Month: March 2025

Balbriggan & District Historical Society presents Brian Kavanagh with a talk titled ‘The Graveyard Shift – from Bremore to SS Peter & Paul’ Wednesday March 26th 8pm Bracken Court Hotel.
In this engaging talk, Brian will explore the fascinating history behind the closure of the old burial ground at Bremore and the long journey to finding a new cemetery for the town.
You will discover fascinating stories that bring the past to life, learning about the people and events that shaped the town’s burial history

This year marks the 150th anniversary of a great sea tragedy in Balbriggan with the sinking of the Belle Hill. You will all be familiar with the  cairn of stones near Newhaven Bay (Sailors Grave) which recalls these seamen who lost their lives in Balbriggan’s worst Maritime disaster. Read more about this in our History for the Millennium book article shared below.

On Sunday March 2nd we marked the anniversary firstly by handing over a wreath to Skerries RNLI who placed it at the location of the wreck. Thanks to Niall McGrotty, Operations Manager of Skerries RNLI, and his crew for kindly facilitating this.
We then laid a wreath at Balrothery Cemetery where 8 of those who perished are buried. Jim Walsh read the story of the sinking while Rory McKenna  added some insights and Denise Richardson laid the wreath. Thanks to Martin Fanning and Balrothery Heritage Group for maintaining the headstone. Particular thanks to Kilian Harford for pulling the event together. See some images below (more can be found on our Facebook page)

The Belle Hill

On 26.2.1875 the Belle Hill, an iron Barque owned by J. Walsmly of Liverpool, left her home dock bound for Valparaiso with a general cargo on board. She had a crew of sixteen and was under the command of a 35 year old, Master E. Edgar. The remainder of the crew were:
 R. B. Perren First Mate
 R. Rosewarne Second Mate
 William Grant Carpenter
 Charles Ward Steward
 John Flanders Cook
 Alex Nordstrom Sailmaker
 William Lavin Apprentice
 Thomas Mercer Apprentice
 George William Hill Apprentice
 J. Young Able Bodied Seaman
 William Merrick Able Bodied Seaman
 James McDonnell Able Bodied Seaman
 S. G. Gustafron Able Bodied Seaman
 J. Jeffries Able Bodied Seaman
 J. F. Harding Able Bodied Seaman
 The weather had been bad and the ship had been driven by ESE gales onto the coastline near Balbriggan. She had been spotted earlier in the day off the Skerries Islands, and by 9.00 a.m. she was drifting fast towards Balbriggan Lighthouse in a gale and snowstorm. The ship was out of control. She sent up a distress signal at 2.00 p.m. At a later inquest James McDonnell stated that the Captain gave orders to let go anchors as she approached Newhaven Bay but the ship did not hold. The Captain then summoned the crew to the quarterdeck and asked them to standby to await assistance. When the ship began to break he was overheard to cry that every man should try to save his own life.
 When the ship began breaking on the rocks she was watched by the Coastguard and many local people. The Coastguard attempted to get a rocket line on board the vessel and this they accomplished on the third attempt. This line however became entangled on rocks between the wreck and the shoreline. Three local fishermen John Carton, John Carvin and James Murphy manned a boat and, risking their own lives, managed to get to the snarled line. They succeeded in getting three survivors aboard their boat and they brought them ashore under the worst imaginable weather conditions. Only one of these, James McDonnell survived. The remainder on the stricken vessel perished. Six bodies were recovered immediately and these, together with their two companions, were buried in Balrothery Cemetery. The other bodies were later washed up on the coast of the Isle of Man and on the Cumberland coast.
 During this tragedy the new Skerries Lifeboat, Laura Platt, had been called and came by land pulled by seven horses. As she attempted to approach as near as possible to the north of Bremore where the wreck lay she became stuck under the railway arch at King’s Lane and played no further part in the rescue. This brought about the urgent establishment, within a few months, of Balbriggan Lifeboat with a £310 Boathouse. The Coxswain was Richard Tuite. In the 23 years of its existence the Balbriggan boat was only twice in service and saved no lives. She was de-commissioned in 1898. The establishment of this and the Rogerstown Lifeboat Station may have been a panic reaction by the R.N.L.I. to the serious safety problem with shipping that existed at this time on the East Coast of Ireland.
 After the ship had broken up, the coastline was strewn with wreckage. There are conflicting reports as to what happened to this. Lloyd’s report states that men were employed salvaging this until August 28th, but local history has it that the population helped themselves to salvage, thus coining the name “Belle Hill Robbers” which is imprinted in local lore.
 It has been suggested that there may have been a mutiny on board the Belle Hill, but at the later inquest, James McDonnell made no reference to this. The three local fishermen who assisted were commended by the coroner for their bravery in attempting to save the lives of the unfortunate seamen.
 Today a cairn of stones near Newhaven Bay recalls these seamen who lost their lives in Balbriggan’s worst Maritime disaster.