Memorial events take place to mark 80th anniversary of Cork maritime tragedy

AN “intimate and emotional” ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of a Cork maritime tragedy took place yesterday, with a second event set for today.

The commemorations, organised by Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann (ONE), or the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel, mark the anniversary of the Cork Harbour Tragedy, which occurred on December 12, 1942.

The tragic incident saw two launch boats collide with the propellers of the Irish Poplar, resulting in the deaths of five sailors. The bodies of two of the men were never recovered.

Yesterday, the LÉ William Butler Yeats departed Deepwater Quay in Cobh, with the families of the deceased victims onboard, and travelled to Dognose Buoy — the location where the tragedy occurred.

There, families were able to lay flowers and wreaths on the water, and prayers were also recited.

Speaking to The Echo, Mick McCarthy, secretary of the Cobh branch of ONE which organised the event, described it as an “intimate and emotional ceremony”.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Naval Service said the navy was “honoured to join and support Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann and the families of the deceased members of the Marine Service in commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Cork Harbour Tragedy”.

Today, St Colman’s Cathedral in Cobh will host a memorial Mass at 10am, celebrating the lives of the sailors.

The choir from Bunscoil Rinn an Chabhlaigh will sing at the Mass which will include a hymn written by the school’s deputy principal, Alan Carney, dedicated to the deceased men.

Following the ceremony, the group will parade to the monument on East Beach in Cobh, where a wreath will be laid.

“ONE is proud to be hosting part of the remembrance ceremonies in memory of the tragic deaths of John Higgins, Patrick Wilshaw, Frank Powell, William Duggan, and Frank Lloyd, who lost their lives on active service in Ireland during the Second World War, or The Emergency, as it was known,” said Cormac Kirwan, CEO of ONE, speaking ahead of the 80th anniversary of the tragedy.