For many of us, Christmas is a time of goodwill and making merry, if you are fortunate enough and depending on what you do for a living. For seafarers, it tends to be just another time of the year. But in the days of sail, it was also a sailor’s lottery of favourable weather, location and a sound ship. The luck ran out for many of those men on Christmas week 1825, when a hurricane raged, and at least six, possibly seven, ships were dashed upon the Waterford shore.

What Christmas 2025 looks like with freighters, tankers, car ferries etc – note 90% of all your Christmas gifts probably came by sea – a fact that the Irish government and media tends not to talk about.

Christmas Hurricane

Contemporary newspaper reports over Christmas 1825 carry many tales of the terrible storm. As ships departed from the harbour on December 19 little did they know that the freshening winds from the south were to whip up into a frenzy in a few short hours.

The newspapers were filled with reports of damage ashore, including heavy snowfall, gale force winds, a hurricane at sea, and driving rain, flooding from high tides and swollen rivers as far inland as Carlow. At its height the wind was recorded as SSE, and anyone who follows the page would not be surprised to hear that the storm hit during spring tides. The winds strengthened during Monday afternoon and by 10 pm were “a terrifying storm”.

All night long, the wind raged and into the following forenoon of Tuesday, 20. Early reports were pessimistic about what details would subsquently emerge about those at sea. It would be later reported that Waterford and Cork were the worst impacted. It seems Wexford was untouched – but perhaps I missed the reports. We will concentrate on the seven Waterford incidents for this account – we couldn’t fit the rest! I will mention, briefly, a list of others between here and Cork harbour at the end.

An image of a shipwreck of the era. The item is held by John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14511438

The incidents off Waterford are as follows:

1. The Flora of Brixham lost with all hands at Tramore
2. The Esther was driven ashore at Dungarvan Bar
3. The Royal Oak was also in trouble at Dungarvan
4. A brig Endeavour went to pieces at Stradbally with loss of life
5. The Bolton lost with all hands west of Tramore
6. A sloop Catherine at Ardmore – all saved it seems
7. Oxen ashore at Ballymacaw, no wreck identified, but I have a few theories to share.

The Flora

The Flora of Brixham was lost with all hands at Tramore at 9am on Tuesday 20 December. The ordeal was viewed from the shoreline by anxious onlookers who could do nothing in the weather conditions to help. As memories must have been fresh from the horror of the Seahorse, it’s likely news of the distressed vessel spread quickly through the town. An article later appeared, which was reprinted widely, apparently drawn directly from a witness to the event. I will include it in full although I found it interesting that no mention was made to the newly installed Metal Man becons (not that they could have helped at night).

On Tuesday morning last, at a very early hour, a vessel which proved to be the Flora, of Brixham, Peter Jarman master, was seen off Tramore Bay, near Waterford. She appeared reduced to the last state of distress, she bad barely survived—no doubt, but one of those extraordinary efforts, which only are made at sea, and which human creatures are only capable of making when life itself is at stake. She had survived the terrors of the dreadful night which bad just closed. The light of day, which never more was to return to her ill-fated crew, only served to give them a more distinct view of the horrors of their situation. The sea rose mountains high the tempest continued its dreadful roaring, all human aid seemed to be cut off from wretches who were doomed, within sight of the firm earth, to perish under the fury of the dreadful elements.

As the morning advanced, crowds of country people collected on the beach; they beheld distinctly the scene of phrenzy (sic) and distress; the hapless vessel drifted to the western side of the bay; they beheld it ‘with horror pale and torpid with amaze,’ but they did not attempt, and if they had, it was not possible that they could in rendering the slightest assistance.

At half-past eight the report of two shots, proceeding from the now-sinking vessel, were heard—they were signals of distress ; but, alas no signals of hope or comfort were returned. The country people also relate that they heard, or thought they heard, cries of grief and despair from the forlorn crew as they stood upon the awful brink of eternity. The vessel struggled and drifted a great deal It was evident to all that beheld that heart rending spectacle that the brave sufferers did all in their power, even to the last moment, to preserve her; but all their efforts were vain.

She had already lost her masts and stern—at nine o’clock in the morning she was overturned—and in a few minutes she went to pieces! This terrible event occurred in the Bay of Tramore, and within sight of a number of persons. A moment of awful silence elapsed ; after which, a shriek of horror escaped from the crowd, who stood on the shore motionless spectators of the destruction of their fellow-men.

As for the sufferers, not a sound was heard from them. They sunk into eternity in a moment ! Not a single individual was saved; and thus closed a catastrophe which was witnessed with anguish by the Individual who communicated the substance of these melancholy particulars.

Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal – Friday 30 December 1825; page 2

A view of the scene of the Flora tragedy, perhaps the same location as the eye witness used in the account. Luke Myres Image courtesy of Fáilte Ireland – I know, I have loads of my own…I just can’t file or find em

Unfortunately, there are 17 Flora’s listed in Lloyd’s register of shipping in 1825. I can’t pin it down as none are registered in Brixham, and none with Jarman as master. The closest is one at Weymouth, a sloop operated by Captain W Rogers. That particular ship is 67 tons, single-decked and 23 years old. She is classed as EI with Lloyds. If I were a betting man, I would say it’s the same, but I’m not! Even at Christmas. Post Publication: note comment from John below. Also this info also came in from 1820 register –  a Schooner Flora, P Jarmnd master, registered to a Collier & Co at Teignmouth. Built 1812, 115 tons and classed as AI at the time.

Brig Bolton

Another wreck on Tuesday was discovered about three miles west of Tramore, at the time it was speculated that all her crew perished. Certainly, I could find no mention of survivors. Much of her timbers were driven ashore into a small cove between Newtown Head and Islandkane and this allowed for identification. A brig called the Bolton of Maryport, and it was speculated to have been in ballast – most likely because no goods were strewn ashore.

