Féile an Phlassy Comóradh 50 mbliana

Plassy 50th Anniversary Commemorative Festival.

Photograph of the rescue taken by John Messenger

50 Years ago ,early on the morning of  the 8th March 1960, the Plassy went aground on the Carraig na Finnise reef off Inis Oirr.  All 11 crew were rescued by the Islanders and the Coast Rescue Service using ropes and a Breeches Buoy in  rough conditions. The ship was moved in subsequent storms onto the Island itself.

The official opening of the commemorative events began last night on Inis Oirr with the exhibition of photographs of the rescue  taken by John Messenger, a photographer who was staying on the Island at the time.

The last surviving member of crew , Mike Tobin, was present , and spoke about the rescue. He demonstrated getting  into the Breeches Buoy that took him from the ship onto shore 50 years ago.

A TG4 documentary film on the Plassy was also shown in Aras Eanna.

2 Comments

• 
  Linda Cavanagh 1 June, 2010 at 8:03 am

  My name is Linda Cavanagh ( Murray), my father name is Mr. Charles Murray and he was on the Plassey and was killed two years after on the Oranmore ship which and he was the only member killed another ship crashed into his cabin while he was shaving. If you have any details on that ship again one of the Limerick Steamship ships, I would love some information on it, alot of the paper clipping we had got lost. It was a Mr. John Smyth gave me you website. my three sisters and I went to meet Mike the last member of the Plassey on Innis oirr this weekend and he was really lovely. Told us storys about him and TG4 were down there to interview him. The did show a video of the Plassey and showed a lovely picture of our dad, my other two sisters saw it, but we did not get down till saturday, just missed the ferry. If you have any details on the crash with the Oranmore, which was 6th October 1963 I would love it. I was not born when the Plassey happened but I was one when the Oranmore crashed in Skiibbereen. Thank you!!
• 
  Caitriona 1 June, 2010 at 9:45 am

  Hi Linda,

  Below are some links from Ian that you might find of some interest.

  http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=11240&highlight=mv+oranmore

  http://www.irishtimes.com/search/archive.html?rm=listresults&filter=dateasc&keywords=oranmore++ship&daterange=custom&day1=1&mon1=4&year1=1962&day2=30&mon2=9&year2=1967