Spanish replica is to sail into view 400 years after original’s sinking
LOGISTICAL difficulties mean a truly magical maritime spectacle has been delayed for at least 24 hours.
The world’s largest Spanish galleon replica was due to visit Donegal this coming Monday, four centuries after a Spanish Armada vessel ran aground.
But organisers issued an urgent update about the arrival of El Galeón Andalucía at Mullaghderg Bay in Kincasslagh.
El Galeón Andalucía.
A spokesperson said: “The day and time has been changed for the Armada replica ship arriving in Mullaghderg Bay.
“Departure from Sligo has been delayed due to logistical issues. Its new arrival to Mullaghderg has now changed to [tomorrow, Tuesday].
“Arrival of the ship to the area north of Owey Island will be on Tuesday, roughly between 9.30am and 10am, heading to Mullaghderg Bay.
“Apart from the day and time change, all other arrangements for Mullaghderg Bay, as previously announced, stay the same.
“The ship will stay in the bay until approximately 12pm.”
Local history records show that a Spanish Armada vessel sank near Mullaghderg in 1588.
It is now 438 years later and the area’s beach is still known as a the Spanish Rock because of the historic sinking.
Members of the crew will lay a wreath to honour the sailors lost on the Donegal coast and there will also be a cannon salute.
The Donegal News reported last Thursday that the idea to bring the vessel to Donegal came from local man John Gallagher, known as John Paddy Óg.
He had visited El Galeón Andalucía while it was in Derry and knew it was due to travel on to Sligo.
On June 24, while out walking at Mullach Dearg Strand, he stopped at a memorial that recalls four girls, who drowned at the beach on July 13, 1972.
These were Gaeltacht college students Máire Grae (14), from Sutton in Dublin; Catherine Carrol (13) of Clones Road in Monaghan; plus Susan O’Reilly (14) and Bernadette McCabe (14), who were both from Clones.
That moment of remembrance led him to think about the Spanish sailors who were lost off Mullaghderg in 1588.
He said: “Wouldn’t it be some catch to get the galleon to do a fly by, as I called it, on their way back from Sligo.
“I contacted my friend, John Joe McBride, and that’s how it started.”
Calls were then made to BBC NI journalist, Kevin Sharkey, and Donegal TD Pat the Cope Gallagher, helping to get the ball rolling and turn the idea into a planned visit to the Donegal coast.
The vessel’s planned arrival will mark exactly 54 years from the tragic incident involving the four Irish teenagers.
The visit will bring one of Europe’s most striking historic ship replicas to a coastline with its own deep connection to the Spanish Armada story.
Mullaghderg and the surrounding coast have long held associations with the events of 1588, when Armada vessels were wrecked along the western seaboard following the failed invasion of England.
El Galeón Andalucía is a full-scale replica of a 17th-century Spanish galleon and has travelled to ports across Europe and beyond as a floating museum of maritime history.
Its visit to Ireland this summer included a two-week stay in Sligo, where the ship attracted strong public interest and paused offshore at Streedagh Beach to honour the site of the 1588 Armada shipwrecks there.
Public coastal viewing will be possible from suitable vantage points including Arranmore, Cruit Island, Gaoth Dobhair , Gola Island, Kincasslagh, Mullaghderg, Owey Island and other coastal locations, with members of the public asked to view safely and follow any local guidance on the day.