{{Infobox Historical Event

|Event_Name = The Long Watch

|Image_Name = Flag of Ireland.svg

|Image_Alt = Tricolour

|Image_Caption = Irish Tricolour

|AKA = [[World War II]]

|Participants = Irish Mercantile Marine

|Location =

|Date = {{Start date|1939|9|3}}

|Result =

|URL =

}}

{{TOClimit|2}}

[[Image:WW2 merchant-seamen memorial.JPG|right|280px|thumb|A memorial erected in Dublin in 1991 to members of the Irish mercantile marine lost during The Emergency]]

==Background==

Following independence, there was no state encouragement to develop the mercantile marine. Each year the fleet declined. In 1923 there were 127 Irish registered ships. By 1939 there were only 56. On 2 September 1939 the "realisation dawned on Ireland that the country was surrounded by water and that the sea was of vital importance to her.<ref>Gray page 33</ref> The Irish government established a state-operated shipping line, [[Irish Shipping]], which purchased eight vessels and leased five more.

There were several reasons for this decline: the war of independence, a policy of self-sufficiency, the Anglo-Irish trade war, the economic depression, and the lack of investment.

===Self-sufficiency===

DeValera advocated a policy of self-sufficiency. There was no emphasises on importing or exporting. On the other hand many “infant industries” were developed during the 1930s behind a protective tariff barrier; industries which proved valuable during the war years.

=== War of independence===

After the [[Irish War of Independence|war of independence]], and the [[Irish Civil War|civil war]] which followed it, the country was in near economic chaos. There had been destruction of industry and infrastructure. Many industries relocated to England. On the other hand, because of the poor [[Road|road]] and [[Rail tracks|rail]] network, it was often cheaper to transport by sea. To take advantage of this business opportunity, new [[Coastal trading vessel|coasters]] were acquired during the 1930s. They were intended to ply between one Irish port and another. They would prove themselves invaluable once hostilities began. Many of these small coaster were lost, particularly on the Lisbon run, a voyage for which they were never intended.

===Economic depression===

The [[Great Depression|economic depression]] had been global. It impacted Ireland less because of the partial recovery following the civil war and because industry was protected behind [[Trade barrier|tariff barriers]] established during the [[Anglo-Irish Trade War]]. But the need for extra sea capacity was readily met by British ships which were available because of the deeper effects of the depression there, rather than preserving the home fleet. The Limerick Steamship Company sold both its ocean-going ships, ''Knockfierna'' and ''Kilcredane''. They were Ireland's last ocean-going ships. At the outbreak of hostilities Ireland did not have a ship designed to cross the Atlantic. The Irish [[Minister (government)|government minister]] [[Frank Aiken]] negotiated the [[Bareboat charter| bareboat chartering]] of two oil-burning [[Steamboat|steamships]] from the [[United States Maritime Commission|United States Maritime Commission’s]] reserve fleet.

=== lack of investment===

Although there was state support for many industries, this did not extend to shipping. In 1935 civil servants warned deValera of the consequences a war would have on the importation of fuel <ref>Fisk: in time of war</ref>. The warning was ignored. Irish Banks and financial companies were reluctant to lend to Irish industry. The banks would not lend to Irish industry at 4% to purchase raw material, instead they gambled it for 2% on British War bonds. <ref>Farrell</ref>

===Response ===

[[Seán Lemass]] as [[Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ireland)|Minister for Industry and Commerce]], and later [[Minister for Supplies (Ireland)|Minister for Supplies]] sought to address these issues. The government established the [[Industrial Credit Corporation]] to finance industry. Life Assurers were required to hold their reserves in Ireland; promptly five of the six UK providers closed, lodging their business with [[Irish Life and Permanent|Irish Life Assurance]]. Private enterprises established included: Grain Importers Ltd., Animal Feed Stuffs Ltd., Fuel Importers Ltd., Oil and Fats Ltd., Timber Importers Ltd., and Tea Importers Ltd. Semi-state enterprises were established, including Irish Shipping. Private industry was encouraged, such as the plans for an oil refinery. In the event, this refinery was not built, but in 1938, seven oil tankers were built in Germany for Inver Tankers Ltd. These tankers were transferred to the British register.

== Choices ==

There were 127 Irish ships at independence in 1923. There were 56 Irish ships once the war commenced in September 1939. Up to that time some Irish ships had been flying the red ensign, but with the outbreak of hostilities, choices were forced. Some British crews of the Irish-registered railway-owned ferries were taken aback when the tricolour was hoisted. They went on strike and refused to sail until they were transferred to the British registry and red ensign was restored. Thirty lives were lost when ''Saint Patrick'' was bombed. ''Cumbria'' was more fortunate.

