Edmond (1833)

The Edmond was a chartered passenger sailing vessel that sank off the coast of Kilkee, County Clare on 19 November 1850.

[3] It was built in 1833 in Granville, Nova Scotia, a small community near Annapolis Royal, a town that became famous for wooden shipbuilding during the 1800s.

After a full day of sailing, a fierce winter storm struck, blowing the ship back towards the Clare coast.

The captain's attempts to steer the brig back up the Shannon were futile, as the gale had destroyed the sails and two of the three masts were lost.

By Tuesday 19 November all attempts at keeping the ship away from the shore ended in failure and at around 11 pm that night, she was blown into Kilkee Bay.

As the ship foundered so close to the shore, Mr Richard Russell, the owner of Sykes House, and his servant Henry Likely rushed down to the rocks to help.

Mr Russell was soon joined by three members of the Clare Coast Guard, and they began to assist the passengers from the rocks and onto the land below Sykes House.

Commemorative plaque for the Edmond located at the site of the wreck in Kilkee, County Clare, Ireland