Coastguard Cutter

The Coastguard Cutter 2.18

-> Tony on December 31 2016
4E THE TROUBLES IN IRELAND IN 1921
Station after station was burned by the Republicans, one unfortunate District Officer having had no less than seven stations burned over his head and finishing up with furniture consisting of a Wolseley valise, a Tate cube sugar box as a table, and a case of small arm ammunition as a chair, light being supplied by a candle stuck on a block of wood.
Needless to say, all the women and children had been evacuated from the Irish stations long before affairs reached this pitch, although there were many coastguard's wives who made every effort to stay beside their menfolk and to share their dangers.

Reference: "His Majesty's Coastguard" by Frank Bowen



G218. Salvage Case.
There was a case of salvage tried on Friday at the Custom House of this town.—It appeared in evidence that a vessel bound from Liverpool to this port, got on a rock near Kilalla, on the evening of the 19th.ult. and unshipped her rudder. The Waterguards at the Kilcummin station under the command of Lieut. Burchill and a party of the Ross Waterguards assisted the crew in getting her off the rock into safety. Lieut. Burchills party claimed £20-18s. for the assistance they afforded and the Ross party claimed £1-5s. The magistrate allowed the latter amount, but reduced the former to £5-18s. the 18s. being the cost of an oar broken on that occasion. (Ballina Advertiser)

Reference; Saunders News-Letter Tuesday 11th.October 1842.



K175. Galway. Sept. 29. 1821.
Several smuggling vessels have made their appearance, but, by the exertions of the Revenue they have not been able to effect a landing. We apprehend that one of the vessels has been lost as several bales of tobacco have been washed on shore between Spiddal and Costelloe Bay, to the westward of this town.

Reference; Freemans Journal Wednesday 3rd October 1821.



H58. Narrow escape
Gale in Dublin Bay. Narrow escape of Schooner.
A severe gale blew in Dublin Bay on Saturday night. It blew right into the bay from the S.S.W. The high wind lasted from about 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. on Sunday, by which time it had veered off the land. The shift of wind was happily the chief cause of sparing from destruction the ship ‘Edward Arthur’ a three masted schooner belonging to Carnarvon bound to Dublin. When the schooner arrived off the Wicklow coast the vessel was first seen flying signals of distress. The tide had set her close in to the land and she lay about 500 or 600 yards from the beach on the North side of Bray Harbour. Flareups were improvised by means of blankets saturated with paraffin in the hope that the men might be enabled to save their lives. It was these signals which were noticed.

Some local pilots manned a boat and endeavoured to reach the schooner. The Bray Coastguards also came on the scene and Chief Officer Wills promptly called out his life saving company and endeavoured to establish communication with the ship. Three lines were fired, but each failed of its mark. Mr. Wills also put out the opening boat with his volunteer crew, and several times efforts were made to reach the unhappy ship, but each failed owing to the frightful state of the weather. These brave men nevertheless tried to give help to the crew of the schooner by shouting that they would not be abandoned, but that at the first light of dawn they would try again and reach the ship. Happily the weather turned in favour of the distressed ship. After three hours the rising tide came to her and she floated free. The pilots boarded her and brought her to Kingstown.

Reference; Wicklow News-Letter Saturday 4th.May 1905.



H21. Salvage.
The owners of the ‘Thistle’ steamer running between Glasgow, Portrush and Londonderry, have been compelled, after every opposition on their part, to pay £50, the whole sum demanded by the Coastguard and which was awarded by the magistrates at Ballycastle, on the 6th.April for the assistance rendered.

Reference; Saunders News-Letter Saturday 6th.November 1852.



R4. Coastguard station, Bannow, Co.Wexford. 1889.
House of Commons Debate 02 May 1889 vol 335 cc993-4
Mr.W.Redmond (Fermanagh.N.) asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it was a fact that the owner of the houses occupied by the Coastguars, as a Coastguard Station at Bannow, county Wexford, had received a thre months notice that the houses are to be vacated; that these houses were built about fifty years ago by the grandfather of the present owner at the request of the government of the day, and that of recent years they were enlarged and considerably improved; was it the intention to abolish the Coastguard station at Bannow, and would any compensation be given to the owner of the houses?
Answer:
Lord G. Hamilton. It is the case that the owner of the houses referred to has received notice that the houses will be vacated, the reason being that they are not kept in proper repair and they are in an insanitary condition. It is not known by whom the houses were originally built or when, but there is no reason to believe that they were built at the request of the Government or taken at other than a quarterly tenancy. The houses were improved by the landlord in 1866. It is not intended to abolish the Coastguard Station at Bannow. There is no ground for a claim for compensation by the owner.