According to Lloyds Register, the Bolton was 109 tons. Her age is stated as old and operating for her Captain and other shareholders. She was registered as EI – Second quality with first class rigging etc. Another article stated that the master of the Bolton was Captain Mars. Tragically, two of his sons were also aboard. It was reported a few weeks later that his daughter, Miss S Mars, died at home, perhaps from grief. Her mother was left alone, having lost her husband, two sons and a daughter, all within 17 days.

Esther and Royal Oak  ashore at Dungarvan

The Esther was driven ashore at Dungarvan Bar, she had travelled from California via Cape Horn and was almost at her destination of Liverpool. It later transpired that she was a loss, but it was reported that about 2000 hides were saved from out of the vessel. It seems likely that the crew were saved.

Another vessel, the Royal Oak, was ashore at Dungarvan too. However I have no further information on the incident and perhaps she was later refloated. With the absence of any specifics, I could not identify either vessel in Lloyd’s register – there were nine Esthers and four Royal Oaks.

Sloop Catherine of Cardiff

The sloop Catherine was ashore at Ardmore – most likely Whiting Bay to the west of Ram Head. Captain Watkins Richards later wrote to papers to publicly acknowledge the assistance of Thomas John Jr, Lloyd’s agent and William Moore, Chief Officer at Ardmore Coastguard for assistance given after his ship was driven ashore. Captain Richards blames the absence of a lighthouse in the vicinity for his misfortune. Elsewhere, it states the vessel was carrying fruit, the crew were saved, and there were hopes that the vessel might be salvaged. Lloyds List reported that she refloated the following day and was expected to enter port on the next tide.

There were almost five pages of ships named Catherine listed in Lloyd’s register. Captain Richards has a sloop of 59 tons, registered as we know in Cardiff and employed on the Waterford to Bristol Channel run normally for Davis & Co. The ship is in her 7th year and is classed AI = First class with first quality rigging and equipment. Perhaps that’s why she survived the grounding –  that and the fact that the elements cooperated.

Brig Endevour

Another vessel was lost at Stradbally and although reports of the location vary, I’m guessing by the spelling it was Ballyvooney. The reports were consistent with one detail and that all on board perished, except the captain and mate. Grusomly many reports carry the news that the vessel was in pieces and that “…Mangled remains of her crew have been washed in…”

The captain and mate survived as they had waited aboard until the last moment and as their ship foundered, the men grabbed hold of a plank of wood and were washed ashore. I could find no details on the time of day, whether people ashore helped in the rescue but it was clear that the remains of the dead were gathered up and given a christian burial. The ship was the Endeavour (Captain Williams) of and for Pwlhely, Wales from Cork.

Lloyd’s register contains 26 Endevours in its 1825 register of shipping! Captain Williams’ brig is listed towards the end, but has very little details about the vessel, 82 tons capacity, singe decked, involved in coasting trade and owned by the Thompson family. She is rated as second class, with first quality fittings. She was apparently 13 years old.

Ballymacaw mystery

Elsewhere, it was widely reported that the locals at Ballymacaw had a very welcome Christmas windfall when fifty head of oxen washed ashore, “…which were instantly made a prey of and skinned by the country people.” Why not! No ship was sighted or known to have sunk; many of the carcases were said to be still warm, which was surely a dramatically false detail.

Theories? Is it possible that Bolton or Flora may have jettisoned cargo overnight in an effort to survive? I haven’t found any mention of what either vessel was carrying.  One other plausible cause is that one ship left Passage for Newport in Wales just before the storm struck. The Samuel and Watkins was last seen off Tuskar Rock but never made it to port. I don’t know her cargo but it is surely plausible that she could have been driven back by the fury of the storm and foundered off Ballymacaw. Of course, the story of the oxen could have been made up and then widely republished as fact.

Finally, another small measure of good news. It was reported that the Tottenham, of New Ross, had arrived in Waterford harbour from Canada with fourteen crewmen of the barque Albion (of Hull), which they had picked up after abandoning ship earlier that month. A good Christmas for those poor souls, at least.

Other incidents

Other incidents that were reported between Youghal and Cork were as follows:

• The Elizabeth was ashore at Ballycotton but crew was saved,
• Also at Ballycotton, the Britannia of Padstow was also ashorebut only the master was saved and the vessel was described as “totally lost”
• The schooner June of Waterford was washed ashore with no loss of life. The vessel was enroute from Glasgow to Penzance with a cargo of oats.
• The sloop Expedition of Dungarvan was elsewhere recorded as ashore near Cork.
• A preventative cutter – smashed againgst quays in Cobh
• Brig Ceres of Cork, Sloop Louisa and Schooner Union all ashore but little damage in Cork harbour area
• Sloop Resolute ashore and “much damaged”
• Portuguese schooner Diligent ashore and stoved
• Courtney – a hooker ashore
• The cork shoreline was reported as strewn with wreckage with quays, buildings, flagstaffs washed away. Meanwhile it stated that the loss of small boats was considerable.

Conclusion

Six or perhaps seven shipwrecks on the Waterford coast that one Christmas week. For perspective, I have compiled a database of shipwrecks over several years, thanks in no small part to the direct and generous assistance of Dr Eddie Bourke, of Irish Shipwreck books fame. For 1825, I presently have only five other incidents for the entire year! It sure puts the vagaries of weather in the days of sail into perspective. It also makes me glad of modern forecasting and the assurance of so many rescue services – all of which will be on standby this Christmas.

Happy Christmas to all, especially those working or on standby and a safe, healthy, peaceful and prosperous 2026.

Any further information on any of these vessels or incidents would be appreciated.

For further Christmas related stories check out our Christmas Memories

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