ELLY BAY DROWNING TRAGEDY OF 1923 

In the quiet and peaceful fishing village of South Mullaghroe on the morning of October 31st 1923,

families, friends and neighbours were numbed as the word reached this tightly knit community of the loss of three

of its best-known and loved

young men, Willie Reilly (Tone), Michael Barrett (Annie) and Anthony Ruane (Jamesey). Two of them left grieving widows and bewildered young

children. In those days much of the little income in the area depended on the fishing season

and in the late harvest when the herring was in abundance in Blacksod Bay and particularly so in one of its smaller inlets

Elly Bay, one of the best

sheltered also. The men fished from currachs in crews of 2 or 3, laid their nets at dusk the

previous night until they returned early next morning.

Waiting on shore usually with an ass and creels or a cart maybe would be someone to take the catch into Belmullet to be sold on the street.

Some of the fish would be kept and salted in wooden barrels and stored over the winter months to be used as part of the family’s diet.

On that morning all the currachs went out as usual at first light to haul in the herring filled nets. The sea was rough and choppy and a south easterly wind, steadily on the increase,

made the fisherman’s task even more dangerous. Some currachs had to only have one trip. But there were others who had to go twice depending on the tow of nets or the size of the

currach.

Strong Gale

When they got out the second time the sea was much worseand the wind was by now a

strong gale. Somehow they got delayed for whatever reason

and eventually the currach got swung around and was

immediately swallowed up by the raging sea. Meanwhile all the other currachs had made it

safely ashore and fishermen

busy cleaning their nets, when Edward Murphy was on his way

down the old boreen leading

down to the shore to collect the herring catch from his brothers.

He left his ass and cart on the

road and hastily ran to where

all the fishermen were

emptying their nets,

shouting as he came towards them that some currach had

just been lost.

It was only then they realised

who hadn’t made it ashore. Three others braved the

elements and rowed out to the

spot but on reaching there, found no trace of anything.

It was at that moment they realised they had just lost three of their comrades.

Edward Murphy, who witnessed the currach sinking said

afterwards, “It almost stood by its stern before sliding beneath the waves.”

That day was so rough and stormy the search had to be

called off until the next day. By

then the wind had eased and the sea was much calmer. All

the local fishing boats (sail boats then) and currachs combed the surrounding area as well as extensive searching of

all neighbouring shorelines. The currach was washed up near Bearnagh Point. After

frantic searching with weighted hooks and a lot of patience, two

of the bodies were picked up –

those of Anthony Ruane and Michael Barrett. Several weeks

later the body of Willie Reilly was discovered on Sraigh shore by a local man, the late John Donoghue.

For some time after a lot of herring was caught in Elly Bay

but for several decades now the herring has not been a prime catch in Blacksod Bay anymore. Curiously enough most of the fishing tragedies that occurred

around in the past have been linked in some way to herring fishing.

   i gCaimbne taiór fear a baithu i gCrian eilli fadé

Willie Reilly (Tone)

 Michael Barrett (Annie)

Anthony Ruane (Jamsey)

Mullaghroe South

Lost in Elly-Bay while herring fishing on 31. Oct. 1923

Plaque erected at Elly Bay in 2003

Erected by Martin (Jack) Barrett grandson of Michael Barrett (Annie) Bill Fallon, (Grandson of Willie Reilly

Tone) also grandnephew to

Michael Barrett (Annie) and cousin to Anthony Ruane

(Jamesey) and John Paul

Murphy (great grandson of

Willie Reilly Tone) and Great

Grandnephew to Michael Barrett (Annie) Brendan

Gallagher (great grandnephew

to Michael Barrett (Annie) and Anthony Ruane (Jamesey)

   This poem written and composed

By the late John Monaghan,

 known locally as Johnny Liam Óig, Ardmore,

Words collected by the Late Kate Gaughan, Cross.

The Elly Bay Drowning

That day at noon oh what a gloom was cast over Mullaghroe

No tiding came from the angry mane to the waves dashed to and fro

The breeze it struck, the boat had shook it sank ’twas sad to say

They closed their eyes to earth and sighed at fatal Elly Bay

For Riley, Barrett and Ruane and earth they bid adieu

For well-known round Belmullet town yes, and well respected too

Their manner and their Mainer had always brought them friends

Till that fatal day at Elly Bay, those men now met their end.

They met their end their troubled friends go mourning by the shore

And the face of those three fishermen in earth will meet no more

They’ve lost their lives, their widowed wives, their children were but small

They weeped and wept and won’t forget till God does on them call

This monument is to the lifes lost  can be found using the map