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History - Memorials & Monuments

In Honour & Memory

Captain McNeil Boyd Monument

Logo: Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council
  Boyd Monument, East Pier King Laoghaire Plaque Detail Crofton Road
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JAMES McNEIL BOYD

One of the worst recorded storms around the Irish coast occurred on the 10th February, 1861. In winds exceeding 140km per hour no fewer than 23 ships were wrecked in or near Dun Laoghaire. During the storm two colliers, the Neptune and the Industry, got into difficulty and struck the rocks off the back of the East Pier. Captain Boyd and about 100 of the crew of the HMS Ajax stationed in Dun Laoghaire landed and attempted to aid the vessels.

Boyd Monument Inscription

According to the Freeman's Journal:

"The vessels came on and were smashed on the rocks. The shrieks of those on board were heard high above the tempest. Ropes were thrown towards them, hut they were driven back with the force of the storm... Some of Captain Boyd's men procured ropes, lashed themselves with them, and plunged into the surf to endeavour to get on board either of the ill-fated vessels, but the sea was too powerful. Captain Boyd saved a few of his own men from death by pulling them out of the surf. At last, a tremendous sea struck the part of the breakwater upon which Captain Boyd and a number of his men were standing, dashing them with violence against the rocks. When the waves receded it was ascertained by those who had escaped that their gallant commander and five men had been washed away by it."

Captain Boyd was born in Derry. Interested in the training of Naval officers he wrote the official training manual for naval cadets which dealt with seamanship, navigation, rigging, gunnery and physics.

In addition to the memorial on the East Pier there are also memorials to Captain Boyd and his men in Carrickbrennan Graveyard, Monkstown (where the others who died that day are buried), St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin and St. Matthew's Church, Cheltenham, England.

Partly as a result of this tragedy the RNLI set up a lifeboat station for Dun Laoghaire.

All images and descriptive text used with permission Dun Laoghaire - Rathdown County Council

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Now published and available to purchase for €10 in all good book shops, or order via email tcarey@dlrcoco.ie, and to order via telephone ring +353 1 205 4868. Please visit the Dun Laoghaire - Rathdown County Council web site http://www.dlrcoco.ie

 

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