A cannonball, a “ghost ship” and the remains of a vessel carrying 43 tonnes (43,000kg) of gold were among the items washed up on Irish shores in recent years. It is their job to take possession of wrecks, assess their value and, if possible, help find their owners. Receivers of wreck are also required to deal with abandoned vessels close to shore but below the waterline. The captain’s parrot survived and flew to shore, only to be shot by a farmer the following year. In February 2020, a receiver of wreck took possession of the MV Alta after it ran aground near Ballycotton, Co Cork.

Source: The Irish Times December 26, 2025 06:06 UTC