LOST IN CANADA

The following is an extract taken from the local ABC news

By FR. Sean o' longaigh

The Quebec mercury

Sat'22nd may 1841;

(submitted by Tomas turner)

Melancholy shipwreck -  148 lives lost!

The Minstrel left Limerick, Ireland, on the 21st April 1841 for Quebec, with 141 passenger emigrants intending to settle in Canada, The vessel had a tolerable passage up to Tuesday last (18th may), at 4 o' clock a.m., 

When she struck red island reef. there was a heavy sea running at the time, but the boats were launched and made fast to the fore - chains. upwards of 100 passengers embarked in the boats, but their doom was quickly sealed; the vessel heeled off into deep water and went down stern foremost, so suddenly that the painters of the boats could not be cast off and the people who had embarked in the boats perished with their equally unfortunate companions on board the ship except four of the crew and four passengers, who alone of upwards of 150 souls remained to tell the sad tale.

these eight persons had embarked in the gig, which was towing astern, and, fortunately for them, the rope which attached it to the vessel broke when she went down.

they succeeded in pulling to white island, where they remained until the following day when they were taken off by the ship Wellington of Belfast, captain McIntyre, and brought to grosse isle.

captain outer bridge of the unfortunate minstrel behaved most gallantly during the awful scene, until he perished with the rest.

 he declared he would not leave the vessel until his passengers were saved, and he was the last person seen by those who were in the gig.

the minstrel was well known in the Quebec trade as a passenger ship from Ireland. she belonged to limerick, and registered 296 tonnes. last year she arrived at Quebec on the 23rd may from limerick with 163 passengers.

the passengers saved left the Wellington at grosses isle and came to Quebec in the brig thetis, captain ross, from limerick with 131 passengers.

the following is a statement of the number of the crew and   passengers who perished:

CREW LOST:

Captain, mate & nine others.......................................11

Passengers lost:

male adults....................................................................47

female adults..................................................................41

males under - 14 ...........................................................10

Females under - 14........................................................8

males under - 7.............................................................12

females under - 7..........................................................10

 total............................................................................148

Passengers     FROM    ASKEATON 

ALL WERE LOST

BENNETT, BRIDGET

BENNETT, CATHERINE

CONNORS, PAT

ENRIGHT, ELLEN

ENRIGHT, J

ENRIGHT, JOHN

ENRIGHT, PETER

FITZGERALD, ED

FITZGERALD, MARY

FITZGERALD, MARY

FITZGERALD, PAT

FITZGERALD, PEG

FOLEY, DAN

FOLEY, ELLEN

GEORGE, JANE

GEORGE, MARY ANN

HANLEY, BRIDGET

HANLEY, DANIEL

HANLEY, ELLEN

HANLEY, JOHN

KINNERK, JAMES

LYNHAM, JACOB

MULVIHILL, CATHERINE

MULVIHILL, CON

MULVIHILL, DANIEL

MULVIHILL, ELIZA

MULVIHILL, JEREMIAH

MULVIHILL, JOHANNA

MULVIHILL, TIM

WHITE, BRIDGET