Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

The tall ship Asgard II sank off the coast of France yesterday. The ship was a regular visitor to Youghal Harbour and the townspeople will greatly miss the fine sight of her sailing past the lighthouse.
The vessel, an Irish sail training ship, sent a distress signal shortly after 2am from the Bay of Biscay when it started taking in water.
Five crew members and 20 trainees evacuated in lifeboats and were rescued by the French coastguard. Among them were 22 Irish, two from the UK and one from Italy.
A spokeswoman for the Irish Department of Defence, which owns the ship, said all are safe and well.

The ship sank shortly before 9am UK and Irish time.
“At around 2am in the Bay of Biscay, the Asgard started taking on water and the captain made a decision to evacuate the ship,” she said.
“They were evacuated in two lifeboats and were rescued by Read more

Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

The Kathleen & May is now berthed in Youghal Harbour and is open for the public to board and view this beautiful ship. The schooner will depart today at 6pm Friday 1st August.

YoughalOnline.com would like to thank the Kathleen & May Society
for permission to use this video

The 108 year old sailing schooner Kathleen & May is expected to visit Youghal on Wednesday 30th at 4pm and depart on Friday 1st August at 6pm. weather conditions permitting. The schooner will then return to her home port in Bideford Devon.

Once owned by the Fleming family of Youghal who gave her the name Kathleen & May. This last remaining wooden hull topsail schooner is once more plying her trade as a merchantman. On return from the maritime festival in Brest in France, she collected a consignment of 30.000 bottles of wine for shipment to Dublin. The five-day journey heralds a milestone in the history of this vessel; the last time she carried a cargo was nearly 50 years ago. Is this a return to wind power as an alternative to oil? Many environmentalists believe so.

Kathleen & May berthed in Youghal Harbour with the Clock Gate in the foreground

Manned and operated by a team of volunteers from the Friends of the Kathleen & May the ship is sailed much she would have done over a hundred years ago using engine power only as a last resort.

Youghal man Paddy O’Beirne, member of the Friends of the Kathleen & May greets the skipper of the three masted schooner during the ships last visit to Youghal back in May 2006

Paddy O’Beirne who is a member of the Friends of the Kathleen & May said he was delighted with the news that the ship was again returning to Youghal Harbour where she still holds fond memories with the towns people. Youghal’s Deputy Mayor Mary Linehan Foley also said that she too was excited to see the ship sailing up Youghal Harbour next wednesday afternoon weather permitting and it will be a Read more