Local Shipwrecks

1675 . His majesty’s yacht is wrecked off Skerries, and many lives are lost, including the Earl of Meath and Lord Brabazon, his son.

1756 . The Savage of Portaferry is wrecked at Skerries on 12th February.

1831 . Jane of Yarmouth in England, is shipwrecked on Shenick Island on 21st January.

1873 . The loss of a coastguard ship, The Sarah Runcorn is recorded.

1875 . The Belle Hill was wrecked off Balbriggan with a great loss of life. It happened on 26th February 1875. The coastguard at Balbriggan attempted to connect a rocket apparatus from the shore to the Belle Hill. Unfortunately, the rescue line continually snagged on the rocks. The Skerries Lifeboat, Laura Platt, was sent for. The Lifeboat was drawn by horses to Balbriggan to Kings Lane but not able to negotiate the low railway bridge and was not able to launch at all.  James McDonnell, the only survivor, recovered in the local hotel and later gave evidence at an inquest. The rest of the crew of fifteen perished.

1916 . Nov. 17th? . The Village Belle is wrecked off Skerries.  The ‘Village Belle’ Dublin Schooner – en route Glasgow to Howth, anchored in Skerries Bay 7th November 1916. The vessel was driven ashore in a gale and four crew were rescued by Skerries Lifeboat.

[www.irishwrecks.com and the Shipwreck Inventory of Ireland – Karl Brady, 2008]

Weekly Irish Times article 25th November  1916:

1916 . 25th November.  The ‘Baltic’ SV. Schooner was wrecked off Fanad Head, Donegal with a cargo of Kelp en route to Clyde.

[www.irishwrecks.com and the Shipwreck Inventory of Ireland, – Karl Brady, 2008]