Below is the timeline of maritime events during the Emergency,[note 2][1] (as World War II was known in Ireland). This period was referred to as The Long Watch by Irish Mariners. This list is of events which affected the Irish Mercantile Marine [note 3], other ships carrying Irish exports or imports, and events within Irish territorial waters.
SS Athenia, torpedoed by U-30, the first British ship to be sunk, Knut Nelson (Norway) lands 450 survivors in Galway.[2][3]
8 September 1939 (1939-September-08)
Inver tankers fleet transferred to British register.[4]There were plans to build an oil refinery near Dublin's Pigeon House. In the event, this refinery was not built. Nonetheless seven oil tankers were built in Germany for Inver Tankers Ltd. Each 500 ft long and capable of carrying 500 tons were on the Irish register.[5] "In a manner reminiscent of Chamberlin’s handover of the ports to de Valera, two days after the outbreak of war, de Valera himself transferred the tankers to the British registry without getting any promise of fuel supply in return.[6][7] Earlier, Britain had asked Ireland to requisition the tankers.[8][9] The entire fleet was lost.
{{timeline-item|11 September 1939 (1939-September-11)|The Irish-flagged tanker Inverliffey, Trinidad to Coryton with 13,000 tons of gasoline was shelled and sunk by U-38.[10]Neither the Inverliffey nor U-38 would have been aware of the registry change.[11]
4 October 1939 (1939-October-04)
U-35 lands survivors from Diamantes (Greek) at Ballymore, Dingle[12]
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 U-25, U-25 then shelled and sank Enid.[13]Enid's crew survived. Polzella's crew were lost.
2 February 1940 (1940-February-02)
Munster (Capt. R. Paisley) mined and sunk while entering Liverpool one death[14]
3 March 1940 (1940-March-03)
Cato (Capt. Richard Martin), British, from Dublin to Bristol, struck a mine laid by U-29 2.5 miles west of Nash Point 13 died, 2 survived.[15]
9 March 1940 (1940-March-09)
Trawler Leukos sunk by gunfire from U-38, NW of Tory Island - 11 dead. (She may have moved between the surfacing U-boat and English trawlers, in the hope that the tricolour would protect her while the English escaped)[16]
11 March 1940 (1940-March-11)
City of Bremen rescues crew of Amor (Dutch) in the North Sea - 33 saved[17]
Violando N Goulandris of then-neutral Greece sailing from Santa Fe to Waterford with a cargo of wheat was torpedoed by U-48 off Cape Finisterre 6 died 22 survived.
U-38 landed a German spy, Karl Simon, in Dingle. He was promptly arrested and interned for the duration.[20]
29 June 1940 (1940-June-29)
Frangoula B Goulandris of then-neutral Greece Outward Cork to St Thomas torpedoed and sunk by U-26[21]
10 July 1940 (1940-July-10)
Petsamo of Finland, inward Rosario to Cork with a cargo of maize, torpedoed and sunk by U-34, four died [22]
11 July 1940 (1940-July-11)
Moyalla rescues survivors from Athellaird (British) off Cape Clear - 20 saved.
12 July 1940 (1940-July-12)
Ia of Greece, inward Rosario to Cork with a cargo of wheat, torpedoed and sunk by U-99, 3 died, 27 survived. [23]
14 July 1940 (1940-July-14)
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 1940 (1940-July-15)
City of Limerick (Capt. R. Ferguson) Cartagena to Liverpool, bombed by aircraft and sunk in Bay of Biscay, 700 miles west of Ushant - 2 dead.[14]
15 July 1940 (1940-July-15)
Naftilos of Greece, inward San Nicholas to Dublin with a cargo of grain, torpedoed and sunk by U-34. One death, 27 survived. [24]
20 July 1940 (1940-July-20)
City of Waterford (Capt. T. Freehill) shelled by submarine in North Atlantic - escaped[14]
30 July 1940 (1940-July-30)
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.[25] The British government expressed thanks and appreciation[26]
1 August 1940 (1940-August-01)
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.[27][16]
Trawler SS Kosmos machine-gunned by Luftwaffe north of Scotland.[16][14]
8 October 1940 (1940-October-08)
Delphin (Greece) Inward Montreal to Cork with maize and wheat, torpedoed and sunk by U-103. All survived. [32]
17 October 1940 (1940-October-17)
MV Edenvale (Capt. N. Gillespie) Limerick to Dublin. Three miles off Helvic Head, Waterford. Attacked by Luftwaffe off the coast of Waterford. [33]
22 October 1940 (1940-October-22)
Kerry Head (Capt. C. Drummond). Bombed again, all 12 hands lost, in full view of watchers on Cape Clear Island.[14]
31 October 1940 (1940-October-31)
SS Hillfern (British) Inbound Sunderland to Cork with a cargo of coal sunk by Luftwaffe NE of Kinnaird Head. [34]
11 November 1940 (1940-November-11)
Ardmore (Capt. T. Ford) struck a mine and sank, off the Saltee Islands - 24 died[14]
19 December 1940 (1940-December-19)
Isolda (Capt. A. Bestic) a lightship tender, was sunk by Luftwaffe bombers, within sight of Carnsore Point - six killed, seven wounded[16]
20 December 1940 (1940-December-20)
