Haulbowline (Irish: Inis Sionnach) is the name of an island in Cork Harbour off the coast of Ireland.

History

At a strategic and deepwater position in the harbour, the island has long been a military base. The island was first fortified in 1602, and initially an important base for the British Army. Later, the British Army moved to nearby Spike Island, and the fortifications were handed over to the Royal Navy. The Navy established a large arsenal on the island, and a naval dockyard was built during the Napoleonic Wars.

Unlike the other fortifications in Cork Harbour, which formed part of the treaty ports, the dockyard was handed over to the Irish Free State in 1923.

Haulbowline Island now houses the headquarters of the Irish Navy.

Irish Steel was previously based on the island; however, the plant closed in 2002. Much radioactive contamination remained in the soil after the steel making process was terminated. In July 2006, it was announced that the former site of Irish Steel would be developed with apartments, offices, a hotel and a marina planned for the site http://www.entemp.ie/press/2006/20060728.htm. The site is also contaminated with Chromium 6 ^[1].

On 11 March 2008, one of the historic 19th century storehouses on Haulbowline Island was destroyed by fire^[2].

Etymology

The island's name may derive from Old Norse ál-boling or similar = "eel dwelling" ("area where there are conger eels"). The 17th and 18th-century spellings end in "-ing"; there may have been nautical influence on the spelling later.

Another explanation for the origins of the name is from a nautical expression "Haul the Bow Line". As ships entered shallow waters, or were due to cross a shallow bank, in the early days, a crewman would stand at the bow of the ship with a line for depth sounding. This would typlically be a light rope with a lead weight attached. The bottom of the weight would, sometimes, have a recess which may have been filled with tallow or grease. This was to cause a sample of the material on the bottom to adhere to the weight, to be retrieved so the type of sea bed could be identified. The line was generally marked with knots and tags of different material; leather, canvas, string etc, to allow the various depths to be identified in the dark.

It is suggested that the depth sounding, on approaching the up-river passage to Cork port, would have commenced at what is now known as Haulbowline.

References

1. ↑ Irish Independent
2. ↑ RTE News Report on fire