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PAST MASTER



CAPT. William Cummins
From our correspondent CAPT. John Molloy, William Street, Waterford, Ireland comes news of the death of CAPT. William Cummins, Viewmount Park, Waterford at the Waterford Regional Hospital.  As was NAUTICAL LOG he was a Deck Apprentice in Irish Shipping Ltd. joining the SS Irish Poplar in November 1956.  It turns out we had things in common, his first Master was CAPT. E.C.G. Horne and he was the Master when NAUTICAL LOG joined the SS Irish Elm in December 1953, and we both had an interest in the Law.


CAPT. Cummins after serving in ISL obtained his Master's Certificate of Competency and settled into the coastal passenger vessels between Ireland, and the United Kingdom.  He received a command in B+I Line and ended up commanding in turn all their vessels.  When B+I Line went the way of ISL he found his position with Irish Ferries which took on the inter-island passenger service. He went on there to command one of the largest, 34,00 tonnes, ferries in the world and the largest vessel to enter Rosslare Harbour, Co.Wexford to berth at the Ferry Terminal.


Like NAUTICAL LOG ,who was in the group of Deck Apprentices ahead of him in ISL, he was one of the unique group of Irishmen and later women who could serve under the Flag of their country.  All ISL ships flew the Tricolour and were registered in Irish Ports including our homeport of Waterford, Ireland.  As our generation passes there will soon be none of us left who had this experience due to the demise of the Irish Merchant Service.


Arrangements have been made for CAPT. Cummins and you are directed to the Waterford and National newspapers of Ireland for those details.  We express our deepest sympathy to the Cummins family.


Good Watch

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