The sun shone warmly and the ship sank swiftly to take its rest on the seabed.
There, it will evolve as a marine life haven and international tourist attraction as Ireland’s very first artificial reef.
The MV Shingle’s cargo leached tens of millions from the State in smuggled cigarettes and tobacco but now it is set to make amends as a prize attraction along the Wild Atlantic Way.
The MV Shingle, which was towed from New Ross by the Ocean Bank Ship, arrived in Killala Bay on Tuesday afternoon.
Shortly after 3pm yesterday, her valves were opened and down she sank – slowly at first but then all of a sudden she was gone, dropping to the seabed 29 metres below.
Scores of small boats came to watch, including one skipper who blasted out Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On as another fished for mackerel.
MV Shingle was seized by the Revenue Commissioners in 2014 after 32 million smuggled cigarettes and 4.5 tonnes of tobacco were found on board, with a potential loss of €14m to the Exchequer.
The MV Shingle’s rebirth as an eco-friendly tourist attraction is a first for Ireland and an innovative co-operative venture between local group Killala Bay Ships 2 Reef Ltd, the Revenue Commissioners, Mayo County Council and Sligo County Council.
The steel-hulled cargo boat has undergone thorough preparations, including environmental procedures to remove asbestos and rust to make her fit for purpose as an artificial reef.
Those behind the project say the man-made reef will draw thousands of divers to the area and attract an additional 10,000 tourists a year to north Mayo and Sligo.
The €2m project was first floated in 2008 by a local campaign group, Killala Bay Ships 2 Reef.
The sinking marks the beginning of the end of the 10-year MV Shingle saga from when the ship was intercepted in the summer of 2014, heading from Slovenia towards Drogheda, Co Louth, with millions of illegal cigarettes on board.
After legal proceedings, Revenue took control of the vessel.
The MV Shingle in Killala Bay. Photo: Michael McLaughlin
Any hopes of selling the ship were scuppered when it was found it was full of asbestos and covered in rust, making the vessel too expensive to even scrap.
Since then, MV Shingle languished for years in Dublin and Rosslare ports, all the while racking up millions in storage fees.
The ship has since remained in the custody of Revenue until now as ownership transferred to the KBS2R group.
Councillor Michael Loftus, a key member of KBS2R, who has dived wrecks all over the world, believed Killala Bay was the ideal spot for a sunken wreck.
“It was a group of us who all go diving and we said, ‘why cant we do this for Killala Bay?’.
“We have been diving all over the world and seen wrecks in Malta, Cyprus and the Caribbean, and we knew we have the ideal spot right here.
“We don’t have many wrecks along the west of Ireland, very few.
“This wreck will be available for sports divers, from beginners to experienced.
“Revenue heard we needed a ship and they needed to get rid of one. It was an ideal situation.”
Chief executive of Mayo County Council, Kevin Kelly welcomed the project, saying: “Mayo County Council is delighted to be part of this exciting development in Killala Bay.
“The creation of Ireland’s first marine artificial reef is a new and exciting initiative and is a testament to the power of partnership and the dedication of all involved… This new artificial reef will not only enrich our marine environment, it will also provide exciting new opportunities for tourism, recreation, and marine research for years to come.”
