FROM THE ARCHIVES:In the autumn of 1908 there were frequent reports in the newspapers of drownings of children and fishermen, including this disaster off Valentia Island. – JOE JOYCE
A BOATING accident, in which six fishermen lost their lives, occurred last night in Valentia Harbour. Thirteen others were rescued with difficulty, and in an exhausted condition.
A seine boat and “follower” from the fishing village of Portmagee shot their seine inside Valentia Lighthouse about 9 last night. The seine was a large one, and by the time that it was cleared both boats, which were heavily laden with mackerel, had drifted fully half a mile outside the harbour. The seine boat, finding that it could make no headway against the strong ebb tide, called on the “follower” to give them a tow. This was done, and all went well until the harbour mouth was reached.
The boats pulled close to the Begnish shore to avoid the rapid current, and got the backwash from the Begnish rocks. The seine boat, having little freeboard, was pooped. The “follower” seeing their comrade’s danger, at much risk hauled in the tow rope, so that they might get their friends on board. When the boats came almost alongside five or six of the seine boat crew succeeded in jumping into the “follower” just as their own boat disappeared.
The men in the “follower” were now working hard, some at the oars, others throwing out the fish, when she was caught by the backwash and swamped, and the crew of both boats, numbering 19 in all, were in a moment struggling in the water. The high rockbound shore was on either side of them, and a strong tide was running in the narrow harbour entrance. Fortunately, both boats after a few minutes turned turtle, and a number of the poor fellows managed to get upon them. A few succeeded in reaching the drifting oars, but six of them went down.
John Heartnett, captain of the “follower”, afterwards gave the following description of the rescue:- “We were considerably more than half an hour in the water when we saw two boats pulling rapidly towards us. They shouted out- ‘Hold on; you are all right.’ The boats proved to be the Valentia seine boat and ‘follower,’ in charge of our neighbour, Timothy Cahill. They succeeded in rescuing thirteen of us.
“The following members of the crew were drowned:- Pat Kelly, John Devane (senior), John Devane (junior), John Casey, John Shea, and John Sullivan.
“Poor Shea dropped off the oar which he shared with a comrade when the rescuers were almost within arms length. Michael Devane, another son to John Devane, made a gallant and successful effort to save himself. He was one of the seine boat crew, and succeeded in getting into the ‘follower’ when his own boat sank. While in the water he succeeded in getting rid of his oilcoat, and, though hampered with the fisherman’s usual heavy clothing, he manfully struck out for shore. The tide proved too strong, and was sweeping him out to sea when he was picked up by Timothy Cahill’s crew.”
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