![]() By spring 1588, King Philip II of Spain had grown weary of Queen Elizabeth I’s interference in the civil unrest in the Spanish Netherlands. The reason why Spaniards were shipwrecked in Ireland can be explained by the political events occurring on the continent of Europe. From there, they were dispatched to London to await ransom from Spain. The 45 Spanish noblemen and officers were force-marched more than 200km to Dublin, but only 30 survived to reach the capital. ![]() From there they were eventually sent to neutral Scotland to seek repatriation to Spain. ![]() Roughly 150 Spaniards broke free and fled through a bog, ending up either with Sorley Boy MacDonnell at Dunluce or at the house of the bishop of Derry. The noblemen and officers were then separated out, but 300 of the common seamen learned a harsh lesson about trusting the word of English officials and were summarily executed between Ellagh and Culmore fort. Upon pledges of safe conduct for their delivery into the custody of the Crown, the Spanish laid down their arms near Ellagh Castle. (Artefacts recovered from this wreck are on permanent display in Derry’s Tower Museum.) Some locals were paid for the use of a small boat, and over the course of two days more than 560 men were ferried safely to shore.Īfter a seven-day march inland, the survivors met a force of English cavalry. Donegal (4), where she was listing to such a degree that the order was given to abandon ship. The Trinidad made anchor in Kinnagoe Bay, Co. Nevertheless, as she approached the Irish coast, she managed to rescue 264 men from another Spanish ship swamped in the heavy seas. She was leaking badly and had taken on more water than could be pumped out. ![]() The ship weighed 1,000 tons and had a complement of 360 men. La Trinidad Valencera of the Spanish Armada was in trouble. Published in Features, Issue 5 (September/October 2021), Volume 29 ![]()
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