Shipwrecked origins of the Clock Tower's 'missing' mine - whose whereabouts we reveal
The list of mines recovered and defused off the Waterford coast during the Second World War.
In November, the Waterford News & Star reported on the strange case of the 'missing mine' of the Clock Tower.
Metropolitan Mayor Adam Wyse asked at the November District meeting about the whereabouts of the Word War II mine.
He said: "We had a WWII mine on the Quay next to the Clock Tower for years and years. It was taken away for the works but now that the works are nearly finished, can we find that mine?"
He added: "When people are coming over the new Sustainable Transport Bridge that mine should be there, explaining the history of Waterford. I've asked three different people who can't seem to find it. That sounds dodgy enough to me."
Local man James Doherty graciously contacted the paper to set the record straight on the mystery of the mine. He said: "It is a real mine, but it is deactivated."
According to James, the mine was in the custody of the UK-based organisation known as The Shipwrecked Mariners' Society. The organisation was established in 1839 to help fishermen and mariners and their families. The society has provided valuable assistance and support to the families of mariners who tragically lost their lives at sea.
The society is helping people in need to this day. In their mission statement, they wrote: "While our title is now more of a metaphor for what we do, shipwrecks still occur and we are there to provide assistance."
During the Second World War, a large number of mines were recovered and defused off the coast of Waterford. In the years following, the Shipwreck Mariners' Society used these WWII-era sea mines as charity collection points in Irish coastal towns and cities.
James described seeing similar mines across the country in the late 70's.
He said: "There used to be loads of them but people had a negative association with them during the Troubles, they used to be vandalized."
A keen historian, James wrote to the society about fixing up the old mine. To his surprise, the society handed over custodianship of the mine. Currently, the mine is safely in the environs of a Council-owned yard in Johnstown, Waterford city.
When work finishes on the Sustainable Transport Bridge, James hopes to see the mine restored along with a charity point and information plaque about the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society. According to James, the plaque would highlight a vital part of Waterford's maritime history by detailing "the dangers faced on the Irish coast and on the seas during WWII".
