Emotional unveiling as family marks 'forgotten tragedy'

​Captain of the SS Larne, John Quinn, and three of his crew - Francis Mulligan, Michael McParland and James McKay - died during the incident on Sunday, October 23, 1881.It happened as tranquil waters were suddenly transformed with winds whipping up the 'Carlingford Kettle' - a mini-tornado unique to the water. The men from the SS Larne succumbed to the icy waters whilst rowing back to their ship from Rostrevor after collecting essential supplies.

The plaque, in Margaret Street, was unveiled on Saturday afternoon by Captain Quinn's great, great grandson, Ian Noble.

The construction company managing director travelled to Newry with his wife, Leona, and other family members from their home town of Barrow-In-Furness in the north of England.

Ian told the Newry Reporter it was a proud and poignant occasion.

He said: "Captain Quinn died trying to save his crewmen. My mother (Maureen) was quite proud of this part of the history of her family. She used to go on to us constantly about the history and the captain that died in the lough.

"She passed away 12 months ago (on October 23, the same date as the Carlingford Lough tragedy). She would have loved to have been at the unveiling. It's quite poignant really it just coincides with the first anniversary of her passing."

Ian says a newspaper clipping on the tragedy from 1881 has been passed down through generations of his family after his ancestors moved to England.

He added: "It resonated with me for quite some time and I thought I'd do a bit of research. I am a Lambretta enthusiast; we had a Lambretta rally in Carlingford last year and went to Warrenpoint. There are various plaques on the harbour side commemorating people that were lost at sea."

Ian made contact with James McArevey, chairman of Newry Maritime Association. "James asked around, he asked people in the Ulster History Circle if they'd come across this before and they hadn't. It was a news story that really escaped everybody, just sort of slipped under the net."

No longer 'a forgotten tragedy,' the lives lost have now been officially commemorated.

​Ian's party of 10 from England also took time to catch up with family in Carlingford during their trip. He said: "Captain Quinn's daughter, Sarah Anne, married Edward McAteer, my great grandfather, who became a senior officer with Customs and Excise in Barrow-in-Furness. He had worked for Warrenpoint customs and he moved to Barrow.

“The McAteer family was quite large, there were eight children, so the McAteers are now quite firmly established in Barrow, there are a lot of them! But it all came from Warrenpoint.”

James McArevey made a presentation to Fr. Pat Tumilty in recognition of his help and also one to photographer, Liz Boyle, both long-time supporters of our maritime heritage project.