Home from the sea...

The longest serving member in the history of the Irish Defence Forces, Lieutenant-Commander Tom Costello, retired from the Naval Service at the weekend. A native of Dunsany, he served 49 years, six months and 15 days in the Permanent Defence Forces and his last day in uniform was marked by a special parade and review at the Naval Base at Haulbowline in Cork last Friday. Lt-Cdr Costello enlisted into the Defence Forces on 25th June 1959 as an apprentice in the Army Apprentice School in Naas. He subsequently joined the Naval Service on 13th July 1962 as an engine room artificer (ERA), serving on board the service"s corvettes. He has served on board every commissioned State ship since that time. As a Chief Petty Officer ERA, he stood by the building, ship trials and commissioning of the LE Emer and was the first Chief ERA to be posted to that ship. Lt-Cdr Costello was commissioned on 18th December 1981 as a naval ensign. He was promoted to his present rank on 17th December 1993 and has served as marine engineer officer aboard the LE Deirdre and every naval ship in the current fleet. The Dunsany man, son of the late Dan and Elizabeth Costello, has served his country from the age of 15. He has seen the Naval Service transition from ex-World War II steam-driven corvettes to the fully automated, high efficiency diesel-driven patrol vessels represented by the P50 ship class of today"s Naval Service. The father-of-three, who lives in Cobh, formally retired from the Naval Service on age grounds after serving in the Defence Forces for more than half of the entire existence of the State. He said that while he is looking forward to retirement, he will be nostalgic for both the Navy and his shipmates. 'I will miss the lifestyle but I think, most of all, I will miss the friends I"ve made here over the years. They are the best friends and colleagues anyone could ever ask for,' he said at the weekend.