Others, such as the Belfast Steamship Company sailed under the tricolour. However no flag was a protection against mines, their ''Munster'' which sailed between Belfast and Liverpool, struck a mine approaching Liverpool and sank.

There were British ships flying the tricolour, such as the whaling ships which were Scottish-owned (Christian Salvesen Shipping)<ref>Forde</ref> but Irish-registered in order to take advantage of the Irish quota. After the outbreak of the war they transferred to the British registry. The six whale catchers and the two factory ships were pressed into naval service.<ref>http://iancoombe.tripod.com/id24.html</ref>

== German diplomacy ==

[[Image:Irish Oak.jpg|thumb|283px|right|''Irish Oak''. Oil by Kennneth King <br/> National Maritime Museum of Ireland]]

In August 1940 Germany threatened the country if trade with Britain continued<ref>Griven page 159 </ref> It was believed that some attacks on Irish ships and the bombing of [[Campile]] was to reinforce that message<ref>Griven page 161</ref>. Reports of Irish exports to Britain were censored, but the trade continued unabated. On 17 August 1940, Germany declared a large area around Britain to be a "scene of warlike operations"<ref>Forde, page 3</ref>. Prior to that, Germany had, on occasion, admitted attacks on Irish shipping and even paid compensation. That ceased after 17 August 1940.

We now know that [[Karl Dönitz|Dönitz]] issued a standing order to U-boats on 4 September 1940, which defined belligerent, neutral and friendly powers. Neutral included "Ireland in particular". The order concluded: {{cquote|Ireland forbids the navigation of her territorial waters by warships under threat of internment. That prohibition is to be strictly observed out of consideration for the proper preservation of her neutrality. signed, Dönitz<ref>Forde, page 144</ref>}} However those orders did not always protect Irish ships. Wolf Jeschonnek, commander of U-607 was mildly reprimanded "An understandable mistake by an eager captain" for sinking the [[Irish Oak]].<ref>Forde, page 58</ref>

==Food ==

{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding=5px

|years||Ireland||Britain||France||Germany

|1934/38

|3,109||3,042||2,714||2,921

|1946/47

|3,059||2,854||2,424||1,980

|}

The Irish enjoyed a high calorie before and during the conflict<ref>Food and Agricultural Organisation, Draft Report: European Programmes of Agricultural Reconstruction and Development (Washington 1948), p. 47-51, Table 9.</ref>

Ireland was a net food exporter. However imports of specific foods were required, such as fruits, tea and wheat. Nearly half of Ireland's wheat was imported from Canada<ref>{{cite book |title=Ireland during the Second World War |last=Wood |first=Ian |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2002 reprint 2003 |publisher=Caxton |location=London |isbn= 1840674180|page=77 }}</ref>

The extent to which Britain depended on Irish food exports for its survival requires further study. The difficulty arises in accounting for the effect of smuggling.

{{-}}

===Beef exports===

The official statistics, for cattle exported:

{| border="1" align="left" cellpadding=5px

|year|| 1938 ||1939||1940||1941||1942||1943||1944||1945

|cattle, thousands

|702||784||636||307||616||453||445||496

| Beef, thousand tons

| 0.0 ||1.0|| 0.3|| 16.2|| 5.7|| 1.0|| 3.1|| 3.9

There was an outbreak of [[Foot-and-mouth disease|foot-and-mouth disease]] in 1941. For some months the movement of live cattle was prohibited.

{{-}}

During the trade war, Britain imposed a tax on cattle from the Irish republic but not from Northern Ireland. As a result there was smuggling of cattle across the border. In 1934/5 this was estimated to be 93,000 per annum<ref>D.S.Johnson, ''Cattle smuggling on the Irish border 1932-38'' in ''Irish Economic and Social History'' vi 1979 pages 56,62</ref> Under the agreement reached at the end of the trade war the British set up a central authority for the purchase of cattle. The price set in 1939 was at the then market rates. As the war progressed open market prices rose dramatically.<ref>{{cite web |title= Ireland's external assets|url=http://www.tara.tcd.ie/handle/2262/3667 |last=Whitaker |first=T.K. |date=1949 |work= |publisher=TARA (Trinity's Access to Research Archive) |quote= The central purchasing arrangements introduced by Britain on the outbreak of war enabled her to keep the prices for agricultural produce, which form the bulk of our exports, at levels which m some

cases did not even cover costs of production Indeed, until we had no

longer an exportable surplus of butter we were selling butter to the

British Ministry of Food at a price which fell far short of the return

guaranteed to producers, the difference being made good by domestic

subsidy Lower prices were paid for our exports than for similar produce

raised in the Six Counties and Britain itself. Cattle, the mainstay

of our export trade, suffered particularly from this discrimination}}</ref> Cattle from Northern Ireland fetched a better price, so smuggling resumed. The [[Minister for Supplies (Ireland)|Department of supplies]] was "all in favour of the smuggling and urged that nothing should be done which might stop it.<ref>Censorship in Ireland, 1939-1945 By Donal Ó Drisceoil page 256</ref>

[[Image:MyGoodnessMyGuiness.jpg|thumb|left|upright|News of the threat to Guinness supplies was censored. However this advertisement appeared shortly afterwards.]]

