Ceremonies in Cork Harbour have taken place at the weekend to mark the 80th anniversary of a maritime tragedy.

The commemorations marked the anniversary of the Cork Harbour Tragedy, which occurred on 12th December, 1942.

Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann (ONE), or the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel had organised the events to mark the tragic incident involving two launch boats that collided with the propellers of Irish Poplar, a former Greek cargoship.

The cargoship became the first vessel of Irish Shipping Ltd which was formed one year before the tragedy. The deepsea cargoship was tasked by ISL in bringing vital food supplies to Ireland during WW2. 

The incident in Cork Harbour had resulted in the deaths of five sailors but the bodies of two of the men were never recovered.

The first of the ceremonies, on Friday saw the Naval Service LÉ William Butler Yeats depart Cobh's Deepwater Quay with families of the deceased victims on board the offshore patrol vessel (OPV) which travelled to Dognose Buoy.

The bouy is where the tragedy occurred and is located in the centre of Cork Harbour, between Camden and the approach to Whitegate.

There families laid flowers and wreaths on the water and prayers were also recited.

EchoLive has more on the tragedy in which Mick McCarthy, secretary of the Cobh branch of ONE described it as an “intimate and emotional ceremony”.