Anchor from gun running ship Aud making a round trip

Thursday, 21st April marks the centenary of the gun running ship, Aud steaming under escort by the British Navy from Tralee Bay to Cork Harbour. In the early hours of 22nd April, she was scuttled by her crew as she approached Cork Harbour. Her stockless anchor, recovered from the wreck in 2012 will make the same journey one hundred years later, except that this journey will be by road.

Two anchors were recovered from the wreck in June 2012 under a licence issued by the Underwater Archaeology Unit of the National Monuments Service of the Deptartment Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht. The dive expedition, led by diver Eoin McGarry followed almost two years of preparations and was a huge voluntary effort of divers, boat operators and other interested parties.

Conservation of the anchors has been completed under licence by the Tralee Bay Heritage Association and the anchors have been in the custody of the association since. The transport of the stockless anchor to Cobh has been delayed to allow both anchors to be displayed as part of the state ceremony honouring Roger Casement at Banna Beach on Thursday. Both anchors remain the property of the state and the National Museum is happy for the stockless anchor to be displayed in Cobh Heritage Centre, thereby fulfilling the terms of the licence to recover the anchor.