From the Archives

Edited By Ted Creedon

Three Fishermen Drown

From – Cork Examiner, 30 October 1901

It is reported that three fisherman, operating out of Brandon Creek in west Kerry, lost their lives in a boating accident. The alarm was raised on Wednesday morning when the men failed to return from a fishing trip. The local coastguards set off to search for the men but all they found was an upturned canoe. They also came across the men’s nets and weather clothing. The missing men, presumed drowned, were John O’Connor (42), Michael Grumell (32) and J. J. O’Connor (18). When the coastguards arrived back to shore with the canoe there was great distress and sadness among relatives and the community at large.

Dingle Harbour Dredger

From - Kerry Evening Post, 29 April 1905

The dredger, which is currently operating at Fenit, will commence work in Dingle Harbour on July 4 and is scheduled to complete operating there on August 4. The CDB are to provide an estimated £300 or half the cost of the work and the Harbour Board the other half.

The dredger will operate around the pier but will also cut away a spur of the bank near the harbour’s mouth. This bank forces vessels entering or leaving the harbour to undertake a series of manoeuvres comparable to avoiding a family of mines.

Boat Race

From – Kerry Evening Post, 30 July 1836

A boat race took place in Dingle harbour last Tuesday between two locally owned gigs. One of these belonged to D. P. Thomson and the other to John McKenna. Mr. Thompson’s gig was pulled by two oarsmen only and with a steersman while Mr. McKenna’s gig was pulled by four Coastguards and with a steersman. The course was about one and a half miles.

It looked to have the elements of an interesting race when they started off but it soon became obvious to all those watching from the shore that the Coastguards had no chance. Mr. Thompson’s gig was an easy winner and completed the course in 40 minutes.

Great take of Porpoises at Brandon

From – Tralee Chronicle, 16 June 1854

Last Wednesday evening a school of porpoises, up to 100 in number, were observed by local fishermen to be sleeping on the water inside Brandon Point. The fishermen launched their canoes and rowed silently until they were outside the porpoises. They drove the startled creatures towards the shore until they stranded. Then the slaughter began and will prove to be a most valuable capture as the oil can be easily saved along with the dissected carcasses.

Illegal Procession

From – Dublin Daily Express, 26 July 1856

On Tuesday the 1st of July, at the funeral of the late Rev. Dr. O’Sullivan, P. P. of Dingle, a procession of priests in third vestments, with their bishop, the Right Rev. Dr. Moriarty, carrying the Host, crucifix, candles, bells, books and incense, passed through the principal streets of Dingle. The police were witnesses of this illegal procession.

Potato Riot

From – Limerick Chronicle, 1 July 1840

A riot by country people in Roscarbery, County Cork, resulted in the death of a police constable and the mortal wounding of a second constable. The police had fired in their own defence. The reason for the riot was that the country people were attempting to prevent, by force, the shipment of a cargo of potatoes to Dingle.

From – Cork Examiner, 25 January 1866

A derelict ship was spotted in Dingle Bay on Monday last by John Moriarty, a Killorglin pilot, who was crossing the bay in his boat. On nearing the vessel he found her to be dismasted and abandoned. He went on board with his crew and Dr. O’Kane of Inch who was in Moriarty’s boat. They brought the ship inside the bar of Inch to a safe anchorage. The vessel turned out to be the schooner Sir Charles Napier of Falmouth, carrying a part cargo of oak logs and, apart from the loss of her masts, spars and rigging, was otherwise in perfect condition.. The fate of her crew remains a mystery. She obviously encountered heavy weather causing her crew to cut her mast some four feet above the deck.

The Old Bridge of Garfinny

From – Kerry Evening Post, 22 April 1854

Trinity College, Dublin, April 17, 1854. Sir – Are any of your readers aware that this curious old structure, situated near Dingle, is in a very ruinous state? A reverend friend of mine who has lately visited the bridge informs me that it will soon fall if not looked after and that a few shillings would save it for a long time. Surely it will not be considered too much to ask half a dozen of my fellow Kerrymen to expend a few shillings on the judicious repair of one of the most interesting structures in Kerry, or perhaps in the South of Ireland? Would that Kerry had an Archaeological Society to take charge of its numerous vestiges of antiquity but at present I do not entertain much hope of such a society being established. I am, sir, your very obedient faithful servant, Richard Hitchcock.