Lebanese Mayor’s Visit To Cobh & Haulbowline

His Excellency the Mayor of Tibnin, Nabil Fawaz and his wife Carmen together with the Chairman of the Irish Lebanese Cultural Foundation, Mr.Guy Jones and his wife Christine, were invited by Cobh Town Council to attend the RMS Titanic 100 commemoration in Cobh on Wednesday 11th. April 2012. They took their places on the podium alongside Uachtarán na hÉireann, Micheál D Ó hUiginn,and other dignitaries. Among the many events organised for the occasion was the ‘Fleet Review ‘, which was conducted by Uachtarán na hÉireann. Mayor Nabil Fawaz was very impressed with this and later on when speaking  to a member of Cobh branch ONE he expressed a wish to visit the Irish Naval Base at Haulbowline. The Naval Authorities were contacted by the Cobh branch and permission was kindly granted by the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service for a visit by Mayor Nabil Fawaz on the following day Thursday April 12th.

The Mayor, accompanied by the following members of the Cobh branch, President,Jim Roche; Treasurer, Tim Mc Sweeney; ONE National President, Peter Byrne and ONE Director, Domhnall Mac Cárthaigh FS; early on the morning of the 12th  boarded the D.O.D. launch MV David F, for Haulbowline. They were welcomed on board the by their Naval guide, L/S Valerie Mc Carthy and then taken on a tour of the harbour before disembarking at the Naval Dockyard on Haulbowline. Here they boarded the L.E.Emer, being welcomed by the Executive Officer, Lt. Dermot Ó Donovan who took them on a tour of the ship. Mayor Nabil Fawaz was delighted to see a number of plaques on display below decks, which had been presented to the ship’s Captain and Crew on the occasion of visits to Lebanon. The group were then met and welcomed by the Captain of L.E.Emer, Lt./Cdr. Orla Gallagher, before proceeding to the Naval Depot for a generous meal, following which a presentation of a Celtic Crystal piece to mark the occasion, was made to the Mayor, on behalf of the Cobh branch, by its President, Jim Roche. A present was also given to the Mayor for his lady wife Carmen, by Cobh branch Treasurer, Tim Mc Sweeney.

Naval guide, L/S. Valerie Mc Carthy, then escorted the Mayor and party on a comprehensive and very enjoyable tour of the Naval Base and Depot ,pointing out the many historical and interesting features, before embarking on the D.O.D. launch MV David F for Cobh in the mid afternoon.

His Excellency the Mayor of Tibnin, Nabil Fawaz, thanked L/S. Valerie Mc Carthy for a wonderful tour and he thanked the members of Cobh Branch ONE for arranging the visit to the Naval Base which was, he said, a most enjoyable one. He was delighted, he said, to have received an invitation from Cobh Council to the RMS Titanic 100 commemoration event. Of the 157 Lebanese passengers who boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg, 12 were from Tibnin in South Lebanon and of the 128 Lebanese who perished, 6 were from Tibnin, so it was important, he felt, for him to be in Cobh for the occasion and represent those Lebanese who were lost in the disaster and also their relatives.

Domhnall Mac Cárthaigh FS.
( P.R.O. Southern Area Council of O.N.E. )