===Wheat imports===

Although Ireland had a surplus of food, some foods were not traditionally grown in Ireland. As the climate was deemed unsuitable, only small acreages of wheat were cultivated. Orders for the compulsory tillage of wheat were made. In 1939 235,000 acres of what were planted, by 1945 it had increased to 662,000 acres.<ref>Ireland, 1912-1985: politics and society By Joseph Lee page 185</ref> However that was still insufficient. Imports were required.

Clashes between smugglers and Customs were commonplace. In 1940 the infamous "Battle of Dowra", on the Leitrim/Fermanagh border, took place. Revenue crews from Blacklion and Glenfarne intercepted over one hundred men with donkey loads of smuggled flour. Unwilling to part with their bounty, the smugglers used cudgels, boots, stones and fists in the ensuing struggle. Most of the flour was destroyed in the fray and some Revenue people were injured. <ref>http://www.revenue.ie/en/about/history/1932-1940.html</ref>

Early in 1942, the Allies restricted wheat deliveries to Ireland. Ireland threatened to withhold the export of [[Guinness]] beer! To the great annoyance of [[David Gray (ambassador)|Gray]], the American minister, Ireland received 20,000 tons of wheat<ref>Censorship in Ireland, 1939-1945: neutrality, politics, and society By Donal Ó Drisceoil. page 105</ref> Gray complained:{{cquote|a vital necessity for what Americans regard at the best as a luxury and at worst a poision}}

===Oil===

====Inver Tankers====

As mentioned earlier, there were plans to build an oil refinery near Dublin's [[Poolbeg Generating Station|Pigeon House]] . In the event, this refinery was not built, however seven oil tankers were built in Germany for Inver Tankers Ltd. At the outbreak of hostilities, Ireland had the most modern tanker fleet! Seven tankers, all built in 1938, each 500 ft long and capable of carrying 500 tons were on the Irish register.<ref>http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1939/feb/21/ships-built-abroad</ref> {{cquote|In a manner reminiscent of [[Neville Chamberlain|Chamberlin’s]] handover of the [[Treaty Ports (Ireland)|ports]] to deValera, two days after the outbreak of war, deValera himself transferred the tankers to the British registry without getting any promise of fuel supply in return.<ref>Coogan p250</ref>}} Actually they were transferred on the 8th, war had been declared on the 3rd.<ref>http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0077/D.0077.193909270020.html</ref> The entire fleet was lost.

Two days later on 11 September 1939, while still flying the Irish tricolour, the ''Inverliffey'' was sunk. In spite of Capt. William Trowsdale's protestation that they were Irish, [[German submarine U-38 (1938)|U-38]] said that they would sink ''Inverliffey'' as her papers showed that she was carrying petrol, which was "contraband" to England. The crew took to the lifeboats. ''Inverliffey'' burned fiercely endangering the lifeboats. At rish to herself, U-38 approached and threw lines to the lifeboats and towed them to safety. Capt. William Trowsdale's lifeboat was damaged, they were allowed to board the U-boat. The captain did not have lifebelt, so he was given one. The crew were transferred to the American tanker ''R.G. Stewart''.<ref>http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/16.html</ref><ref>http://www.aukevisser.nl/inter/id522.htm</ref> Neither the ''Inverliffey'' nor U-38 would have been aware of the registry change.<ref>http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0077/D.0077.193909270020.html</ref>

''Inverlane'' became a popular dive site<ref>http://www.ww2inthehighlands.co.uk/folders/sunkenwrecks/sea.htm</ref><ref>http://www.bluebelldiving.co.uk/viewreport.asp?id1=1&mid=15</ref> She was still visible above the water until a storm on 29 January 2000, ''Inverlane'' finally sank below the waves.<ref>http://www.panoramio.com/photo/12368154</ref>

These tankers were highly combustible when attacked, because of their cargo. The ''Inversuir'' was in ballast (empty) when torpedoed by [[German submarine U-34 (1936)|U-34]]. It surfaced and fired 51 rounds from the deck gun. Three hours later they fired another torpedo and left. The following night ''Inversuir'' was finally sunk by [[German submarine U-75 (1940)|U-75]]<ref>http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/967.html</ref>

''Inverdargle'' hit a mine, ''Inverilen'', ''Inverlee'', and ''Invershannon'' were torpedoed.

