There are 48 trainees on board in addition to the ship's 16-person crew.

The three-masted ship sailed from Cork and took anchor in the Blasket Sound.

Belem, a vessel highly valued for her contribution to nautical history, was granted the distinguished responsibility of transferring the Olympic Torch from Greece to France in April of last year.

Aymeric Gibet, the captain of the Belem, stated that sailing the famous ship in Irish waters and showing her beauty to the Irish people was an honour, while speaking off the shore of Dún Chaoin.

"Belem is a very unique vessel. There's a tonne of history. He stated, "She is the oldest three-mast ship in the world and the oldest ship in Europe that is still in service.

"French hearts hold a very particular place for the Belem. Because they are aware of the ship's widespread fame, they are quite proud of it."

Constructed in 1896, the three-masted barque spent many years in service as a commerce vessel.

Belem was primarily utilised to ship cocoa beans from Brazil across the Atlantic so that they could be processed into chocolate. She also transported sugar and rum loads from Antilles and Guyana.

After buying the Belem in 1914, the Duke of Westminster converted her into a leisure cruiser.

When the brewing family's Sir Arthur Ernest Guinness bought the ship in 1921, the Belem came into Irish hands.

After finishing her renovations and renaming her Fantôme II, he made a successful round of the globe in 1923–1924.

The ship served as a naval school for Italian merchant navy cadets and orphans of Italian navy officers following World War II.

Now the Belem's present owners, Caisse d'Épargne, gave her to a foundation so that it might be used as a public naval school.