“The Mexico”
Description
Mexico is wrecked on Keeragh rocks when the captain "lost his bearings." Fourteen Fethard men set out to rescue the crew "but their boat was smashed upon the rocks": Nine are drowned; the remaining five get the crew to an island and 12 are rescued.
Notes
February 20, 1914: "Nine members of the Fethard lifeboat were drowned when going to the assistance of the Norwegian steamer _Mexico_.... Eight of the Mexico's crew were saved by the five lifeboat survivors. All but one of the stranded survivors were saved with great difficulty the next day." (source: Bourke in _Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast_ v1, pp. 52-53) - BS
We note that at least four poems were written about this disaster (see the cross-references); one suspects a campaign to raise money for someone's family. - RBW
Historical references
- Feb 20-21, 1914 - The Mexico wreck
Cross references
- cf. "The Fethard Life-Boat Crew (I)" (subject)
- cf. "The Fethard Life-Boat Crew (II)" (subject)
- cf. "The Fethard Life-Boat Crew (III)" (subject)
- cf. "Loss of the Life-Boat Crew at Fethard" (subject)
References
- Ranson, pp. 28-30, "The Mexico" (1 text, 1 tune)
- BI, Ran028