SS Hibernia was a steamship built in the shipyards Palmer Brothers & Company[2] of Jarrow, County Durham, England, in 1861.

Originally owned by the Atlantic Royal Mail Steamship Navigation Company of London it carried mail and passengers and was engaged in many other parts of the world in cable laying work.

In 1873 Hibernia was also under contract to repair the French Atlantic Cable, that stretched from Brest to Saint-Pierre and Miquelon with Wilson Robert Cato as Master at Sheerness.

Hibernia assisted Great Eastern in her laying telegraph cables from Heart's Content, Newfoundland to Valentia, County Kerry, Ireland in 1873 and 1874.

On 21 November 1877, Hibernia sank while anchored off Ponta d'Areia, near São Luís, Maranhão.