Reference; Hansard Papers.



H55. + G65.
Captain Burke of the ‘Kite’ Revenue Cruiser, captured on Saturday last a fine brig hovering in the entrance to the North Channel. She proved to be the ‘Elizabeth’ British property, and had on board 500 bales of tobacco, cautiously stowed away under a cargo of salt. Captain Burke has been since his appointment – which follows immediately upon his navigating his late Majesty George the 1V to this country, one of the most active, zealous and indefatigable cruisers in the Channel, and we wish him joy, that he has earned the reward of his skill and perseverance.

Reference; Dublin Evening Mail Wednesday 27th.October 1830.



E1. THE LAST OF THE SMUGGLERS.
Smuggling was carried on along the coast of Lecale well into the 19th.century. Contraband, chiefly tobacco, rum and brandy, came largely from the Island of Man.
Ardglas was then the principal with this island As time went on the illicit trade traffic increased. So the Revenue authorities became more vigilant. . The conspirators then changed their venue to the little harbours about Guns Island and Killard. Hither at night came small boats from the large yawls lying off to land their cargo and conceal it in the adjacent caves, from which it was transferred by road later to merchants in distant towns.
Some people in the neighbourhood were tempted to join the conspiracy. For them it was a tragedy. They made nothing and in many cases lost everything. Strong drink was their ruin, while the merchants accumulated large fortunes. Some joined for the joy of adventure and the sport of outwitting the armed coastguards and excisemen. Such a one was Tom McCullaghan, with his black mare.
Many stories are told of his daring, his name is now a legend in the countryside. For nights before these secret plans were carried out, men draped in white sheets, lurked about the roads. So ghosts were said to be walking abroad. Many told of hairbreadth escapes. The people were frightened and dreaded going out when darkness set in.
It was to be the lot of Jackie Mullen to end this reign of terror. He was spoken of as a quiet, fearless man. These traits, like threads, were woven into the fabric of a decent, honest labouring man who worked in the grain store at Ballyhornan and fished in his spare time. He was appointed as an extra coast watcher.
One dark night when on his round he was warned that if he went on to Killard warren he would be shot. He went, and sitting down on the bank he struck his flint to light his pipe, when an answering flash came from the little harbour below.
He rushed down towards the light and challenged. A voice replied, "You're not the right man", and before him standing in a boat was one of the smugglers with a pistol in his hand. Jackie felled him with a single blow. The boat drew off to sea. Jackie signalled to the coastguards at Portaferry, who launched their boat and picking him up, went in pursuit. Fortunately they sighted a revenue cutter in the Channel on her way to Bangor and persuaded the Captain to change his course and give chase.
Next morning the smuggler's yawl was caught among the fishing fleet in Port Erin. They were tried in Dublin and heavily sentenced. Jackie was the principal witness. The reign of terror was over. He returned home and quietly went on with his job. The Government afterwards awarded him with a small pension.

Reference: 'Down Recorder' (Internet)



112E
On the 22nd.ult. the ship Susan of Saltwick, John Crawford master, from Quebec bound for Wexford, appeared off the Connemara coast, the wind blowing strong from the SW. Being unacquainted with the coast, the Captain and crew anchored under the lee of Ard Island about 3 o'clock pm. Patrick Connor, P.W.G.(Preventive Water Guard) Chief Boatman Innislacken Island, hoisted a signal, as it was impossible for any boat to row to the assistance of the ships crew. On the morning of the 23rd. Connor and crew launched the gig, and pulled about 6 miles through a tremendous sea, the wind blowing strong, attended with showers of rain, at 5 am, they came alongside the ship. In heaving up the Susan parted her chain cable, and lost her anchor, and at 9 oc. anchored safe in Roundstone. (Report Connaught Journal)

Reference: Evening Freeman Saturday 5th.November 1831.

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