Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
We're down at the Lough Neagh, Lough Shore Gateway, Visitor Exhibition Centre on the shores of Lough Neagh, where the Six Mile Water river enters the lough, beside Antrim Castle park Gardens.
Sited beside the exhibition centre there's a facinating maritime restored relic from WW2. This vessel has very strong links to this part of Lough Neagh.
This is the MV Joyce a rare World War II torpedo recovery vessel.
The MVJoyce, designed by the Admiralty for the Royal Navy, operated on lough Neagh from 1943 as a recovery boat during test firing of torpedoes, before it was decommissioned and sold in 1960.
During the war a torpedo test platform was built on the lough. It still stands and can be seen offshore today. This old platform was used for testing the depth and directional accuracy of Mk VIII torpedoes, which were built at the nearby torpedo factory, at Randalstown Road in Antrim.
The 40 ft MV Joyce 40ft has remained in the same ownership and was used as a working boat in Weymouth England. However the ship came to the attention of a Newry man Gerry Brennan, Chairman of charity Silvery Light Sailing, who was alerted to its Lough Neagh connection by National Historic Ships. The Silver Lights charity is passionate about the restoration of old boats then set about making plans to refurbish the vessel and bring it back home.
Gerry explains:
"The Joyce was used during World War Two on Lough Neagh to retrieve torpedoes made and tested by the torpedo factory. It has come back to Lough Neagh as part of the Heritage Centre, showing the history and heritage of the Lough. We contacted Lough Neagh Partnership and Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council, who put it to Councillors who agreed that we secure it for inclusion as an exhibit in the Lough Neagh Heritage Centre".
Following refurbishment work by volunteers at Silvery Light’s Community Workshop at the Greenbank Industrial Estate in Newry, the Joyce finally arrived at Antrim Loughshore last Friday, 24 March 2023.
Local DUP Councillor Paul Dunlop BEM was present to welcome the Joyce home.
Cllr Dunlop said of the MV Joyce's return-
"I am delighted to see the Joyce back were it belongs on the lough! The boat played a significant part during WWII and it is part of the history of Lough Neagh. When it first came to light of its availability to return to our shores, it had the full support of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough councillors. The boat as an attraction, will now add to the experience and historical knowledge of all those visiting the Lough Park in Antrim"
Builder Percy M See
Built in 1943
Hull material Wood
Propulsion Motor
Number of engines 1
Primary engine type Inboard diesel
Dimensions
Length: Overall 40.00 feet (12.19m)
Breadth: Beam 9.50 feet (2.90m)
Depth 3.20 feet (0.98m)
Tonnage: Gross 10.00
History
JOYCE was designed by the Admiralty and built by Percy M See at Fareham during 1943-1944, as a vessel of timber carvel construction with a Gardner 6LW diesel engine. The vessel was designed and used as a recovery boat during test firing of torpedos.
After service in various bases including Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland, and Devonport, England, she was sold out of service in 1960 and bought by her present owners who have restored and maintained her in her original condition. She was under the same ownership for 60 years and operated as a working boat in Weymouth, Dorset.
JOYCE offered for disposal by her owners in October 2020.
March 2023: JOYCE has now returned to Loch Neagh near Belfast, where she served during WWII.
She was gifted by her previous owners to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council who are the new owners/custodians.
The move from her previous home in Weymouth to Northern Ireland was facilitated by Silver Light Sailing, whose volunteers refurbished the vessel ready for her move to Lough Neagh.
JOYCE is now a permanent floating exhibit on the water outside the Lough Neagh Heritage Centre. She is fully operational and now has a secure purpose-built pontoon/viewing platform open to the public, with exhibition panels telling her local wartime connection and history.
We're down at the Lough Neagh, Lough Shore Gateway, Visitor Exhibition Centre on the shores of Lough Neagh, where the Six Mile Water river enters the lough, beside Antrim Castle park Gardens.
Sited beside the exhibition centre there's a facinating maritime restored relic from WW2. This vessel has very strong links to this part of Lough Neagh.
This is the MV Joyce a rare World War II torpedo recovery vessel.
The MVJoyce, designed by the Admiralty for the Royal Navy, operated on lough Neagh from 1943 as a recovery boat during test firing of torpedoes, before it was decommissioned and sold in 1960.
During the war a torpedo test platform was built on the lough. It still stands and can be seen offshore today. This old platform was used for testing the depth and directional accuracy of Mk VIII torpedoes, which were built at the nearby torpedo factory, at Randalstown Road in Antrim.
The 40 ft MV Joyce 40ft has remained in the same ownership and was used as a working boat in Weymouth England. However the ship came to the attention of a Newry man Gerry Brennan, Chairman of charity Silvery Light Sailing, who was alerted to its Lough Neagh connection by National Historic Ships. The Silver Lights charity is passionate about the restoration of old boats then set about making plans to refurbish the vessel and bring it back home.
Gerry explains:
"The Joyce was used during World War Two on Lough Neagh to retrieve torpedoes made and tested by the torpedo factory. It has come back to Lough Neagh as part of the Heritage Centre, showing the history and heritage of the Lough. We contacted Lough Neagh Partnership and Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council, who put it to Councillors who agreed that we secure it for inclusion as an exhibit in the Lough Neagh Heritage Centre".
Following refurbishment work by volunteers at Silvery Light’s Community Workshop at the Greenbank Industrial Estate in Newry, the Joyce finally arrived at Antrim Loughshore last Friday, 24 March 2023.
Local DUP Councillor Paul Dunlop BEM was present to welcome the Joyce home.
Cllr Dunlop said of the MV Joyce's return-
"I am delighted to see the Joyce back were it belongs on the lough! The boat played a significant part during WWII and it is part of the history of Lough Neagh. When it first came to light of its availability to return to our shores, it had the full support of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough councillors. The boat as an attraction, will now add to the experience and historical knowledge of all those visiting the Lough Park in Antrim"
Builder Percy M See
Built in 1943
Hull material Wood
Propulsion Motor
Number of engines 1
Primary engine type Inboard diesel
Dimensions
Length: Overall 40.00 feet (12.19m)
Breadth: Beam 9.50 feet (2.90m)
Depth 3.20 feet (0.98m)
Tonnage: Gross 10.00
History
JOYCE was designed by the Admiralty and built by Percy M See at Fareham during 1943-1944, as a vessel of timber carvel construction with a Gardner 6LW diesel engine. The vessel was designed and used as a recovery boat during test firing of torpedos.
After service in various bases including Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland, and Devonport, England, she was sold out of service in 1960 and bought by her present owners who have restored and maintained her in her original condition. She was under the same ownership for 60 years and operated as a working boat in Weymouth, Dorset.
JOYCE offered for disposal by her owners in October 2020.
March 2023: JOYCE has now returned to Loch Neagh near Belfast, where she served during WWII.
She was gifted by her previous owners to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council who are the new owners/custodians.
The move from her previous home in Weymouth to Northern Ireland was facilitated by Silver Light Sailing, whose volunteers refurbished the vessel ready for her move to Lough Neagh.
JOYCE is now a permanent floating exhibit on the water outside the Lough Neagh Heritage Centre. She is fully operational and now has a secure purpose-built pontoon/viewing platform open to the public, with exhibition panels telling her local wartime connection and history.
