Cargo vessel · lost 1918 · Cork, Ireland
SS Inniscarra
Also known as Inniscarra.
Father and son died together. Quartermaster Timothy Buckley of Blarney Street and his son Florence, a trimmer, were both serving aboard the SS Inniscarra when a German submarine torpedoed her on 12 May 1918, ten miles south-east of Ballycotton Island. Their deaths were part of a devastating pattern: in 1918 alone, the City of Cork Steam Packet Company lost the Inniscarra, the Innisfallen, the Imber, and the Serula.
By the Armistice, only one ship remained and over 178 employees were dead. Built by Wigham Richardson & Sons Ltd, the Inniscarra carried cargo on the Cork routes. The wreck lies off the Cork coast near Ballycotton.
- Type
- Cargo vesselBritish
- Lost
- May 12th, 1918Torpedo
- Depth
- 20–30 m
- Location
- Cork, IrelandCeltic Sea
1 of 4 facts above is cited in Sources below.
Deeper than 88 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.
History and LossLost May 12th, 1918 · Torpedo · World War I · Cork, Ireland.
On 12 May 1918, the SS Inniscarra was torpedoed by a German submarine ten miles south-east of Ballycotton Island, County Cork. The sinking was one of four losses suffered by the City of Cork Steam Packet Company in 1918 alone — the Innisfallen (May), Imber (July), and Serula (September) were also lost.
The cumulative toll was catastrophic: over 178 company employees killed and only one vessel remaining by the Armistice.
Lost May 12th, 1918, torpedo during World War I.
Condition of the Wreckin 20–30 m.
Intactness
Wreck condition not well documented publicly. The site lies off the Cork coast near Ballycotton.
Notable Features
- Part of devastating WWI losses for City of Cork Steam Packet Company
- Company lost all but one ship and 178+ employees
- Father and son (Buckley) both killed serving on same ship
- Torpedoed near Ballycotton Island
Regulations and Restrictions
Protected wreck (over 100 years old) under the National Monuments Acts (National Monuments Service).
Additional Details11 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Nationality
- British
- Flag
- United Kingdom
- Propulsion
- Steam
- Loss date
- May 12th, 1918
- Conflict / event
- World War I
- Latitude
- 51.78° N
- Longitude
- 8.25° 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.
- National Monuments Service — Wreck Inventory of Irelandassets.gov.ie · Official record3 facts
- publications.corkarchives.iepublications.corkarchives.ie · Secondary source7 facts
- richardpikeofnewbury.comrichardpikeofnewbury.com · Secondary source6 facts
- warwick.ac.ukwarwick.ac.uk · Secondary source4 facts
- Irish Wrecks Onlineirishwrecksonline.net · Secondary source2 facts
- Cllr Kieran McCarthykieranmccarthy.ie · Secondary source1 fact
- Irish Shipwrecksirishshipwrecks.com · Secondary source1 fact
- © Government of Ireland. National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
A further 3 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 Inniscarra?
SS Inniscarra is the wreck of a cargo vessel, off Cork, Ireland, at 30 metres. SS Inniscarra was torpedoed in 1918.
How deep is the SS Inniscarra?
SS Inniscarra lies at 20 to 30 metres, 10 miles south-east of Ballycotton Island, County Cork.
How did the SS Inniscarra sink?
SS Inniscarra was torpedoed on May 12th, 1918 during World War I, off Cork, Ireland.
Is the SS Inniscarra protected?
Yes. SS Inniscarra is protected: protected wreck (over 100 years old) under the National Monuments Acts (National Monuments Service).