Cargo vessel · 1898–1916 · Cork, Ireland

SS Aud

Also known as Aud, SS Libau, Libau, Castro.

Rather than let 20,000 rifles fall into British hands, Captain Karl Spindler scuttled his own ship. The vessel known as the SS Aud was really the SS Libau, a German ship got up to look like a Norwegian steamer, and in her holds were 20,000 rifles, a million rounds of ammunition and ten machine guns meant for the Easter Rising planned for 1916.

She came from Germany by way of Scotland and was lying off the Kerry coast by 20 April 1916, but a failure of communication meant she never met the Irish rebels. The Royal Navy intercepted her and escorted her towards Cork Harbour. At its entrance, not far from Daunts Rock, Spindler set off the scuttling charges, and on 22 April the Aud went down with every one of her weapons.

Her wreck, at approximately 30 metres at the mouth of the harbour, is very broken up, though boilers and thousands of rifle bullets can still be seen in the debris. She ranks among the most historically significant wrecks in Ireland.

StatusProtected site
Type
Cargo vesselGerman
Year built
1898Workman, Clark and Co., Belfast
Lost
April 22nd, 1916Scuttled
Casualties
0Easter Rising 1916
Tonnage
1,071 GRTsteam
Length
61 m10.7 m beam
Depth
5–30 m
Location
Cork, IrelandCeltic Sea

4 of 8 facts above are cited in Sources below.

Deeper than 88 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.

  • Depth: 30 m shown; range in sources 24.6–30 m. Other published figures exist (why sources disagree).

History and LossLost April 22nd, 1916 · Scuttled · Easter Rising 1916 · Cork, Ireland.

The Aud departed Lübeck, Germany, on 9 April 1916 carrying arms for the Easter Rising. Disguised as the Norwegian steamer Aud, she sailed around Scotland to avoid detection. She arrived off Fenit, County Kerry, on 20 April but the planned rendezvous with Irish rebels failed due to miscommunication about dates. After waiting in vain, the Aud was intercepted by HMS Bluebell on 21 April.

While she was under escort towards Cork Harbour, Captain Karl Spindler had scuttling charges set. On 22 April 1916, at the mouth of the harbour, the crew abandoned ship and the Aud sank with her entire cargo of weapons, denying them to both the rebels and the British.

Built 1898 by Workman, Clark and Co., Belfast; 18 years in service, also recorded as Aud and SS Libau and Libau and Castro. Lost April 22nd, 1916, scuttled during Easter Rising 1916.

0lives lost on April 22nd, 1916.

The Voyage

Last voyage
Lubeck to Fenit, County Kerry
Destination
Fenit
Cargo
20,000 rifles, 1 million rounds of ammunition, explosives, 10 machine guns

Condition of the WreckScattered, in 5–30 m, on sand and rock.

Intactness

Very broken up. The ship has deteriorated extensively over 100+ years. Boilers are the most prominent structural feature. Thousands of rifle bullets from the cargo are scattered across the wreck site and surrounding seabed.

Anchors were recovered in 2012 for conservation.

Notable Features

  • Easter Rising arms cargo — 20,000 rifles, 1 million rounds
  • Thousands of rifle bullets still visible on seabed
  • Boilers prominent among wreckage
  • Scuttled by Captain Karl Spindler rather than surrender
  • Anchors recovered 2012 for conservation
  • One of most historically significant wrecks in Ireland

Regulations and RestrictionsProtected site.

This is a legally protected site. Protected wreck (over 100 years old) under the National Monuments Acts (National Monuments Service).

No artefact removal - nationally significant wreck.

Additional Details16 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.

Nationality
German
Flag
Germany (disguised as Norwegian)
Builder
Workman, Clark and Co., Belfast
Propulsion
Steam
Loss date
April 22nd, 1916
Conflict / event
Easter Rising 1916
Latitude
51.71° N
Longitude
8.24° W
Water body
Celtic Sea
Protection regime
National monument / Protected under Irish law due to historical significance to 1916 Rising
Artefact restrictions
No artefact removal - nationally significant wreck
War grave
No
Protected
Yes
Permit required
No
Condition
Scattered
Seabed
Sand and rock

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

Background reading is listed for context and is not counted as a citation for the facts above.

  • INFOMAR Shipwrecks © Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  • © Government of Ireland. National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

A further 5 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 SS Aud?

SS Aud is the wreck of a cargo vessel, off Cork, Ireland, at 30 metres. SS Aud was scuttled in 1916.

How deep is the SS Aud?

SS Aud lies at 5 to 30 metres, Near Daunt Rock, entrance to Cork Harbour.

How did the SS Aud sink?

SS Aud was scuttled on April 22nd, 1916 during Easter Rising 1916, off Cork, Ireland. No lives were lost.

Is the SS Aud protected?

Yes. SS Aud is protected: protected wreck (over 100 years old) under the National Monuments Acts (National Monuments Service).