'Ballymanus': RTÉ to show documentary on 1943 disaster that claimed 19 young lives

On May 10, 1943 - an otherwise normal Monday in the Rosses - a stray mine washed ashore and later exploded on Ballymanus strand.

Nineteen young men lost their lives, 17 of them instantly, when the mine blew up.

On Thursday next, September 12, RTÉ One will show a 65-minute documentary, Ballymanus, starting at 10.15pm.

The documentary premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh last summer.

Ballymanus was produced by Patrick Sharkey and directed by Patrick Sharkey and Sean Doupe.

The documentary tells the story of what is described as “one of the worst tragedies in modern Irish history, told through the words of the victims' descendants and the memories of the few remaining survivors”.

Local and professional historians also feature.

No-one has yet been held accountable for the disaster, which is largely unknown outside of the community.

A mine was spotted in the sea, but it did not explode when it made contact with the rocks.

Gardaí were alerted by James Doogan, but did not attend.

Around 100 people had gathered to see the mine and the number dwindled significantly by the time, around 9.55pm, just as the sun was resting behind Arranmore island in the distance, when one of the fishermen threw a fishing rope around the mine.

As they pulled it ashore, devastation exploded into the Rosses sky.

The explosion was so fierce, people from as far away as Letterkenny and Killybegs were shaken.

People cycling on their bikes in the Rosses were knocked off, the inquest later heard.

Those who were killed were brothers Owen Gallagher, (21), Patrick Gallagher, (18), Dominick Gallagher, (26) from Rannyhual; Joseph Harley, (17), Owen Harley, (13), Denis Harley (16) brothers of Rannyhual; Anthony Rodgers, (33), Rannyhual, James Rodgers, Rannyhual, John Roarty, (18), John McGinley, (18), Edward Gallagher, (21), Michael Sharkey, (15), all from Mullaghduff; Hugh Duffy, (17) and his brother James, (18) from Braade; Manus O’Donnell, (16), John Sharkey, (15), from Braade, and John Boyle, (16), Ballymanus; John Joseph Carson, (16) and Anthony Sharkey, (15).
“A disaster without parallel in the history of Donegal has brought death and sorrow to many homes in the West Donegal Gaeltacht,” the Donegal Democrat reported.