The Eagle has landed: America’s Tall Ship visits Dublin

Originally operated by Nazi Germany, the ship was taken as a war prize after WWII

US Coast Guard sailing ship Eagle known as “America’s Tall Ship” has arrived in Dublin. The vessel provides training for 150 cadets of the U.S. Coast Guard. The Eagle will be docked at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay until May 31st. Video: Bryan O'Brien

A US Coast Guard sailing ship called Eagle, known as “America’s Tall Ship” has docked in Dublin.

The vessel is the only military sailing vessel that that the US has and provides training for 150 cadets, with a maximum capacity of 233 people.

The ship was built at the Blohm and Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany in 1936, and commissioned as the Horst Wessel.

It was originally operated by Nazi Germany to train cadets for the navy, but the ship was taken by the US as a war prize after the second world war.

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In 1946, a US Coast Guard crew - aided by the German crew still on board - sailed the tall ship from Bremerhaven to its new homeport in New London, Connecticut, which has been its homeport ever since.

This is the crew’s fifth visit to Dublin and after three weeks at sea, Cpt Matt Meilstrup says they are looking forward to being on dry land for a while. The Eagle will be docked at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay until May 31st.