Irish Naval Service as a permanent component of the Irish Defence Forces. The Naval Service purchased three s from the United Kingdom in 1946 and 1947. The tradition of naming Irish Naval Ships after figures in Celtic Mythology began, and the ships were named , and . These three ships were to become a key part of the Naval Service in the 1950s and 1960s. The first formal training of Irish naval cadets took place at the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, UK in 1947. In 1970, "Cliona" and "Macha" were withdrawn from service and scrapped, leaving "Maev" as the sole ship in
Simon Williams (Royal Navy officer) Simon Williams (Royal Navy officer) Rear Admiral Simon Paul Williams, is a senior Royal Navy officer who served as Naval Secretary, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Personnel) and Flag Officer (Maritime Reserves) from March 2015 to June 2018. Educated at Kingsbridge School, the City University London and the Britannia Royal Naval College, Williams joined the Royal Navy in 1978. After taking charge of the minesweeper , he became Commanding Officer of the frigate in 2001 and of the frigate in 2005. He became Director of Naval Personnel Strategy at the Ministry of Defence in 2008, Commodore of the Britannia Royal