From our archives: Mayo skipper survived 20-day Atlantic ordeal

By Tom Gillespie

AT the end of May 1947 - 76 years ago - the Westport correspondent of The Connaught Telegraph reported on how a Murrisk fishing boat safely reached a Scottish port after 20 harrowing days at sea.

He wrote: There was jubilation, rejoicing and excitement in the picturesque little fishing village of Murrisk after the news had been received that the leader of the local fishing fleet, Mr. Austin Burke, was safe and sound after surviving a ‘terrible 20 days’ ordeal at sea.

It was a dreary day outside, with torrential rain falling, but in Murrisk the people did not mind the rain nor the dull day - they were happy and excited because a few hours earlier news had reached Mrs. Maria Burke that her husband, Austin Burke, and his two companions, who had left Murrisk three weeks previously in the 12-ton, 34-foot fishing boat, Myra, and of whom no tidings had been heard during all that time, had landed at the Scottish post of Oban, in Argyllshire, the previous evening.

I presume I was the first Pressman in Westport, wrote the correspondent, to receive the news of the epic drama of the sea, and, with a colleague, I charted a car and headed to Murrisk.

Our first call was at the pretty and well-kept home of genial Mr. Jim Foye, agent, Irish Sea Fisheries Association. Jim gave us a hearty welcome, and said he was at our disposal.

When we asked him if the news we had heard in Westport was true, he declared: “It's true alright, thanks be to God. Mrs. Burke got the telegram about a quarter past one.”

Next we asked him could he recollect what the telegram contained, and he satisfied our news-eager ears on that point also, and suggested we should step across the road to Mrs. Burke’s where we could see the telegram for ourselves, and ‘get all the dope’, as he good humourlessly termed it.

Subsequently, Mr. Foye accompanied us to Mrs. Burke’s snug cottage, with its trim, well-kept avenue. On entering the house, we found Mrs. Burke attending to her household duties, while her niece, Miss Babs Groden, was ironing at the kitchen table.

On the seat under the window were three boys, Edward and Vincent Groden, nephews of Mrs. Burke, and a boy named Fair, son of Mr. Jim Fair, Glosh.

Mrs. Burke, a woman in her early 60s, with a kindly face, left off her work as we entered. Miss Groden, who seemed uncomfortable at the visitation of the Press, appeared rather shy, and Mr. Foye, to ease matters, jokingly remarked: “She doesn’t want to get her name in the papers.”

Turning to Mrs. Burke, we congratulated her on her good news, and she said she was delighted, adding that she had never given up hope of her husband’s safety; she had that presentiment. She then handed us the telegram which bore the following message: “Myra arrived Oban tonight. All safe.”

We also learned that Mrs. Burke, so sure was she of the presentiment that her husband was safe, had kept his clothes continually aired, expecting his return.

Mass and prayers had been offered in Lecanvey Church during the week for the safety of the men.

On reaching Westport we rushed to the post office, and the news of the safety of the Myra and her crew was phoned to Radio Éireann, and broadcast in that evening’s news. The story was also phoned to the Sunday Independent, which carried the following account of the drama:

Three Irishman who had been staring death in the face for 20 days in the Atlantic were yesterday landed at a Scottish port, and thus was dramatically solved the mystery of the 12-ton Mayo fishing boat, Myra.

The battered boat was sighted by the Fleetwood (Lancashire) trawler Iagret off Barra Head, in the Outer Hebrides, and towed to Oban, Argyllshire.

The men, all married, are Austin Burke, aged 68, of Murrisk. Co. Mayo; Thomas Farrell, aged 40, of the Brook, Arklow; and John Kavanaghy, of Griffith Avenue, Arklow.

Last night Austin Burke sat up in bed at the West Highland Cottage Hospital, Oban, after a long, life-giving sleep, and told the epic story of the Atlantic ordeal.

He said: “We were taking the Myra, a 34-foot vessel, to Wicklow for the new owner, Mr. John Cahill, of Bath Street, Wicklow, and set off from Murrisk at dusk on Saturday, May 3.

“A strong gale sprang up and we were blown out to sea for 65 miles. We ran out of petrol and, to make matters worse, we lost our compass and rudder. We put up our sail - but it was torn to shreds.

“There was very little food on board - we started with four days supply - but even so we thought our troubles were over a few days later when we sighted Bantry Bay.

“But we were again blown out to sea and swept along the Irish coast by successive gales. Several times we saw land, but never succeeded in reaching the shore.

“Our food gave out and after that we had nothing to eat except seaweed which drifted by us. We sucked sea water but it made us violently sick.

“Some hours before we were rescued by the Iagret four trawlers passed close to us but our signal went unnoticed.”

He continued: “Just as we were about to give up hope we were picked up on Friday night and brought to land which we thought we would never tread again.

“We had prayed continuously, and we were sure that Skipper Browne of the Iagret and his men were sent from heaven.”

Lying in the bottom of the boat the men were so weak that they could scarcely raise their heads as the trawler drew alongside. The men could not stand and were carefully lifted on board and made as comfortable as possible.

They were given a little milk and put to bed. Then the trawler made a dash of over 100 miles to Oban.

The matron of the hospital said: “All the men are suffering form exhaustion and exposure, but are quite comfortable.”