Cambria (British-flagged), a passenger ferry had just left Dún Laoghaire for Holyhead was attacked by Luftwaffe which had bombed Sandycove railway station injuring three [35]. Hibernia (British-flagged) was berthing in Dún Laoghaire, a bomber swooped down, lights were extinguished and the bomber flew away[36]
20 December 1940 (1940-December-20)
SS Lanahrone. At anchor in Liverpool docks. Damaged by falling masonry during an air-raid.[16]
21 December 1940 (1940-December-21)
MV 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 mine off Wirral shore near New Brighton and sank - four died.[37]
SS Glencree (Capt. Douglas McLean) Barry to Dublin. Strafed by Luftwaffe six miles northwest of Helwick Lighthouse, Rhossili.[16]
22 March 1941 (1941-March-22)
CollierSaint Fintan (Capt. N. Hendry) Drogheda to Cardiff attacked by two Luftwaffe bombers, off the coast of Pembrokeshire and sunk with all hands - 9 dead.[16]
26 March 1941 (1941-March-26)
Edenvale (Capt. T. Tyrrell) bombed and strafed by four Luftwaffe planes at the entrance to the Bristol Channel.[14]
27 March 1941 (1941-March-27)
SS The Lady Belle (Capt. T. Donohue) Outward Dungarvan to Cardiff. bombed and machine-gunned by Luftwaffe in Irish Sea.[16]
2 April 1941 (1941-April-02)
MV Edenvale (Capt. T. Tyrrell) Inward Cardiff to Rosslare. Bombed and strafed (again) by Luftwaffe in Bristol Channel.[16]
SS Glenageary (Capt R. Simpson) Inward Barry to Dublin, bombed and machine-gunned by Luftwaffe off Welsh coast.[16]
19 May 1941 (1941-May-19)
SS City of Waterford (Capt. W. Gibbons) Outward Dublin to Cardiff, bombed and machine-gunned by Luftwaffe off Welsh coast. 1 wounded[14]
30 May 1941 (1941-May-30)
SS Kyleclare (Capt. T. Hanrahan) Outward from Limerick to Liverpool, bombed off Waterford coast.[16]
13 June 1941 (1941-June-13)
FerrySaint Patrick (Capt. Jim Faraday), British flagged. Outward Rosslare for Fishguard, 12 miles from Strumble Head Lighthouse, bombed by Luftwaffe. 30 died.
22 August 1941 (1941-August-22)
SS Clonlara (Capt. Joseph Reynolds) Cardiff to Lisbon, in convoy OG71 ("Nightmare Convoy") rescued 13 from the Scottish ship Alva, but was later torpedoed and sunk by U-564 off the coast of Spain, - 13 survivors and 11 dead.[16]
SS City of Waterford (Capt T. Alpin) in convoy OG-74, collided with the DutchtugThames 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. [14]
7 October 1941 (1941-October-07)
MV Kerlogue Inward Swansea to Wexford, struck a mine in Cardigan Bay[16]
16 October 1941 (1941-October-16)
MV Edenvale Outward Cork to Lisbon, off the Cork coast, aerial attack, presumed Luftwaffe.[16]
25 October 1941 (1941-October-25)
SS Glenageary (Capt. N. Kelly) Inward Barry to Dublin, Aerial attack[16]
Forde, Frank (1981, reprinted 2000). The Long Watch. Dublin: New Island Books. ISBN1-902602-42-0. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
Griven, Brian (2006). The Emergency. London: Macmillan. ISBN9781405000109.
Gray, Tony (1997). The Lost Years. London: Little Brown and Company. ISBN0316881899.
Coogan, Tim Pat (2003). Ireland in the Twentieth Century. London: Jutchinson. ISBN0091794277.
Kennedy, Michael (2008). Guarding Neutral Ireland. Dublin: Four Courts Press. ISBN9781846820977.
Eunan, O'Halpin (2008). Spying on Ireland. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN9780199253296.
Spong, H. C. (1982). Irish Shipping Ltd., 1941-1982. World Ship Society. ISBN9780905617206.
MacGinty, Tom (1995). The Irish Navy. Tralee: The Kerryman. ISBN0946277222.
Wills, Clair (2007). That Neutral Island. London: Faber and Faber. ISBN9780571221059.
Carroll, Joseph T (1998). Ireland in the war years. International Scholars Publications. ISBN9781573091862.
Dwyer, T Ryle (1982). De Valera's Finest Hour. Cork: Mercier Press. ISBN0853426759.
Fisk, Robert (1983). In Time of War. London: André Deutsch. ISBN0233975144. (Later republished as:Fisk, Robert (1996). In Time of War: Ireland, Ulster and the Price of Neutrality, 1939-45. Gill & Macmillan Ltd. ISBN9780717124114.)
McIvor, Aidan (1994). A History of the Irish Naval Service. Dublin: Irish Academic Press. ISBN0716525232.
Share, Bernard (1978). The Emergency. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan. ISBN71710916X. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: length (help)
^Kindell, Don. "Naval Events". British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day. Retrieved 2009-09-07. On the 11th, Dutch steamer Amor (2325grt) was sunk in 51‑24N, 02‑09E, eight miles NW of Fairy Bank Buoy; the entire crew was rescued by Irish steamer City of Bremen (903grt).{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^"Wawaloam". Allied Ships hit by U-boats. uboat.net. Retrieved 2009 August 24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
^John Derrick, John Derrick. "THE LOSS OF THE "RICHMOND CASTLE"". Recollections. British and Commonwealth Shipping Company. Retrieved 2009 August 24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
^"Empire Breeze". Allied Ships hit by U-boats. uboat.net. Retrieved 2009 August 24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)