SS DUNDALK PLAQUE
THE S.S. Dundalk 1918 Commemoration Committee organised an Ecumenical Service in St. Patricks to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the S.S. Dundalk.
The ship was torpedoed by a German U boat, just 4 weeks before the end of WW1. Twenty lives were lost in the disaster and there were twelve Survivors.
Bagpiper Mark Toner led the Colour party who carried the Tricolour and organisational flags into the church. Flags of O.N.E. Dundalk Town Council, RNLI, Lifeboats, Commissioners of Irish Lights, Sea Scouts, Dundalk Sub Aqua Club and Dundalk and Newry Steampacket Company.
The Clergy, Fr Mark O’Hagan, Rev. Geoffrey Walmsley and Rev John Woodside led the subsequent service which included prayers, readings and the Gospel. The names of all twenty who died were read by Alan Bogan and the names of the twelve survivors by Jacinta Kerley. The solemnity of the occasion was marked by the ringing of the bell for each of 32 people who were on board that fateful night 100 years ago.
Two new plaques were unveiled in the Church. One for the young Welsh man Harold Grey. In 1919 the Dundalk Disaster Fund Committee erected a Plaque and stained glass window in memory of all who died on the S.S Dundalk. The other plaque was to commemorate the 100th Anniversary and Commemoration Service and was unveiled by Anne Howard, granddaughter of Capt. Hugh O’Neill.
During the service many of the Readings, Prayers of the Faithful and Poems were read by relatives.
Marie Agnew, Grace Higgins, David O’Neill, Dylan Tuite, Aoibheann Byrne, Betty Cleary, Audrey Tuite and Ethan McGinn.
There was a large attendance at the service. Relatives of those who lost their lives in 1918 and also of the survivors. Relatives of the flu victims. Just as the townspeople supported the Dundalk Disaster fund of 1918 the townspeople of Dundalk came to support the Commemoration of the event in 2018.
Later that night a large crowd came to the Quay for the final prayers and blessing. At exactly 11.10 pm which was the time the S.S. Dundalk was hit by the torpedo in 1918, Charlie McCarthy ran the bell followed by a minute’s silence. Elizabeth Flan- agan then sang Amazing Grace. As the wreath was hung on the wall of the Spirit Store, Geraldine O’Meara played a lament on accordion.