Mair ad, winner of one gold medal and two silver medals at the recent Paralympic Games in Sydney, performed the naming at a special ceremony in Dublin Port on the 21st of March 2001, three weeks after the IR 80 million vessel arrived in Dublin from the shipyard in Finland where she has been under construction since 1999. Before the 800 guests, Mair ad said the words 'I name this vessel Ulysses. May God bless her and all who sail in her', prior to sending the traditional bottle of champagne crashing off the ship's hull. It will be a proud day for me and for my family'. Rothwell said 'we are delighted that Mair ad has agreed to be Godmother to Ulysses.
Mair ad is one of Ireland's most decorated sportswomen.
At the recent Paralympic Games in Sydney, she won her gold medal after slicing eight seconds off the 100 metres freestyle world record with a winning time of 2.43.67 seconds. Her two silver medals came in the 50 metres backstroke and freestyle events. In addition, she holds silver medals from two previous Paralympic Games in Atlanta and Barcelona as well as gold and silver medals won in World and European games. Mair ad, who has three brothers Eugene, David and Peter, lives with her father Eugene and mother Lil in the North Dublin suburb of Coolock. She began swimming at Dublin's Central Remedial Clinic as part of her physiotherapy for cerebral palsy when she was just two years old.