Wreck Diving in Mayo
2 diveable wrecks in Mayo, Ireland. Depths range from 24–29m.
MV Shingle
From smuggling ship to artificial reef. Seized by the Irish Revenue Commissioners in 2014 while carrying 32 million cigarettes and 4.5 tonnes of tobacco -- a haul worth EUR 14 million in lost tax revenue -- the MV Shingle was deliberately sunk on 18 September 2024 in Killala Bay to create Ireland's first purpose-built artificial reef. All asbestos and pollutants were stripped from the 60-metre, 42-year-old hull before the controlled sinking. Then Storm Eowyn arrived on 24 January 2025 and broke the wreck into three sections -- bow, stern, and midships -- now lying 25-200 metres apart. Rather than a disaster, this created three distinct dive sites rather than one, with rapid barnacle growth and fish colonisation already established across all sections. Sits at approximately 29 metres. A cooperative venture between Killala Bay Ships 2 Reef, Revenue Commissioners, and Mayo and Sligo County Councils.
SS Thames
Undiscovered for over 90 years. The 295-ton London cargo steamer SS Thames struck St. Patrick's Rock off Kilcummin Head in fog on 5 March 1893 while carrying guano from London to Sligo. She backed off the rock into deeper water and sank at 24 metres. All 12 crew were saved. The wreck then vanished from memory until 14 September 1984, when Castlebar Sub-Aqua Club located her at the very same rock. Built in 1860, this Victorian-era steamer and her cargo represent a snapshot of 19th-century coastal trade along the Irish west coast. An intermediate boat dive in the sheltered waters of Killala Bay, now joined by the nearby MV Shingle artificial reef.