With the bitingly cold wind against it, the Jeanie Johnston faced into its first transatlantic voyage yesterday with the kind of doughty, dogged courage which has kept the €15 million replica famine ship afloat over the past 10 years of debts, delays, and debacles.
The Army band of the Southern Command played the National Anthem, the LE Eithne stood at anchor to salute and accompany it, as with two cheeky sails unfurled and surrounded by a flotilla of boats, it headed out from the port of Fenit in Co Kerry towards the Blasket Sound, and then south for Tenerife.
From there it will pick up the trade winds for the crossing, and expects to make landfall on April 17th at West Palm Beach, Florida.
Its captain, Mr Tom McCarthy, a former captain of the Asgard, said he felt confident of fairer winds in four to five days.
After the ecumenical blessing, Bishop Michael Mayes and the Rev Robert Warren presented the Jeanie Johnston with a banner from the diocese of Limerick and Killaloe which is to be given to the Mayor of Quebec when the ship arrives there in the autumn.
Father George Hayes of the Diocese of Kerry and Father Denis O'Mahony, parish priest of Fenit, presented it with a candle to be lit in remembrance of Fenit during its seven-week journey.
On board are 14 sail trainees from communities North and South whose fees are sponsored by the International Fund for Ireland which has supported the ship since its construction.
Nine other fee-paying passengers, also sail trainees, are aboard the ship, along with professional crew.
Places on the ship - at a cost of €2,500 and €3,500 for the different legs - could have been sold many times over, Mr Denis Reen, chief executive, said.
The old Jeanie Johnston had exported people, but the new ship epitomised the hopes and aspirations of a new Ireland, Mr David Ervine, leader of the PUP and long-time friend of the project, said.
"I feel elated," he said yesterday.
The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, said the Ireland of 1847 of the original Jeanie was one ridden by disease, with the people on their knees from the death of O'Connell, but it was a tribute to their "magnificence of spirit" that they were not cowed.
The Jeanie was a symbol of peace at a time of war, the mayor of Tralee, Mr Johnny Wall, said.
"This is no ordinary ship. It is loaded with symbolism, a reminder of hope. . .and a reminder of what can be achieved by a man - Mr John Griffin, the originator of the project - when you follow your dream," he said to a round of applause for Mr Griffin.
Mr Dick Spring, the former Tánaiste, said he hoped the Jeanie Johnston would return as a sail training ship.
There were many who thought the day would never come.
It was three years since its original voyage deadline.
However a rescue plan put forward by Kerry Group, and supported by Shannon Development, the Department of the Marine, Kerry County Council and Tralee Town Council saved the ship last autumn.
Mr Hugh Friel, MD of Kerry Group, paid tribute to Mr Denis Brosnan, now chairman of the group, for "kickstarting " the reorganisation last July.