The s.s.“Ballina”

The s.s.“Ballina”

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(Taken from the Quay School Project).

(The ship left Liverpool, overladen, with her crew of four on the 6^th January, 1882, to return to Ballina, but was never seen again. The ship’s bell was found in a wreck off the coast of the Isle of man in 1971, and returned to Ballina. A pilot at the Quay, Pat Walsh, after guiding out the ship from the harbour, failed to disembark at Enniscrone, and proceeded to Liverpool, where he left the little coaster and returned to Ballina, via Dublin. Despite pleas from the crew to stay with them over the Christmas he returned home, a decision which saved his life). (P.J.C.)

IT was on the 5^th January,

I remember well the day,

Our gallant ship “The Ballina” sailed from Liverpool quay.

The cargo being too heavy as the captain he did say

Addressing all his crew before they left the quay.

The storm arose, the thunder rolled,

The lightning it did flash,

The waves again our vessel tremendously did dash.

The captain cried “prepare yourself

For death it is at hand,

Unless the storm ceases we will never reach the land!”

The captain and his gallant crew did their duty well,

The hardship that they bore that night no pen or tongue can tell.

Pat Carney and Jack Hennigan and James Walsh makes three,

They were the finest young men that ever left the quay;

They left their friends and parents in sorrow for to mourn,

Each one lamenting for their own who never will return.

God help poor Mrs. Hennigan, she’s reason to deplore—

For her last and only son

She’ll never see no more.

                              Author Unknown.