Three previously undocumented shipwrecks, which may date back to the 19th century, have been located on north Dublin’s Portmarnock strand.
The three were located on foot of a report by underwater photographer and drone operator Nigel Motyer during exposure of remains of what may be 19th century fishing trawler on the strand.
The trawler had last been visible in 2017 and previously in the 1990s and is recorded in the Wreck Inventory of Ireland.
The three previously undocumented wrecks are being surveyed by archaeologists, and the find has been described as a “very exciting development” by Minister or Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien.
“ No doubt each of these shipwrecks has an important story to tell and we hope that, in time, we will learn more about them and the roles they have played in shaping our history,”he said on a visit to the strand on Monday.
“With a long-standing maritime legacy to celebrate and record, the important work of the National Monuments Service (NMS) protects and preserves our underwater heritage, as evidenced by the 18,000 sites recorded in the Wreck Inventory of Ireland Database,”he said.
Karl Brady, Senior Archaeologist with NMS who led the inspection, said that “prolonged periods of wind from a particular direction move beach sands constantly and, in this case, had temporarily stripped the southern end of the beach of sand leading to the exposure of these wrecks”.
The NMS team has surveyed and photographed the wrecks, and ongoing analysis of the materials (for example, timber vs. metal), size, and construction style will help find answers as to the identity of the wrecks, he said.
“The newly-discovered wrecks are poorly-preserved due to continuous tidal and storm action over the years,”Brady said.
“In general, while only the lower portions of the hulls and bow areas has survived, our team has identified timber frames, planking, metal knees, and even a metal winch/windlass system at the bow of one of the boats, ”he said.
The NMS says that some 50 wrecks are recorded for the Portmarnock/Baldoyle area in the Wreck Inventory, identified through “years of painstaking historical and archival research”.
The wrecks range from 14th century trading ships to 20th century coal-boats, and the physical remains of at least 13 of these vessels have been located, the NMS says.
“18th and 19th century newspaper articles and specialist maritime sources can shed some light on the wrecks, where they were built, and the identities of the crew,”Brady said.
“In some cases, records exist detailing the final moments of the vessels, as well as rescue attempts undertaken by local lifeboat crews, often in severe weather,”he said.
“Many vessels have similar construction style over the centuries, and there are often no dateable artefacts recovered, so confirming the identity of the wrecks and aligning them with historical records is challenging,” he said.
“Several of the ships, en route to Dublin, may have attempted to seek refuge in Howth harbour during stormy conditions but failed to reach the safety of the harbour entrance and were compelled to run ashore on the strand, a desperate measure to save lives,”he said.
“ Other ships, originating from ports on the west coast of Britain and bound for various global destinations, seem to have been unfortunate victims of stormy weather, driven ashore at Portmarnock, often at night. There is an unusually high number of wrecks in this location,”Brady added.
The cyclical nature of sand movement on beaches often leads to the temporary exposure and subsequent reburial of shipwrecks, the NMS says.
While partially uncovered at present, the wrecks appear stable and will most likely cover over in the coming weeks and months, it says.
“This will help safeguard them from further deterioration and degradation, with the sediments acting as a buffer. Further monitoring of the wrecks and regular inspection of the beach by NMS, will ensure that the wrecks are further examined as and when uncovered, allowing for their full assessment over time, assisting in confirming their identity,”it says.
The original wreck filmed by Nigel Motyer, which may be a 19th century fishing trawler similar in dimensions and shape to a Brixham sloop, is situated in a channel and is orientated north-south. Water level in the channel was 0.40 – 1.20m, with the wreck nearly submerged. The wreck measures 17.80m long and 5.80m at its widest point.
Details of the three new wrecks are as follows:
New Wreck Discovery No. 1 (Possibly the Malfilatre)
This wreck is 24.78m long but further measurements could not be acquired due to the incoming tide. However, drone footage helped with other details. The vessel would originally have been a long slender ship, possibly a schooner, with the remains of its stern post and possibly its rudder still partially intact. The vessel is listing to its port side with its keelson still visible. The remains of a windlass/winch (used to pull up anchors or assist with hoisting a sail) is still visible towards the bow of the ship. The survival of the windlass is a relatively rare occurrence.
This may be the Malfilatre, which came aground 125 years ago. This 40-year-old, 116-ton schooner of Bridgewater (Somerset), which was originally built in France, was en route from Cardiff to Dublin in December 1899 with a crew of four and a cargo of coal when it encountered severe gales and high seas that swept its decks and tore its sails. Unable to reach its destination, the vessel went ashore at Portmarnock Point, opposite Ireland’s Eye.
The crew was forced to climb the rigging and spend the night there as waves swamped and filled the boat. The severity of the seas made it too dangerous for the Coastguard to attempt a rescue by launching a lifeboat. The following morning, Coastguard crews from Howth, Baldoyle, and Dun Laoghaire gathered on the beach. They rescued the crew by wading into the water and throwing lines to the ship. The Malfilatre soon afterwards broke apart, becoming a total wreck, with its cargo washing ashore.
According to Lloyd’s Register, the official length and beam of the Malfilatre are recorded as 26.4m by 6.68m. The newly uncovered wreck located offshore of Portmarnock Point has a surviving length of 24.78m. Due to the depth of the water, it was not possible to measure the width of the wreck. However, given the location of the wreck, its size, and general shape, it could well be a good match for that of the schooner Malfilatre.
New Wreck Discovery No. 2
The second new wreck discovered on the strand during the inspection by NMS is a wooden vessel comprising of the bow end of the vessel. It is largely buried in the sands. It measures 22.40m long x 6.35m in width. While the hull is composed of wooden planks, the lodging knees, structural elements to support a deck, are formed from composite iron pieces and indicate the wreck most likely dates to the latter half of the 19th century or early 20th Century.
