Noemijulia was a 2,489 GRT cargo ship built in 1895 as Barlby by Sir R Ropner & Sons Ltd, Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England, for their own use.

Questions about the manner of her operation were raised in the British Parliament in 1935, and she was attacked by Spanish Nationalist aircraft in 1937 off Cape de Creus.

Noemijulia, originally named Barlby, was built in 1895 by Ropner & Son Ltd, Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham.

[7] In 1935, management passed to S Catsell Ltd.[4] In July 1935, questions were asked in Parliament by Vice-Admiral Campbell as to the number of British subjects working on board Noemijulia and their rates of pay.

George Oliver asked whether the Board of Trade was aware that Noemijulia's radio installation was defective, and what measures were being taken to correct this.

Leslie Burgin replied that the Board was aware, and had requested that the ship be detained should she visit certain countries which had adopted the 1929 Safety Convention, but so far she had not docked at any port belonging to one of the signatories.

[14] On 23 August 1937, Noemijulia was on a voyage from Marseilles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France to Barcelona, Spain when she was bombed by two Spanish Nationalist aircraft, coded ME 528 and ME 529, some 15 nautical miles (28 km) off Cape de Creus (42°07′N 3°32′E / 42.117°N 3.533°E / 42.117; 3.533).

Both bombs missed, and Noemijulia proceeded to Port-Vendres, Pyrénées-Orientales, France,[15] escorted by the Saphir-class submarine Diamant, which had answered her SOS.

[23] Noemijulia was a member of Convoy HG 32, which departed from Gibraltar on 31 May 1940 and arrived at Liverpool, Lancashire on 10 June.

In reply, Minister for Supplies Seán Lemass stated that he would not answer specific questions such as those posed, but that the purchase price of the ship took into account her condition and the cost of the necessary repairs.

[27] Irish Hazel was requisitioned by the MoWT on 17 November 1943 whilst under repair at Newport, Monmouthshire and renamed Empire Don.

[1] The requisitioning was partly offset by the granting of a warrant that allowed Irish Shipping Ltd to operate the Italian steamer Caterina Gerolimich.

Empire Don was a member of Convoy EN 423, which departed from Methil, Fife on 17 August 1944 and arrived at Loch Ewe three days later.

She was operated under the management of the Wexford Steamship Co Ltd.[4] Irish Hazel was sold on 17 May 1949 to Turk Silepcilik Limitet Sirketi, Istanbul, Turkey and renamed Uman.

[4][5] She served until 6 January 1960, when she ran aground in the Black Sea at Kefken Point, Turkey whilst on a voyage from Zonguldak to Istanbul.