Another casualty of the great storm of 22nd December 1894 was the Belfast owned coaster Tyrconnel. She had left Dundalk the previous evening en route to Belfast with 135 tons of general cargo, and although the weather at the time was noted as boisterous, her skipper, Captain Rogers decided to make passage and hug the north east coastline for shelter.
Just after midnight the wind increase to hurricane force and the small steamer was pushed further offshore and eventually had to run with the mountainous seas towards the Galloway coast. Out of control she was eventually driven ashore in Ward Bay, just north of the harbour entrance at Portpatrick.
The Tyrconnel ashore Ward Bay, Portpatrick
As can be seen from the photograph, the Tyrconnel stranded well up the beach, this and the quick action of the local rocket brigade enabled all the crew to get ashore safely, but no doubt soaked to the skin.
The Tyrconnel was eventually refloated in April 1895, after surviving a number of storms during her short stay ashore. Other vessels lost in the same storm along this section of coastline such as the Australia, Oswald, Seamew and The Prince were less fortunate and all became total wrecks.
