ON Monday week last, the Courtmacsherry Lifeboat, the RNLB Val Adnams, under coxswain Ken Cashman and crew members Mark Gannon, Stuart Russell, Dean Hennessy and Dara Gannon made its way to site of the wreck of the SS Cardiff Hall, on what was the actual centenary of the tragedy that claimed the lives of all twenty eight crew after it floundered during a ferocious storm before smashing into the Shoonta Rock with the loss of the entire crew.
A wreath was placed close to the Shoonta Rock outside Travara Cove near Butlerstown.
On Sunday afternoon last, there was a function held to commemorate the event at a packed Butlerstown Hall. Local historian Michael O’Brien gave a very detailed account of the tragedy that claimed the entire crew onboard the maize carrying ship of 3,944 tonnes that was bound for Cork Harbour from Rosario.
Other speakers during an extremely interesting afternoon were Ken Cashman, Ronan Barry, Brian O’Dwyer and John Fleming, all of whom reflected on aspects of the event.
The bicentennial celebrations of the Courtmacsherry RNLI were launched by Brian O’Dwyer, Courtmacsherry lifeboat operations manager. Courtmacsherry had the first lifeboat to be stationed in Ireland.
To mark the centenary of the Cardiff Hall that sank off the Seven Heads on January 13th, 1925, members of the Courtmacsherry RNLI laid a wreath close to the Shoonta Rock outside Travara Cove, Butlerstown. The RNLB Val Adnams under coxswain Ken Cashman at the scene with crew members (from left): Dean Hennessey, Mark Gannon (placing the wreath into the waters), Stuart Russell and Dara Gannon. Right: Tom Dobinson (fourth from left) a grandson of John Parker (second engineer), who was one of the 28 people who lost their lives when the SS Cardiff Hall floundered during a ferocious storm. Back (from left): Ken Cashman (coxswain, Courtmacsherry Lifeboat), Stuart Russell, Dara Gannon and Mark Gannon (all Courtmacsherry RNLI) and Conor Dullea, ex-Courtmacsherry Lifeboat crew. Front (from left): Dermot Draper (diver), Mary Draper, Michael O’Brien, Brian O’Dwyer, Camilla Mel- ville-Ross, Tom Dobinson, Joe Cashman, Colin Cashman and Annettte Cashman. (Photos: Martin Walsh)
Also on Monday, Tom Dobinson and his partner Camilla Melville-Ross (who travelled from Maidenhead), were taken to the scene of the tragedy by David Dunwoody of the Courtmacsherry RNLI fundraising committee.
Later, they visited the Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Station where they met coxswain Ken Cashman and his crew along with Brian O’Dwyer and Michael O’Brien, who provided an account of that fateful day.
Mr Dobinson is a grandson of John Parker, the second engineer onboard the SS Cardiff Hall.
During their visit, Mr Robinson placed a wreath at one of the anchors of the ship in Butlerstown and placed flowers at another of the ship’s anchor in Courtmacsherry.
Mr Dobinson was given a porthole of the SS Cardiff Hall before the group adjourned to the Golden Pheasant, Courtmacsherry for some hospitality.
From historical records, the SS Cardiff Hall was built by WA Young & Co in 1912. It grossed 3,994 tons, measured 350 x 50.8 x 25.6 feet and was powered by 241 nhp triple-expansion engines generating nine knots. It was bound for R & H Hall in Cork with 6,000 tons of maize. The wind blew some of her cargo onto the top of the 150ft cliffs and a two ton portion of her keel landed on a ledge 40ft above the sea.
