Lighthouse tender · 1928–1940 · Wexford, Ireland

ILV Isolda

Also known as Isolda, SS Isolda.

"LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE" -- the words were painted in five-foot letters on both sides of the hull. It made no difference. On 19 December 1940, the Irish Lights tender ILV Isolda left Rosslare Harbour carrying crew and Christmas provisions for the Barrels and Coningbeg lightships. Three miles out, with the Saltee Islands off her starboard beam, a German Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor attacked without warning and sank her.

Six crew members from Dun Laoghaire were killed. Ireland was neutral. The Isolda was on a humanitarian mission to supply lighthouses. She was 198 feet long, 734 tonnes, built at Dublin Dockyard and launched on 26 January 1928.

The sinking remains one of the most poignant examples of the dangers faced by neutral Ireland during the Second World War.

Type
Lighthouse tenderIrish
Year built
1928Dublin Dockyard
Lost
December 19th, 1940Bombing
Casualties
6World War II (neutral Ireland)
Tonnage
734 GRTsteam
Length
60.4 m
Depth
30–50 m
Location
Wexford, IrelandCeltic Sea

3 of 8 facts above are cited in Sources below.

Deeper than 149 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.

  • Tonnage: 734 GRT shown; range in sources 734–1,100 GRT. Other published figures exist (why sources disagree).

History and LossLost December 19th, 1940 · Bombing · World War II (neutral Ireland) · Wexford, Ireland.

Christmas was coming when the ILV Isolda sailed from Rosslare Harbour on the morning of 19 December 1940, bound to supply and man the Barrels and Coningbeg lightships for the holiday. Aboard were her own twenty-eight crew plus seven relief men. Three miles into the passage a German Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor attacked her, even though "LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE" was painted plainly along each side in letters five feet high.

Six men died when she sank. Ireland was officially neutral during WWII, and the Irish Lights service was regarded as a neutral humanitarian operation.

Built 1928 by Dublin Dockyard; 12 years in service, also recorded as Isolda and SS Isolda. Lost December 19th, 1940, bombing during World War II (neutral Ireland).

6lives lost on December 19th, 1940.

Condition of the Wreckin 30–50 m.

Intactness

Off the Saltee Islands in County Wexford lies the Isolda, whose present state has not been well recorded in public sources.

Notable Features

  • Bombed despite Irish neutrality and clear LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE markings
  • One of most poignant WWII incidents in Irish waters
  • On humanitarian mission to supply lighthouses for Christmas
  • Six crew from Dún Laoghaire killed
  • Attacked by German Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor

Additional Details12 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.

Nationality
Irish
Flag
Ireland
Builder
Dublin Dockyard
Propulsion
Steam
Loss date
December 19th, 1940
Conflict / event
World War II (neutral Ireland)
Latitude
52.06° N
Longitude
6.55° W
Water body
Celtic Sea
War grave
No
Protected
No
Permit required
No

Sources and VerificationEvery cited fact on this page traces to a published source.

  • © Government of Ireland. National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

A further 4 fields were derived from the wreck’s recorded position rather than taken from a source.

Licences and credits for the open data used on this site are on the Attribution page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ILV Isolda?

ILV Isolda is the wreck of a lighthouse tender, off Wexford, Ireland, at 50 metres. ILV Isolda was sunk by air attack in 1940.

How deep is the ILV Isolda?

ILV Isolda lies at 30 to 50 metres, Off the Saltee Islands, County Wexford.

How did the ILV Isolda sink?

ILV Isolda was sunk by air attack on December 19th, 1940 during World War II (neutral Ireland), off Wexford, Ireland. 6 people lost their lives.