LÉ Fola

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Blaxton
Namesake	Village of Blaxton, Doncaster
Launched	21 June 1955
Fate	Transferred to Irish Naval Service
Republic of Ireland
Name	LÉ Fola
Namesake	Fóla, a legendary queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann
Acquired	22 February 1971
Commissioned	23 February 1971
Decommissioned	1987
Identification	CM12
General characteristics
Class and type	Template:Sclass2-
Displacement	360 tonnes
Length	42.67 m (140.0 ft) overall
Beam	8.4 m (28 ft)
Draught	2.49 m (8 ft 2 in)
Speed	28 km/h (15 kn) maximum
Complement	30
Armament	2 × 40 mm/60 Bofors 2 × 20 mm Oerlikon AA

LÉ Fola (CM12) was a Template:Sclass2- of the Irish Naval Service.

Launched in 1955 as HMS Blaxton (M1131) for the Royal Navy (RN), the minesweeper was transferred to the Irish Naval Service on 22 February 1971, and renamed after Fóla, a legendary queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann and a poetic name for Ireland.

The minehunter remained in service until 1987, when she was sold for breaking. Blaxton was launched on 21 June 1955.

Irish Naval Service

HMS Blaxton was handed over to the Irish Naval Service on 22 February 1971 and commissioned as Fola by Lieutenant Commander Deasy at Gibraltar the next day.

Following her commissioning, Fola in company with Banba worked up in the Western Mediterranean so that they could complete Harbour Acceptance Trials and Sea Acceptance Trials. On 20 March both ships left the Mediterranean for home, however on the way a storm blew up forcing them to take refuge in Lisbon. The two newest additions to the Navy finally arrived on 29 March 1971.

Decommissioning and fate

In 1987, Fola was decommissioned and sold to Spanish interests for breaking.