===Coal===

==Convoys==

Irish food exports were vital to Britain, so Irish ships were offered the protection of sailing in a convoy.

[[Lloyd's of London]] charged a higher premium to insure ships not in convoy.<ref name="Oxford_Companion_online">{{cite book|last=Robb-Webb|first=Jon|title=The Oxford Companion to Military History|editor=Richard Holmes|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|date=2001|series=Oxford Reference Online|chapter=Convoy|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com.rp.nla.gov.au:2048/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t139.e316}}</ref> When the ''City of Waterford'' joined Convoy OG-74, the lives of the crew were insured. The Dutch Tug ''Thames'' collied with the ''City of Waterford'', sinking her. The crew were rescued by HMS ''Deptford'' and transferred to the ''Walmer Castle''. Two days later ''Walmer Castle'' was bombed, killing five of the survivors from ''City of Waterford''. The claims for life insurance were refused, as when they died they were not crew of the ''City of Waterford'', but passengers of ''Walmer Castle''!

Two Limerick Steamship Company ships, ''Lanahrone'' and ''Clonlara'' were part of the "nightmare convoy"<ref>"Nightmare Convoy" by Lund and Ludlam (1987)</ref> OG-71. The Scottish ''Alva'' was sunk by U-559<ref>http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship.html?shipID=1061</ref>, on 19 August 1941, 13 survivors were rescued by ''Clonlara''. Two days later U-564 sunk ''Clonlara''. HMS ''Champion'' rescued 13 survivors (8 ''Clonlara'' crew and 5 from ''Alva''). With ten ships and over 400 lives lost the convoy retreated to neutral Portugal. An act describes as ''"a bitter act of surrender could ever come our way"''<ref>Nicholas Monsarrat, Life is a Four Letter Word, Cassell, London, 1970, page 114</ref> In Lisbon ''Clonlara''s crew went on strike, which was resolved with extra life-rafts and pay. The crew of the ''Irish Poplar'' were waiting in Lisbon,<ref group="note" name="ex03">The Greek ship ''Vassilious Destounis'' was abandoned when attacked. Enterprising Spanish fishermen brought her into [[Alicante]] and were awarded salvage by Spain. Irish Shipping purchased the ship and renamed her ''Irish Poplar''. A crew was dispatched to bring her to Dublin with a cargo of wheat. The Spanish authorities discovered that Des Brannigan was in that crew, and declared him a [[persona non grata]]. He had engaged in gun-running for the [[Second Spanish Republic|republicans]]. They had to divert to Lisbon and a Spanish crew recruited to bring the ''Irish Poplar'' to Lisbon. They were in Lisbon when the remnants of OG-71 limped in. The crew of the ''Irish Poplar'' resolved to sail home alone. They arrived in Dublin to be greeted by deV, Lemass and most of the cabinet. They later learned that prior to their arrival there was less than a weeks supply of wheat in the country.</ref> While the ''City of Dublin'' brought the ''Clonlara'' survivors to Cork, ''Lanahrone'' joined convoy HG-73. 9 of the 25 ships in that convoy were lost.<ref>http://www.amhinja.demon.co.uk/archive/HG73.htm</ref> ''Lanahrone'' reached Dublin safely. These experiences had a profound effect. Irish ship-owners on the advice of their masters decided to stop sailing in British convoys<ref>Forde page 87</ref>

==Iberian Trade==

The Iberian trade was also known as "The Lisbon run". In November 1939, the neutral United States ordered its ship not to enter the "war zone", which it defined with a line drawn from Spain to Iceland. Cargoes intended for Ireland were shipped to Portugal. It was up to the Irish to fetch them from there. Small coasters undertook this task. These coasters were intended, as their name implies, to sail around a coast. Frequently their [[Freeboard (nautical)|freeboard]] was one foot (30 cm); which might seem dangerous, but they were intended for coastal work; never to be out of sight of land; able to head to the nearest port if the weather was to deteriorate. They were to find themselves in waters for which they were never intended.

From January 1941, British authorities required Irish ships to visit a British port and obtain a "navicert".<ref>"navicert system." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 11 Aug. 2009 [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/406961/navicert-system].</ref> A ship with a "navicert" was given free passage through allied patrols and fuel,<ref>Coogan, page 250</ref> however they would be searched. Irish ships on on the "Lisbon run" were required to carry UK exports to Portugal.

