In Irish Passenger Steamship Services Volume 2: South of Ireland (David & Charles, Newton Abbot 1971), D B McNeill writes:
In the autumn of 1964 the Ormonde Hotel at Nenagh took delivery of the Hilda from Holland. She is a modern canal cruising launch with central heating and a transparent roof. She is used for local trips on Lough Derg.
She is described as a single-screw motor vessel with a diesel engine but no further details are given. I would welcome more information about the Hilda; a photo would be very nice.
Irish waterways history 
Brian, I have seen a picture of her probably from Brendan Treacy’s archive.
I seem to remember being told Michael Gilmartin was the one who brought her onto the lake from Amsterdam. Did the same boat end up in Blessington ?
Thanks, Mark. I’m afraid I have no more information. Who is Michaael Gilmartin? bjg
Michael was an auctioneer / estate agent in Nenagh but I think owned the Ormonde Hotel at one stage. Brendan Treacy has a fantastic collection of old photos taken in and around Nenagh which includes many scenes of Lough Derg and various boats that visited Dromineer
Great; thanks. If you’re ever in touch with Brendan, would you mind asking him?
You should write a book about post-1960 boating on Irish inland waterways.
bjg
The MV Ormond was purchased in Amsterdam in 1964 by Denis Gilmartin, owner of the Ormond Hotel in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. Denis was accompanied on that trip to Amsterdam by local solicitor Michael O’Meara. The vessel was used to entertain guests staying and the Ormond Hotel and in promoting tourism around Lough Derg in the 1960s’. Home port for MV Ormond was Garrykennedy on Lough Derg. The MV Ormond was sold to Company in Cork that deployed it for cruises on the river lee. I have photo of the MV Ormond docked at Garrykennedy Harbour circa 1968 which I will send you.
Excellent; thank you very much. bjg
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