The Jeanie Johnston famine replica ship in Dublin's north docklands, which was bought by the DDDA in 2005 for around €2.5m

Aiseanna Mara, which trades as Sail West, beat off competition from three other bidders to secure the right to operate and maintain famine replica ship the Jeanie Johnston. The Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) said last week that the ship would remain at its berth on Dublin's north quays and will be open for tours which will commence at the €50m chq retail centre, which is in danger of closure. More tenants in the centre have closed in recent weeks.

The DDDA bought the ship in 2005 for about €2.5m but by April of this year was still unsure what to do with the vessel. A proposal that it be loaned free of charge to the Department of Defence, to replace the Asgard II as a training vessel, was turned down by the department.

Aiseanna Mara was already familiar with the ship as it was previously appointed by the DDDA to "carry out essential maintenance" to the vessel. Details of the costs of those works have not been made public.