[[Image:Curragh.jpg|thumb|right|German survivors, rescued by [[MV Kerlogue|MV ''Kerlogue'']], in the [[Curragh Camp|Curragh internment camp]] ]]

The Lisbon run was a triangle: Ireland to Britain; then to Portugal; returning to Ireland but stopping at a British port for inspection. They transported agricultural exports from an Irish port to a British port, often Fishguard. There they were refueled and loaded an UK export, frequently coal. In Portugal, usually Lisbon, they collected the American cargo, such as fertilizer or agricultural machinery. There were times when the American cargo was not there, it might have been delayed, or might have been a victim of the war. Then a "cargo of opportunity" was purchased and brought to Ireland. This might be wheat or oranges; on occasions, they even purchased their own cargo of coal!

The [[MV Kerlogue|MV ''Kerlogue'']] was such a coaster. She has become the exemplar of the Irish Mercantile Marine during the Emergency. She was only 142 feet (43 m) long and displaced a mere 335 tons. She was attacked by both sides and rescued both sides. Her rescue of 168 German sailors, given her size, was dramatic.

==Atlantic==

==Epilogue==

[[Image:Irish Seamens Memorial.png|thumb|right|"Dublin Memorial"]]

[[Image:BelfastCommemoration.JPG|thumb|left|"Belfast Commemoration"]]

[[Image:Irish Seamens Memorial Two.jpg|thumb|right|"3rd Sunday in November"]]

[[Image:BelfastCommemorationTwo.JPG|thumb|left|"3rd Sunday in May"]]

In the Ringsend area of Dublin will find you the following street names: Breman Road, Breman Grove, Cymric Road, Isolda Road, Pine Road, Leukos Road, Kyleclare Road and Clonlara Road.

{{-}}

==Events==

<small>In this list, the nationality of non-Irish ships is given, the phrase "British-flagged" is used for ships which transferred from the Irish registry.</small>

===1939===

* 22 March - [[Éire|Ireland]]'s [[Irish neutrality|neutrality]] is discussed during a [[Dáil]] debate on defense estimates. The government considered the implications to the export market to [[United Kingdom|Britain]] if a neutral stand is taken.

* 3 September - [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and [[France]] declare war on [[Germany]].

* 3 September - The [[Emergency Powers Act 1939]] comes into force

* 4 September - SS ''[[SS Athenia|Athenia]]'', torpedoed by [[German submarine U-30 (1936)|U-30]], the first British ship to be sunk, ''Knut Nelson'' ([[Norway]]) lands 450 survivors in [[Galway]].<ref>http://warsailors.com/homefleetsingles/knutenelson.html</ref>

* 8 September - Inver tankers fleet transferred to British register.<ref>http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0077/D.0077.193909270020.html</ref>

* 11 September - The Irish-flagged tanker ''Inverliffey'' was shelled and sunk by [[Unterseeboot 38 (1938)|U-38]].

===1940===

* 17 January - ''Enid'' (Captain Wibe) of neutral [[Norway]] sailing from [[Steinkjer]] to Dublin, 10 miles north of [[Shetland]], went to assist SS ''Polzella'' (British) which had been torpedoed by [[German submarine U-25 (1936)|U25]], U25 then shelled and sank ''Enid''.<ref>http://www.warsailors.com/singleships/enid.html</ref> ''Enid''s crew survived. ''Polzella''s crew were lost.

* 2 February - ''Munster'' (Capt. R. Paisley) [[Naval mine|mined]] and sunk while entering [[Liverpool]]

* 3 March - ''Cato'' (Capt. Richard Martin), British, from Dublin to Bristol, struck a mine 2.5 miles west of [[Nash Point]] 13 died 2 survived.

* 9 March - Trawler [[ST Leukos|''Leukos'']] sunk by gunfire from ''[[Unterseeboot 38 (1938)|U-38]]'', NW of [[Tory Island]] - 11 dead. (She may have moved between the surfacing [[U-boat]] and [[England|English]] trawlers, in the hope that the [[Flag of Ireland|tricolour]] would protect her while the English escaped)

* 10 March - ''City of Bremen'' rescues crew of ''Amor'' (Dutch) in the [[North Sea]] - 33 saved

* 27 May - ''Uruguay'' of neutral [[Argentina]] sailing from [[Rosario, Santa Fe|Rosario]] to Limerick with 6,000 tons of maize, sunk with scuttling charges by [[German submarine U-37 (1938)|U37]] 160 miles from Cape Villano. 15 died, 13 survived.

