Home Page

ARMENIAN

JOHN SCOTT

BOLIVAR

The M.V. BOLIVAR was a Norwegian motor vessel built by Akers for the Fred Olsen Line, she grossed 5,320 tons and measured 445 x 57 x 24ft. She was on her maiden voyage which took her to South America and on to Dublin via Liverpool when she struck the Kish Bank during a severe snowstorm in March 1947. The crew and 45 passengers were rescuded by the Dun Laoghaire lifeboat and the tug Collimore also assisted. The engine room was salvaged and in May 1948 the wreck was dispersed with explosives as she was causing an obstruction to shipping.

VANGUARD

The H.M.S. VANGUARD was built in 1870 by Cammel Laird, Birkenhead for the Royal Navy, she grossed 6,034 tons, measured 280 x 54 x 16ft and was powered by sail and steam driven double bladed twin screws. The hull was iron on 8 inch teak planking, her armament consisted of 10 x 9inch guns and 4 x 6inch MLR guns. On 1st September 1875 the reserve squadron of the Channel Fleet consisting of five ironclads and the yacht Hawke left Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) for Cork. The warships were Warrior, Achilles, Hector, Iron Duke and Vanguard. The fleet encountered mist off Wicklow and slowed, the Vanguard turned to avoid the next ship ahead exposing her broadside and was rammed four feet below her armour belt by the Iron Duke. She sank within the hour, all the crew of 450 were rescued.

ANNA TOOP

The coaster ANNA TROOP was built at Troon in 1893 and registered at Cardiff at the time of loss, she grossed 440 tons and measured 120ft. She carried a cargo of steel plates from Port Talbot bound for Derry when she grounded on the bank South East of Arklow on the 21st January 1958. She managed to sail off the bank on the 22th but filled with water and sank close to the Arklow No. 4 buoy. The crew of ten were rescued by the Arklow Lifeboat. During the summer of 1958 while divers were salvaging the steel from the wreck they reported a WW1 German submarine lying on the seabed close to the wreck.

LILY

The LILY of Wexford was en route from Barrow to Cardiff in January 1872 with 180 tons of pig iron when she struck the extreme North end of the Kish Bank. The weather was very heavy at the time and a strong WSW wind was blowing. It was reckoned that her compass had been disturbed by her cargo and this led to her being off course. The master James Scallan and a crew of six took to the lifeboat and pulled for the Kish Light vessel.

HOLYHEAD

The HOLYHEAD was a 2 screw 840 ton cattle ship owned by the London & North Western Railway Co. She was en route from Dublin to Holyhead at the end of October 1885 with 27 crew, 4 passengers and a full cargo of cattle when she struck and sank the German barque "Alhambra". The Alhambra was en route from Liverpool to New York with 700 tons of coal as ballast. The collision occurred within 25 miles of the South Stack lighthouse. The mate of the Alhambra mistook the Holyhead's mast light for a fixed light and veered away, the Holyhead struck the Alhambra amidships and the Alhambra sank within five minutes. Captain Hicks of the Holyhead ordered the boats to be lowered for their own safety and to help the crew of the stricken ship, two boats picked up the Alhambra's survivors bar Captain Seivitty, his daughter and eleven crew were lost. The other two boats took Captain Hicks and all but two of the Holyhead's crew who were lost. The Holyhead in turn sank 20 minutes later.

IRWELL

The IRWELL was a 1000 ton bucket dreger and whilst on tow from Liverpool to the Shannon estuary on 28/10/1989 she overturned during a gale seven miles south of Tramore. The bucket chain protruded sixty feet below the upturned vessel and prevented her from being righted. For five days the tugs Lady Alma and Brandon towed the dredger towards the Arklow bank where it was hoped to right the Irwell on the bank. After snagging a French trawler the tow parted and a decision was made to sink her as she was a hazard to shipping. The Irish Naval ship L.E. Ciara which had accompanied the tow sank the Irwell with gunfire on 2/11/1989.

W.M. BARKLEY

The W.M. BARKLEY was a 570 ton collier and was purchased by Guinness in 1913. While en route from Dublin to Liverpool in October 1917 with a cargo of beer (the Black Stuff) she was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine. Four of her crew were lost and she now lies in 45 metres of water off the east side of the Kish bank.

TRIFYLIA

The TRIFYLIA was a 1336 ton iron screw steamer of 258 feet in length. She was en route from Ayr to Rouen in November 1915 with 2,000 tons of coal when a gale drove her ashore just off the beach at Newcastle about 2 miles South of Greystones. She was Greek owned and her name is Greek for Shamrock. She lies in 10 metres of water and has been scattered by storms over the years. Wicklow SAC raised her three anchors and they are now on a plinth on Wicklow beach.

JULIA

The 180 ton JULIA was built in 1879 at Padstow. She was en route from Glasgow to Newhaven with a cargo of pig iron when on the 19 February 1931 shortly after passing the Codling light vessel a storm blew up and she perished. The following morning the Cymric spotted the wreck but there was no sign of captain George Kearon or the four crew, all were lost. It is believed that the Julia had turned and tried to run for the shelter of Dun Laoghaire but never made it.

HOTTINGUER

The 1050 ton HOTTINGUER was built in 1843 for the Fieldens Line and sold in 1848 to Swallow Tail Line. In January 1850 while en route from Liverpool to New York she struck the Blackwater bank seven miles from the Wexford coast. 19 sailors abandoned ship along with 14 passengers and landed at Morricecastle. Captain Bursley and 14 stayed aboard. Mr John Agar the coastguard commander and the Zephyr of Ballinourlart went out to the wreck. The screw vessel Rose piloted the Hottinguer through the banks after a high tide allowed her escape. The ship had been damaged and the Rose took off another 8 passengers, the Hottinguer then headed for Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire). She was difficult to control and the next night she struck the Glasgorman bank a mile off shore at Arklow Bay. A storm was blowing and no help was possible, the crew clung to the rigging but after sixty hours only one surivor was taken ashore.

ARMENIAN

JOHN SCOTT