Chilean sailors pay tribute to Irish heroes

LYNCH, O'Brien, O'Higgins beware. Wander down Dublin south docks direction with a surname like that and some 300 Chilean naval officers and cadets may fall at your feet.

They have music, food, fine Chilean wines, and the crew of the tall ship, Esmeralda, are determined to spend their time in Dublin port paying tribute to their Irish heroes not only O'Higgins, father of Chilean independence, but also Capt George O'Brien, Carlos Condell and Patricio Lynch.

Such is the repcetion of O'Brien, who was the first Chilean naval officer to die in action, that his name is on the bow of a submarine. As for Patricio Lynch, cited in Encyclopaedia Britannica as the "foremost Chilean naval hero", he has given his name to a Chilean frigate.

Any crew of Irish descent? the brigantine's captain was asked when the vessel arrived? "No, but we do have an American and he is a Catholic. Would that do?"

With 27 sails, the four masted brigantine is the sixth Esmeralda in the Chilean navy, and the first such vessel to berth in Dublin port. Following Chile's revolt against Spanish rule in 1817, inspired by the small, red haired son of an Irish diplomat, Capt George O'Brien was recruited for the new national fleet and died while trying to capture an Esmeralda under the flag of Spain.

Another Irishman, Carlos, Condell, served on the second ship when it repatriated O'Higgins's remains from Peru.

Now also a "floating embassy", the Esmeralda on a seven month voyage from its home port of Valparaiso. Since it left on May 19th, it has sailed up through the Panama Canal, to Maryland and Quebec, and across the Atlantic, with Dublin as its first European port of call.

It sails for Edinburgh on Saturday and on to Germany, France and Spain before heading for the Canaries and rounding Cape Horn en route home.

The captain, who professed to feeling very at home~ - "We have sheep, like you, and rain" - has extended a general welcome to the public. The gangway can be crossed today and tomorrow from 10.30 u.m. to 7 p.m. No lottery tickets, ferry transport or Stars and Stripes required.