John Philip Holland
Inventor
Father of the Modern Submarine
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| John Philip Holland was born in Liscannor, County Clare, in 1841. He joined the Irish Christian Brothers and taught in schools around Ireland, including the North Monastery in Cork. In 1873 Holland left the Christian Brothers and went to America. After spending some time in Boston, he moved to Patterson, New Jersey, where he got a job as a teacher. |
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| Holland began experimenting on a new type of underwater vessel. After a few years he built a small submarine. He won a competition to build a small submarine for the U.S. Navy but the navy decided not to go ahead with it. |
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| Holland decided to build the Holland VI as a private project. This new submarine was so successful that the U.S. Navy bought it in 1900. They also ordered 5 more Holland submarines. The British and Japanese governments also ordered some. |
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| Holland is called the father of the modern submarine. He built a few more submarines himself and then retired to live a quiet life in East Orange, New Jersey where he died in 1914. |
Typing done by, Colm Ryan, Shaun Keane, Wayne O'Connel, Gordon O'Sullivan, Paul Murphy, Neil Murphy, Jonathan Dineen, Jack Desmond, Cillian Holland, James Kilgannon and Michael Finn.
Third Class, 2000-2001. |