* 10 June - ''Violando N Goulandris'' of then-neutral [[Greece]] sailing from Santa Fe to Waterford with a cargo of wheat was torpedoed by [[German submarine U-48 (1939)|U48]] off [[Cape Finisterre]] 6 died 22 survived. <ref>[http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/ships.cgi?boat=28;nr=8]</ref>

* 12 June - [[Unterseeboot 38 (1938)|U-38]] lands a German spy, Karl Simon, in [[Dingle]]. He was promptly arrested and interned for the duration.

* 29 June - ''Frangoula B Goulandris'' of then-neutral [[Greece]] Outward Cork to St Thomas torpedoed and sunk by U-26 <ref>[http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/ships.cgi?boat=26;nr=13]</ref>

* 10 July - ''Petsamo'' of Finland, inward Rosario to Cork with a cargo of maize, torpedoed and sunk by U-34, four died <ref>[http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/ships.cgi?boat=34;nr=17]</ref>

* 11 July - ''Moyalla'' rescues survivors from ''Athellaird'' (British) off [[Cape Clear]] - 20 saved.

* 12 July - ''Ia'' of Greece, inward Rosario to Cork with a cargo of wheat, torpedoed and sunk by U-99, 3 died, 27 survived. <ref>[http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/ships.cgi?boat=99;nr=6]</ref>

* 14 July - ''Thetis A'' of Greece, inward Rosario to Limerick with a cargo of grain, torpedoed and sunk by U-52, 9 died 20 survived.

* 15 July - ''City of Limerick'' (Capt. R. Ferguson) bombed by aircraft and sunk in [[Bay of Biscay]], 700 miles west of [[Ushant]] - 2 dead.

* 15 July - ''Naftilos'' of Greece, inward San Nicholas to Dublin with a cargo of grain, torpedoed and sunk by U-34. One death, 27 survived. <ref> [http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/ships.cgi?boat=34;nr=20]</ref>

* 20 July - ''City of Waterford'' (Capt. T. Freehill) shelled by submarine in North Atlantic - escaped

* 30 July - ''Kyleclare'' rescues survivors from ''Clan Menzies'' (British) 150 miles west of [[Loop Head]], torpedoed and sunk by U-99, six died, 88 survivors brought to [[Enniscrone]].<ref>http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/439.html</ref><ref>Forde p69</ref>

* 1 August - Collier SS ''Kerry Head'' (Capt. C Drummond) Inbound Swansea to Limerick. Bombed off [[Kinsale]] - survived this attack, but see October 22. Responsibility was admitted by German Government and compensation paid.<ref>Gray p105</ref>

* 15 August - ''Meath'' (Capt. T. MacFariane) Belfast to Liverpool carrying 700 [[cattle]], which all drowned. Mined and sunk off the [[South Stack]], [[Holy Island, Anglesey]] - crew rescued by a local [[fishing trawler]]. Three crew wounded, all survived.

* 16 August - MV ''Lock Ryan'' (Capt. J. Nolan). Inbound Falmouth to Arklow. Bombed off [[Land's End]] - survived

* 24 August - ''City of Waterford'' (Capt. T. Freehill) bombed in Irish Sea - survived.

* 26 August - [[Campile]] town was bombed, probably to stop Irish exports to Britain, 3 killed.<ref>http://homepage.eircom.net/~horeswoodns/campile_bombing.htm</ref>

* 27 August - ''Lanahrone'' rescues survivors from ''Goathland'' (British) off [[County Kerry|Kerry]] coast - 18 saved

* 4 September - ''Luimneach'' (Capt. E. Jones) sunk by gunfire from [[German submarine U-46 (1938)|U-46]] in [[Bay of Biscay]].

* 4 September - ''Edenvale'' (Capt. N. Gillespie) machine-gunned by German plane off Waterford coast.

* 17 September - Tanker ''Kalliopi S'' (Greek) Inbound Halifax to Limerick. Bombed and sunk by German plane in [[Sheephaven Bay]] location 55.11 N / 07.50 W <ref>http://www.irishshipwrecks.com/shipwrecks.php?wreck_ref=161</ref>

* 27 September - Trawler SS ''Kosmos'' machine-gunned by German plane north of Scotland.

* 9 October - ''Delphin'' (Greece) Inward Montreal to Cork with maize and wheat, torpedoed and sunk by U-103. All survived. <ref>http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/ships.cgi?boat=103;nr=4</ref>

* 17 October - MV ''Edenvale'' (Capt. N. Gillespie) Limerick to Dublin. Three miles off Helvic Head, Waterford. Attacked by German plane off the coast of Waterford. <ref>Kennedy, page 107</ref>

* 22 October - ''Kerry Head'' (Capt. C. Drummond). Bombed again, all 12 hands lost, in full view of watchers on [[Cape Clear Island]].

