GB-NI04 – William Ritchie

Stitcher: Susan Hood (Balerno).

Scots played a central role in shipbuilding in Ireland. One of the most significant was William Ritchie: an entrepreneurial native of Saltcoats, Ayrshire. He travelled to Belfast in March 1791. He spotted the opportunity to develop shipbuilding there. Returning with skilled tradesmen in July, he established a yard which quickly prospered over the next two decades. By 1792 he had launched his first ship, the Hibernia, and over the next twenty years would build a further thirty-two craft, ranging in size from fifty to four hundred and fifty tons. Ritchie’s success encouraged others and laid the foundation for Belfast’s global leadership in shipbuilding later in the nineteenth century.

GBN04 Uilleam MacRisnidh
Bha àite cudromach aig na h-Albannaich ann an togail shoithichean ann an Èirinn. B’ e Uilleam MacRisnidh aon den fheadhainn a bu chudromaiche: neach-tionnsgain dùthchasach do Bhaile an t-Salainn ann an Siorrachd Àir. Shiubhail e gu Béal Feirste sa Mhàrt 1791. Mhothaich e do chothrom air gnìomhachas togail shoithichean a leasachadh an sin. A’ tilleadh san Iuchair le luchd-ceàird sgileil, stèidhich e gàrradhiarainn a shoirbhich glè luath thar an ath fhichead bliadhna. Bha e air a’ chiad shoitheach aige a chur air bhog ro 1792, an Hibernia, agus thar an ath fhichead bliadhna thogadh e trithead ‘s a dhà soitheach eile, a’ rangachadh ann am meud bho leth-cheud gu ceithir cheud gu leth tonna. Bhrosnaich soirbheachadh MhicRisnidh daoine eile agus chuir e sìos a’ bhunait airson ceannardas cruinneil Bhéal Feirste ann an togail shoithichean às dèidh sin san naoidheamh linn deug.