New Wreck Discovery No. 3
The third wreck discovered is another wooden vessel, with only the stern end exposed. The outline of the vessel is defined by a series of framing timbers and hull planking that are visible above the sand. Additionally, parts of the stern post and rudder can be seen. The vessel measures 17.92m in length and 5.84m in width. The bow is either buried or has been washed away over time due to erosive action.
Notable wrecks previously discovered off Portmarnock:
The Nicholas
One of the earliest and most intriguing shipwrecks recorded in the Wreck Inventory took place in August 1306. The Nicholas, a merchant ship from County Down, was laden with a diverse cargo that included wine, chest with jewels, copper pots, wax, barrels of spices, tin, pitch, and steel. During a severe storm, it was cast ashore on Portmarnock Strand, tragically resulting in the loss of some crew members. While some of the crew and merchants survived the ordeal and made it to shore, the vessel quickly disintegrated, causing its valuable cargo to wash ashore. The sight of such riches, seemingly gifted by the sea, proved irresistible to the local community. This led to numerous charges of theft against individuals who succumbed to the temptation. Among those charged was a local man, John de Long of Malahide. He was accused of stealing three lamb’s furs, a green hood, and a barrel of valuable spices. Additionally, he faced allegations of stealing and consuming some of the washed-up wine.
The Gainsborough
The Gainsborough, a 25-year-old, 139-ton brig of Ipswich, was en route from Liverpool under the command of Captain Daniel Jeffries. It carried a valuable cargo worth £11,000. During its journey, it encountered a violent storm and was driven ashore at Portmarnock/Baldoyle Strand. The crew, fearing they would be washed overboard, were forced to lash themselves to the rigging. Despite the Coastguard’s several attempts to reach the stricken vessel and rescue the crew using a 6-oared galley, the ferocity of the storm forced them back, with their boat filling with water at each attempt. Once the weather moderated, they launched the boat again and succeeded in rescuing the survivors from the rigging. The survivors included the Master, two seamen, and one boy. Unfortunately, three crew members lost their lives and the vessel was completely wrecked. To commemorate the loss of the three crew members, a granite cross was erected at the top of Sea Road, Malahide.
The Lady Hobart (also Lady Hobert in LL 1864-65)
The Lady Hobart, a 781-ton barque built in Nova Scotia in 1849, was en route from Liverpool to Bermuda with a cargo of coal. There were 22 persons on board, including Captain Louis Richmond and his crew. On the 29th January 1865, after heavy gales and fog, the vessel ran ashore on the sands near Baldoyle after 3 o’clock in the morning. Although land had earlier been sighted on the port side, the Lady Hobart became embayed and was dragged ashore by the falling tide. Nine crew members abandoned ship using the vessel’s lifeboat and landed on the beach in the first attempt. The remaining men were precariously rescued on a second pass of the lifeboat, pulling through the surf after much difficulty. Captain Richmond’s certificate was suspended for six months following the incident, as he was found to have neglected to wear the ship round when land was first sighted, in addition to failing to deploy the anchor in time. The wreck of the Lady Hobart reportedly remained partially submerged on the sands, with the three masts standing proud. In the weeks following, coal was noted to wash ashore during low tides, as well as pieces of timber and personal goods.
The Perseverance
The Perseverance was a 24-year-old 97-ton schooner from Newry, en route from Ardrossan, Scotland with a cargo of coal. On the Friday 8th February 1861, a great storm swept along the eastern coast of the country, with severe gales encompassing all of Dublin Bay and beyond for two days. The Perseverance was among many vessels in Dublin which suffered a calamitous fate that weekend, succumbing to the hazardous gales and conditions the following day. The vessel is recorded as wrecking ashore at Baldoyle Strand. The lives of four sailors from the Perseverance were lost to the storm, with two bodies reportedly washing ashore at Malahide in the following days. Only the ship’s master survived.
The Eva
The Eva was a barque en route from Dublin to Ardrossan, Scotland with a cargo of ballast. Eight crew members were on board the vessel, mastered by a J. Laurie. After encountering difficulty and hazardous winds, the barque went ashore at Baldoyle Strand on Saturday 25th March 1877, and reportedly became a total wreck soon after. The crew members, who had become lashed within the ship’s mizzen rigging, were rescued with great effort by a Howth lifeboat named the Clara Baker, which belonged to the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution). The perilous conditions had further deteriorated to the extent that the lifeboat couldn’t make the return to Howth, and instead had to go ashore at Baldoyle.
The Prosperity
The Prosperity, a 41-ton smack from Caernarfon loaded with slates, was bound for Dundalk on the 5th April 1907. The vessel reportedly sprung a significant leak during a gale, resulting in water ingress of seven feet within the hold. The vessel was subsequently lost when it ran ashore at the Baldoyle Strand. A lifeboat from Howth recued the three crew members on board.
The British Queen
The British Queen was a schooner bound for Liverpool from Newfoundland. The vessel was lost when it was driven ashore at Baldoyle on 16th November 1842, with a loss of four sailors on board.
The Adelaide
The Adelaide, a schooner en route from Carlingford to Malahide with a cargo of coal, was lost at the sands of Baldoyle on 31st October 1871. A heavy gale from the east had forced the vessel into a dangerous position, with heavy seas reportedly breaking over the nearby sandbank. A lifeboat from Howth went out to aid the vessel during the severe conditions, and successfully rescued the crew with great difficulty.
