Kilkee Civic Trust to host talk on daring historical rescue on the high seas

THE SIXTH of the Kilkee Civic Trust's talks will examine the daring and heroic rescue of a stricken French vessel wrecked off the coast of Clare over a century ago.

Mick Carrick, former principal of Quilty National School, will give a talk on Wednesday evening on the rescue of the crew of the Leon XIII, a three-mast sailing vessel that had sailed from Portland, Oregon in late 1907, bound for Limerick with a cargo of wheat for the Bannatyne Mill.

She was sighted off Quilty on October 1, 1907 after suffering damage to her rudder and being blown north by a violent storm off Loop Head, before striking the reef off Quilty and splitting in two.

Mr Carrick, who was principal of Quilty NS during the centenary of the wreck in 2007, will give a talk detailing the heroic rescue of the 22-member crew of the Leon XIII by local fishermen.

The talk will take place Wednesday evening at 8pm at Cultúrlann Sweeney in Kilkee. 

Admission to all KCT talks are free of charge, and a donations box is available on the night to assist KCT in defraying essential and necessary expenses.