LÉ Banba

Silhouette of LÉ Banba (CM11)
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Alverton
NamesakeAlverton
BuilderThornycroft
Launched24 March 1954
IdentificationM1104
FateSold to Ireland, February 1971
Ireland
NameBanba
NamesakeBanba
Acquired21 February 1971
Commissioned23 February 1971
Decommissioned1984
IdentificationCM11
FateSold to Spanish interests for breaking
General characteristics
Class & typeTon-class minesweeper
Displacement425 tonnes (max)
Length42.67 m (140.0 ft) overall
Beam8.4 m (28 ft)
Draught2.49 m (8 ft 2 in)
Speed15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) maximum
Complement30
Armament

Banba (CM11) was a Ton-class minesweeper in the Irish Naval Service (INS) and was one of three purchased by the Irish government to replace the three Flower Class Corvettes purchased in 1946. The other two were Grainne and Fola.

Banba was named after Banba, a legendary queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann and also a poetic name for Ireland. The ship was the former Royal Navy vessel HMS Alverton.