The steel steamship Claremorris was launched from the yard of Scott & Sons of Bowling (Yard No.260) on 4 September 1917. The vessels dimensions were 179.6′ x 28.6′ x 10.9’ with a tonnage of 632gt / 238nt. Power came from triple expansion steam engine developing 90 rhp and driving a single shaft and propellor. The vessels official number was 136366.
SS Claremorris
Designed as a collier she first served with the RN during WWI after which she was taken into ownership of John Kelly Limited of Belfast. The Claremorris was employed on regular trips from Northern Ireland to south west Scotland and northern England. On the morning of Tuesday 23rd December, 1924 she was en route from Dundalk to Ardrossan when she went ashore in rough weather, a few miles south of Corsewall Point.
The Claremorris was jammed between two large rocks close to the shore at March Point. The lamp trimmer, James Thomson, volunteered to attempt to reach the shore and summon help. As the sea crashed on the rocks around him he scrambled down a ladder onto the rocks but was caught by the waves and dragged out to sea. Meanwhile, the continuous sounding of the ship’s horn had alerted a local farmer and he, with some other local inhabitants, arrived on the scene and succeeded in getting a rope to the wreck. The crew of ten then safely struggled ashore. James Thomson’s body was eventually washed ashore some days later and taken home to Northern Ireland for burial.
The Wreck Today
The wreck of the Claremorris lies in Redstone Cove in position 54° 56.061’N 05° 11.235’W (GPS) and can be located to the north of the prominent rocky outcrop in the photo above. The wreck is heavily broken and concreted into the surrounding rock and boulder seabed which is covered in thick kelp during summer months. Depths across the site range from 3 to 8 metres at high water, parts may almost break surface at low water.
The wrecks layout is very much as the picture of her afloat, with engine room to seaward and bow in shallows further into the small bay. This site is extremely exposed to the prevailing wind, tidal streams are noticeable offshore but not on the wreck itself. Like most of the wreck sites along this section of coastline the Claremorris is only accessible by boat and can be used as a second dive after visiting either the Haileybury or Rowan further offshore.
