Irish Wrecks On-Line - Martin HMS (No. 621)

*Vessel Type:*	Armed Sloop	*Location:*	Co. Clare
*Date of Loss:*	7th December 1817	*Place:*	Quilty
*Cause of Loss:*	Ran aground	*Boat Dive from:*
*Charted Depth:*	20m	*Irish O.S. Map:*	Discovery Series No. 63
*Height of Wreck:*	Scattered	*Admiralty Chart No:*
*Hull Material:*	Wood	*Latitude:*	52 41 10 North
*Type of Seabed:*		*Longitude:*	09 40 15 West
*Average Visibility:*		*Diving Experience:*	Experienced Novice

No image listed.

Diving Information:

Lies off the south side of Lough Donnell beach.
Lat. & Long. position quoted above may be inaccurate.
Not much left to identify it as a ship apart from a few ribs and her stone ballast marking the spot.
Some stone and metal cannon shot are still there.

Historical Information:

A 6th Rate Man O'War she was built in 1809 in Bermuda for the Royal Navy.
She grossed 399 tons and measured 30.48 x 9.14 x ? metres.
Armament consisted of 16 x 24 Pounder Carronade and 2 x 9 Pounders.
She left Killybegs on the 7th on a cruise looking for smugglers. By 12th she was off the Aran Islands and in the teeth of a force 12 gale and in danger of capsizing.
Cannon and shot were tossed overboard in an effort to keep her on an even keel but with her sails in shreds she was driven into the Shannon Estuary and onto Lough Donnell beach.
Her anchors parted and her masts went overboard. One of the crew attempted to swim to shore with a rope but was swept away, and a boat was lowered but was immediately dashed to pieces.
She eventually sank during the night and the following day the locals plundered her cargo.
Captain was Commander Andrew Mitchell.

Source Publications:

"Shipwreck Index of Ireland"

by
Richard & Bridget Larn

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

"Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast 1105 – 1993"

by
Edward J. Bourke

Edward J. Bourke 1994 - ISBN: 0952302705

Other Sources:

Mick O'Rourke

via email July 2004

Last update - 21-Jul-2004