LÉ William Butler Yeats (P63) is a of the Irish Naval Service. Named after poet W. B. Yeats, the ship is the third in a series of vessels designed by Vard Marine and built by Babcock Marine Appledore.[1] [2] The ship was floated out of the shipyard in March 2016,[3] started trials in July 2016, and arrived at Haulbowline naval base in late July 2016.[4] The ship was formally commissioned in a ceremony in Galway on 17 October 2016. During the ceremony, it was officially named by a granddaughter of the poet, Caitriona Yeats.
In March 2020 the Naval Service provided the vessel to the HSE as a testing centre to be docked at Galway as part of Irish response to the coronavirus pandemic.[5]
In September 2023, LÉ William Butler Yeats was involved in the interception of MV Matthew, a bulk carrier, that was found to be carrying of cocaine, worth €173 million.[6]