When World War II made landfall on Donegal's shore

In May 1943, much of the world was embroiled in World War II. The Allies had gained the upper hand in the North African theatre, with Axis powers poised to surrender. In England and America, plans for what would be the D-Day invasion were taking shape.

Possibly for assisting Belfast with fire engines and equipment after Luftwaffe bombing raids there, Ireland was bombed by the Germans on a number of occasions. Beyond those incidents, she had managed to stay neutral and out of the fray.

To those of the Rosses region of Donegal, known for beautiful coastal vistas, rivers, lakes, and its Gaeltacht community, the war likely seemed quite far away. But that peaceful atmosphere was shattered on the evening of Monday, May 10, 1943.

Just before 7 pm, Gardaí were notified of a round object bobbing in the surf. Clearly, it was a sea mine with telltale spikes protruding from its tarnished metallic surface.

Ten or more mines washed up on Ireland’s shores during the war, but with the proper protocols followed, most would be safely disarmed or detonated by authorities out of harm’s way. Typically, these mines had slipped their moorings and floated freely at the whim of the currents.

This one was destined to make landfall at Ballymanus Strand. Upon receiving that first report, Sgt. Frank Allen simply notified the marine service without taking any action himself. And when Lt. Dunleavy of the marine service arrived on scene, it was already awash with onlookers, speculating about what to do.

About a mile offshore, the mine could be seen lolling about. Its exterior spikes bent in all directions. It had clearly been dashed against the rocks repeatedly. Many present believed, therefore, that this mine was a “dud”. After all, it had likely been in the corrosive saltwater for years. And based on its mottled appearance, it might have been bouncing around Ireland’s rocky shores for years without detonating.

Nonetheless, Sgt. Dunleavy repeatedly warned the young men gathered not to do anything foolhardy, as the mine slowly but surely bobbed toward the strand. He did not, however, close the strand to the public.

Eventually, it reached the shallows, and after a final warning to stay well clear of the mine, Dunleavy left the scene to enlist the help of an ordnance expert in dealing with this “dud."

With Dunleavy now gone, curiosity finally got the better of that group of local young men. They roped the mine, pulling it as far onto the sand as they could. Some climbed atop the alien-looking object. Others banged it with their fists and whatever else they had with them. One can only imagine the raucous scene as these fearless youngsters laughed and cavorted around this relic of a “far-off” war.

That is, until a thunderous and deadly explosion, heard up to 40 miles away, rocked Ballymanus Strand. The lives of 19 young men and boys, aged 13 to 34, were extinguished in a flash, their bodies and families utterly shattered.

It was Sgt. Allen who would bear the blame, for passing off the matter instead of taking charge and cordoning off the area per protocol. Procedures, carefully designed to maximize the safety of the locals, had simply not been followed.

Ballymanus, The Rosses, and western Donegal would never be the same.

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