* 31st October SS ''Hillfern'' (British) Inbound [[City of Sunderland|Sunderland]] to Cork with a cargo of coal sunk by German aircraft, NE of [[Kinnaird Head]]. <ref>http://www.bpears.org.uk/NE-Diary/Inc/ISeq_10.html</ref>

* 11 November - ''Ardmore'' (Capt. T. Ford) struck a mine and sank, off the [[Saltee Islands]] - 24 died

* 19 December - ''Isolda'' (Capt. A. Bestic) a lightship tender, was sunk by German bombers, within sight of [[Carnsore Point]] - six killed, seven wounded

* 20 December - ''Cambria'' (British-flagged), a passenger ferry had just left [[Dún Laoghaire]] for [[Holyhead]] was attacked by German aircraft which had bombed [[Sandycove and Glasthule railway station|Sandycove railway station]] injuring three <ref>The storm passed by: Ireland and the battle of the Atlantic, 1940-41, Part 760 By Trevor Allen page 63</ref>. ''Hibernia'' (British-flagged) was berthing in Dún Laoghaire, a bomber swooped down, lights were extinguished and the bomber flew away<ref>Kennedy page 175</ref>

* 20 December - SS ''Lanahrone''. At anchor in Liverpool docks. Damaged by falling masonry during an air-raid.

* 21 December - ''[[Innisfallen]]'' (Capt. George Firth) - while leaving [[Liverpool]] with 157 passengers and 63 crew. She survived an air raid on the 20th, but on departing on the following afternoon, she hit a [[Naval mine|mine]] off [[The Wirral Peninsula|Wirral]] shore near [[New Brighton, Merseyside|New Brighton]] and sank - four died.<ref>Forde p27</ref>

===1941===

* 21 March - SS ''Glencullen'' (Capt. T. Waldron) Inward [[Barry, Vale of Glamorgan]] to Dublin. Machine-gunned by Luftwaffe in Bristol Channel.

* 21 March - SS ''Glencree'' (Capt. Douglas McLean) Barry to Dublin. machine-gunned by Luftwaffe six miles northwest of Helwick Lighthouse.

* 22 March - Collier ''Saint Fintan'' (Capt. N. Hendry) Drogheda to Cardiff attacked by two Luftwaffe bombers, off the coast of [[Pembrokeshire]] and sunk with all hands - 9 dead.

* 26 March - ''Edenvale'' (Capt. T. Tyrrell) bombed and machine-gunned by four Luftwaffe planes at the entrance to the Bristol Channel.

* 27 March - SS ''The Lady Belle'' (Capt. T. Donohue) Outward Dungarvan to Cardiff. bombed and machine-gunned by Luftwaffe in Irish Sea.

* 2 April - MV ''Edenvale'' (Capt. T. Tyrrell) Inward Cardiff to Rosslare. Bombed and machine-gunned (again) by Luftwaffe in Bristol Channel.

* 5 May - MV ''Dundalk'' damaged while at anchor in the river Mersey during an air-raid.

* 12 May - SS ''Menapia'' (Capt C Bobels) Inward Port Talbot to Rosslare. Bombed and machine-gunned by Luftwaffe off Welsh coast - 2 wounded.

* 15 May - SS ''Assaroe'' Outward Dublin to Douglas, Isle of Mann. Attacked by Luftwaffe off Howth.

* 17 May - SS ''Glenageary'' (Capt R. Simpson) Inward Barry, Glamorgan to Dublin, bombed and machine-gunned by Luftwaffe off Welsh coast.

* 19 May - SS ''City of Waterford'' (Capt. W. Gibbons) Outward Dublin to Cardiff, bombed and machine-gunned by Luftwaffe off Welsh coast. 1 wounded

* 30 May - SS ''Kyleclare'' (Capt. T. Hanrahan) Outward from Limerick to Liverpool, bombed off Waterford coast.

* 13 June - Ferry ''Saint Patrick'' (Capt. Jim Faraday), British flagged. Outward Rosslare for Fishguard, 12 miles from Strumble Head, bombed by Luftwaffe. 30 died.

* 22 August - SS ''Clonlara'' (Capt. Joseph Reynolds) Cardiff to Lisbon, rear ship in [[convoy]] OG71 ("Nightmare Convoy") rescued 13 from the Scottish ship ''Alva'', but was later torpedoed and sunk by [[German submarine U-564|U-564]] off the coast of Spain, - 13 survivors and 11 dead.

