in company with
BanbaLÉ Banba was a in the Irish Naval Service . She was named after Banba, a legendary queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann and a poetic name for Ireland. The ship was the former ....
worked up in the Western Mediterranean so that they could complete Harbour Acceptance Trials and Sea Acceptance Trials. On 20 March both ships left the Mediterranean for home, however on the way a storm blew up forcing them to take refuge in
LisbonLisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal. It is also the seat of the district of Lisbon and the main city of the Lisbon region...
. The two newest additions to the Navy finally arrived on 29 March 1971.
Decommissioning and fate
In 1987,
Fola was decommissioned and sold to Spanish interests for breaking.