Connemara / Retriever Sea Tragedy
In this age of “local” Maritime Centenary Commemorations namely the torpedoed Mail Boat RMS Leinster on the morning of the 10th of October 1918 with the loss of 569 persons and over 700 on board and the SS Dundalk four days later on the 14th of October with the lo.ss of 20 with 12 survivors relates the perils boat crews and passengers alike faced day and daily during the war years as they fought to keep the sea lanes open for both passenger and commerce.
The collision of the L&NWR vessel the Connemara and the coal collier Retriever off Greenore on the 3rd of November 1916 with the loss of 94 souls with only one survivor documented the largest loss of live at sea on the East coast prior to the sinking of the RMS Leinster of Dun Laoighaire two years later
One man drowned and another rescued when a boat overturned under remarkable circumstances in Carlingford lough. The man that died Mr. Joseph Hardy was a well known oyster merchant in Omeath. Mr hardy left Omeath shore with Owen Connoly to go to the oyster beds, as they were leaving their boat overturned and the two men were thrown in. When they were brought to land Mr. Hardy was dead. Mr Hardy was 45 years old and unmarried. He was a well known figure in the business life of Co. Louth.