Orkney - The SS Irene, cause of the Longhope disaster (c. 1971)
*The watermark is for internet copyright purposes only and will not appear on the purchased print
On the very stormy night of 17th March 1969, the Liberian-registered SS "Irene" was driven aground near Grim Ness on the north-eastern shore of the island of South Ronaldsay. The Longhope lifeboat ("T.G.B."), in attempting to assist the crew of the stricken vessel was caught in the appalling conditions of the Pentland Firth. Tragically all hands on T.G.B. were lost, a disaster from which the small community of Longhope never really recovered, when she was swamped and capsized by the raging seas.
The Irene slowly disintegrated and this pastel/crayon picture is circa 1971