Cargo vessel · 1865–1876 · Dublin, Ireland
SS Vesper
Captain Tolson and 18 men rowed 12 miles to Killiney Bay. Every one of them made it. On 13 January 1876, their ship -- the 478 GRT iron merchant steamer SS Vesper, laden with 620 tons of coal and sugar bound from Glasgow to Dunkirk -- had run aground on the Kish Bank and broken in two.
Built by Courlay Bros of Dundee in 1865 for Huntley & Berner of Glasgow, the Vesper now lies at an estimated 10-15 metres on the shallow bank, approximately 11 kilometres off the Dublin coast. A protected archaeological site with LIVE status, the wreck provides a welcome oasis of marine life on the otherwise featureless sandy bank.
- Type
- Cargo vessel
- Year built
- 1865Courlay Bros, Dundee
- Lost
- January 13th, 1876Grounding
- Depth
- 10–15 m
- Location
- Dublin, IrelandIrish Sea
1 of 5 facts above is cited in Sources below.
Deeper than 33 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.
History and LossLost January 13th, 1876 · Grounding · Dublin, Ireland.
On 13 January 1876, the SS Vesper, a relatively new 60-horsepower iron steamer carrying 620 tons of coal and sugar from Glasgow to Dunkirk, ran aground on the Kish Bank in the Irish Sea. The vessel broke in two on the shallow sandbank. Captain Tolson and his crew of 18 hands took to the ship's boat and steered for land approximately 12 miles away, arriving safely in Killiney Bay. No lives were lost.
Built 1865 by Courlay Bros, Dundee; 11 years in service. Lost January 13th, 1876, Grounding.
The Voyage
- Cargo
- 620 tons of coal and sugar
Condition of the Wreckin 10–15 m.
Intactness
The wreck broke in two when she grounded on the Kish Bank. Remains sit in approximately 10-15m on sand. The wreck has protected archaeological status. Marine life colonisation provides an oasis on the otherwise featureless sandy bank.
Notable Features
- Broke in two on Kish Bank
- Protected archaeological site (LIVE status)
- Marine life oasis on sandy bank
- All crew survived after 12-mile row to Killiney Bay
Regulations and Restrictions
Protected wreck (over 100 years old) under the National Monuments Acts (National Monuments Service).
Additional Details8 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Builder
- Courlay Bros, Dundee
- Loss date
- January 13th, 1876
- Latitude
- 53.27° N
- Longitude
- 5.93° W
- Water body
- Irish Sea
- War grave
- No
- Protected
- No
- Permit required
- No
Sources and VerificationEvery cited fact on this page traces to a published source.
- Geological Survey Ireland / Marine Institute (INFOMAR)gsi.geodata.gov.ie · Official record5 facts
- Irish Shipwrecksirishshipwrecks.com · Secondary source2 facts
- Dawlish Chroniclesdawlishchronicles.com · Secondary source1 fact
- DUSACdusac.org · Secondary source1 fact
- OceanFocusoceanfocus.ie · Secondary source1 fact
- Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org · Background reading1 fact
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.
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 Vesper?
SS Vesper is the wreck of a cargo vessel, off Dublin, Ireland, at 15 metres. SS Vesper ran aground and was wrecked in 1876.
How deep is the SS Vesper?
SS Vesper lies at 10 to 15 metres, Kish Bank, ~11 km off Dublin coast.
How did the SS Vesper sink?
SS Vesper ran aground and was wrecked on January 13th, 1876, off Dublin, Ireland.
Is the SS Vesper protected?
Yes. SS Vesper is protected: protected wreck (over 100 years old) under the National Monuments Acts (National Monuments Service).