* 17 September - schooner ''Crest'' (Capt. William Brent) wrecked following grounding on a sandbank in the Bristol Channel

* 19 September - SS ''City of Waterford'' (Capt T. Alpin) in convoy OG-74, collided with the Dutch Tug ''Thames'' and sank in the North Atlantic, the crew were rescued by HMS ''Deptford'' and transferred to the ''Walmer Castle''. Two days later ''Walmer Castle'' was bombed, killing five of the survivors from ''City of Waterford''.

* 7 October - MV ''Kerlogue'' Inward Swansea to Wexford, struck a mine in Cardigan Bay

* 16 October - MV ''Edenvale'' Outward Cork to Lisbon, off the Cork coast, aerial attack, presumed German.

* 25 October - SS ''Glenageary'' (Capt. N. Kelly) Inward Barry, Glamorgan to Dublin, Aerial attack

* 26 October - SS ''Margaret Lockington'' Newry to Swansea. off the Waterford coast, Aerial attack

* 29 October - SS ''Lanahrone'' Inward Vigo, Spain to Dublin, Off Saltee Islands, Aerial attack.

* 5 November - SS ''Glencree'' Inward [[Newport]], [[Monmouthshire]] to Dublin off the Welsh coast, aerial attack.

* 5 November - SS ''Glencullen'' (Capt A Jones) machine-gunned in the Irish Sea

===1942===

* 11 August - ''Irish Rose'' rescues survivors from ''Wawaloam'' ([[United States|American]]), in Atlantic, 7 saved.

* 13 August - ''Irish Pine'' rescues survivors from ''Richmond Castle'' ([[United Kingdom|British]]), in Atlantic, 19 saved.

* 26 August - ''Irish Willow'' rescues survivors from ''Empire Breeze'' (British), in Atlantic, 47 saved.

* 17 September - ''Irish Larch'' rescues survivors from ''Stone Street'' ([[Panama| Panamanian]]), in Atlantic, 40 saved.

* 15 November - ''Irish Pine'' torpedoed and sunk by U-608, in [[North Atlantic]], 33 died.

* 30 November - SS ''Kyleclare '' (Capt F Dawson) bombed in the Bay of Biscay.

* 12 December - ''Irish Poplar'' collided with launch ''Eileen'' and Cork Harbour pilot during force 8 gale, 5 died

===1943===

* 23 February - SS ''Kyleclare'' (Capt A Hamilton) Inbound Lisbon to Dublin with wheat and sugar torpedoed in [[North Atlantic]] position 48.50N/13.20W by U-456, 18 died.

* 15 May - ''Irish Oak'' (Irish Shipping) torpedoed and sunk by U-607, 700 miles west of Ireland. Crew rescued by ''Irish Plane'' 8 hours later.

* 2 June - ''SS City of Bremen'' (Saorstat & Continental Steam Ship Company) bombed and sunk in the [[Bay of Biscay]] all 11 crew lost.

* 23 October - MV Kerlogue (Capt Desmond Fortune) attacked by RAF in the Bay of Biscay, four wounded.

* 29 December - [[MV Kerlogue|MV ''Kerlogue'']] (Capt Thomas Donohue), with a crew of 11, rescued 164 Germans from the [[Bay of Biscay]]

===1944===

* 13 March - The [[British Government]] bans all travel between [[Great Britain]] and [[Ireland]].

* 22 March - ''Cymric'' (Capt. C. Cassidy) lost between [[Ardrossan]] and [[Lisbon]] - 11 dead

* 21 July - ''Irish Fir'' (Capt, J.P. Kelly) reports a 'near miss' [[torpedo]] attack in North [[Atlantic]].

===1945===

* 2 May 1945 Motor Trawler ''Naomh Garbhan''. off the Wexford Coast, struck a mine and sank - three died

==Notes==

<references group="note" />

== References ==

* {{cite book |title=The Long Watch |last=Forde |first=Frank |publisher=New Island Books |location=Dublin| isbn=1 902602 42 0|year=1981, reprinted 2000 }}

* {{cite book |title=The Emergency |last=Griven |first=Brian |year=2006 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |isbn=9781405000109 }}

* {{cite book |title=The Lost Years |last=Gray |first=Tony |year=1997 |publisher= Little Brown and Company|location=London |isbn=0316881899 }}

* {{cite book |title=Ireland in the Twentieth Century |last=Coogan |first=Tim Pat |year=2003 |publisher=Jutchinson |location=London |isbn=0091794277 }}

* {{cite book |title=Guarding Neutral Ireland |last=Kennedy |first=Michael |year=2008 |publisher=Four Courts Press |location=Dublin |isbn=9781846820977 }}

<references />

[http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0103/D.0103.194610230045.html]