Irish Wrecks On-Line - Idaho SS (No. 541a)

*Vessel Type:*	Masted Steamer	*Location:*	Co. Wexford
*Date of Loss:*	1st June 1878	*Place:*	Coningbeg Rock
*Cause of Loss:*	Struck rocks	*Boat Dive from:*	Kilmore Quay
*Charted Depth:*		*Irish O.S. Map:*	Discovery Series No. 77
*Height of Wreck:*	2m	*Admiralty Chart No:*	2740 and/or 1410
*Hull Material:*	Iron	*Latitude:*
*Type of Seabed:*	Sand	*Longitude:*
*Average Visibility:*	10 - 15m	*Diving Experience:*	Experienced

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Diving Information:

Lies close to Coningmore Rock, to the south of the Saltee Islands.
Hull has collapsed and is silted up.
Some artifacts lying around, but must be reported to Receiver of Wrecks if lifted.
Launch from slip at Kilmore Quay.
Subject to strong currents outside slack water.

Historical Information:

Built by Palmer Brothers of Jarrow-On-Tyne for the Gunion Line, Liverpool, in 1869 she grossed 3,356 tons, length 354.3ft x beam 43.4ft, with a single screw and was capable of 11 knots. She had two masts rigged for sail.
She was owned at the time of loss by the Liverpool & Great Western Steamship Company.
Bound New York for Liverpool, she had left Queenstown with 63 passengers and 82 crew when she ploughed onto Coningmore Rock in thick fog.
All aboard were able to escape but 54 horses were lost.
Wreck was located by Kilmore trawler "Guiding Star". Local diver James Kehoe recovered some portholes and in 1988 her anchor was raised and is now on the bow of the Guillemot Museum Ship at Kilmore.
Her bell and a model of the ship can be seen in Kehoe's Bar, Kilmore.

Source Publications:

"Shipwreck Index of Ireland"

by
Richard & Bridget Larn

Lloyd's Register - Fairplay Ltd 2002 - ISBN: 1900839970

"Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast 932- 1997"

by
Edward J. Bourke

Edward J. Bourke 1998 - ISBN: 0952302713

"Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast 1105 – 1993"

by
Edward J. Bourke

Edward J. Bourke 1994 - ISBN: 0952302705

"Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast 1582 - 2000"

by
Edward J. Bourke

Edward J. Bourke 2000 - ISBN: 0952302721

"Underwater Ireland Guide to Irish Dive Sites"

by
Irish Underwater Council

CFT 1999 - ISBN: 0948283025

Other Sources:

Michael Montgomery

Castlereagh SAC (2006)

Last update - 07-Jun-2006