Divers to present gunrunning ship’s anchors to towns

DIVERS are to salvage the two anchors on the famous gunrunning ship The Aud and present them to the people of Fenit, Co Kerry and Cobh, Co Cork.

The ship, estimated to be carrying 20,000 rifles and 1,000,000 rounds of ammunition, was scuttled by its German crew at the entrance to Cork harbour in 1916. It lies in 36m of water outside Roches Point.

The crew was supposed to hand over the weapons to Roger Casement and his volunteer followers in Kerry but, unknown to them, German codes had been broken by the British Navy, which intercepted the vessel in Tralee Bay.