• 14 February 2018

Victims of Newry maritime tragedy to be remembered

On Sunday 18 February, Capt Gary Roberts (Church Army) will conduct a service in St Patrick’s, Newry, commemorating and rededicating the graves of 3 young victims of a maritime accident.

Soldiers Private James Smith, Private Albert Barrett and Capt John MacKinlay were to become the sad casualties, not of war, but of a sporting event that ended in tragedy. 

The story

The story begins with a boating regatta held in Greenore on Tuesday 25 July 1876. Soldiers from the 94th Regiment, based in Newry, took part and the teams competed against each other in a series of races. 

On the journey back to Newry heavy squalls blew up and the small craft rowed by Smith and Barrett capsized near Killowen as did a larger vessel coming behind and crewed by soldiers.

The crew of the latter vessel made it ashore but there was no trace of Smith or Barrett. Historian Claudine Nic Giolla Chomhaill discovered during research that the body of Private James Smith was recovered near Carlingford on 8 August and interred in St Patricks on Thursday 10 at 9.00 am.

On Friday 18 August the crew of a sailing ship, “Lady Downshire” on passage from Dundrum to Whitehaven, picked up a body mid–channel, later identified as Private Albert Barrett aged 27. He was interred in Whitehaven.

There was to be yet another sad chapter to this tragedy with the suicide death of their senior officer, Captain John MacKinlay aged 35.

The graves have been restored in conjunction with the Newry Maritime Association and Newry Modern Fireplaces. Their representatives will attend, along with The Royal British legion, local historians and guest musicians.