The Last of the Sailing Cutters

A visit to the north-west of County Clare allows one to look further into Walter Hunkin’s narrative. As one might expect of a former ship’s captain, […]

The Priest’s displeasure During my long sojourn in Ireland and, living among a people whose lives to a very great extent were adjusted to the influence […]

1916 -The Easter Rebellion As the war dragged on, and England straining every nerve, using up men and material, the Sinn Feiners and the Irish Republican […]

Home Rule At this time Mr Asquith, being the Prime Minister of the Liberal Government, had introduced the Home Rule Bill for Ireland. Soon after the […]

Stations At this time the personnel of the coastguard service were being reduced, some stations closed and the divisions rearranged, with more stations to each division. […]

My New Appointment In connection with my new appointment, information had reached me that in this case – not always so – free quarters were provided […]

When Walter Hunkin came ashore in 1907. He was 45 and had been at sea since he was 16. His new post was to look after […]

In 1902 Walter returned to the Kingstown District on the east coast of Ireland, leaving sailing cruisers and taking up his last command at sea aboard […]

After a winter of relative idleness, Walter returned to the Victoria, a first class sailing cutter of 131 tons, and to the North sea Hull station. […]

In 1900 Walter returned to the Fly, a third class sailing cruiser of 60 tons, which he had first met nearly 20 years earlier, moving from […]

In 1897, Walter was given his first command: the Flora, a third class cutter of 60 tons, patrolling the familiar Irish east coast waters of the […]

Walter was promoted to Senior Mate in 1895 and joined the Seamew, a 376 ton steam tender based in the Harwich District which covered the stretch […]