WHIDDY ISLAND
Whiddy Island is located around 3km from Bantry, situated at the head of Bantry Bay, and the island is roughly around 5.5km long and 1.6km wide. The earliest history is not very clear and it is not known when the island was first inhabited, However, it is estimated to have been around c.4500BC. The earliest records reveal that there were at least two monasteries and a priory on the island from 500AD, The island is said to have been referred to as ‘Vod Iy’ (meaning Holy Island).
In around 1171, Whiddy Island was resident to the The O’Sullivans, and also monks who were given land on the Island by the High King of Ireland to make amends for the loss of their monastery in Cong after a raid. The O’Sullivans and Monks took control over the bay and the inner harbour while also rebuilding the Castle which you can still see the remains of today.
In the late 1600s Whiddy was bought by Captain Richard White who was an English settler. Captain R White began a production of fishing on the island. In 1701 Captain R White’s son was born on the island. His name was Richard White after his father However was later known as “Counselor White” who went on to purchase what we now know as Bantry house.
Whiddy Island went on to be very successful in the pilchard fishing industry in the 1700s. They acquired a fleet of 186 Boats and there were also three ‘Fish Palaces’ (which are places where they would cure the pilchard by fermentation, pickling, smoking or pressing to prepare the fish for eating/selling) at that time the population of the island was 817.
In around 1171, Whiddy Island was resident to the The O’Sullivans, and also monks who were given land on the Island by the High King of Ireland to make amends for the loss of their monastery in Cong after a raid. The O’Sullivans and Monks took control over the bay and the inner harbour while also rebuilding the Castle which you can still see the remains of today.
In the late 1600s Whiddy was bought by Captain Richard White who was an English settler. Captain R White began a production of fishing on the island. In 1701 Captain R White’s son was born on the island. His name was Richard White after his father However was later known as “Counselor White” who went on to purchase what we now know as Bantry house.
Whiddy Island went on to be very successful in the pilchard fishing industry in the 1700s. They acquired a fleet of 186 Boats and there were also three ‘Fish Palaces’ (which are places where they would cure the pilchard by fermentation, pickling, smoking or pressing to prepare the fish for eating/selling) at that time the population of the island was 817.
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Fish Palaces on Whiddy Island in the 1700s
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One of the gun batteries on Whiddy Island
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Seaplane Base on Whiddy Island
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In 1796 the English decided that because of the French invasion forced under Wolfe Tone, that they would build three gun batteries on this island, which stationed 18 large cannons to aid in the protection of the port. These batteries were later abandoned in 1807.
During the Great Famine the population of the island dropped to around 250. Because of the available land on the island, Lord Bantry started using the land for deer farming.
In 1918 the East end of the Island was used by U.S. Naval Air Station to build a seaplane base. This was used for patrols and convoys for the Southwest waters of Ireland. This base also had an operational radio station that received messages from countries as far as the United States and Russia. After only one month of operation one of the planes crashed killing one airman, and the base was closed 3 months later in 1919.
In 1966, Whiddy Island was identified by the Gulf Oil Corporation as being the most suitable site for a new terminal. The construction of the oil terminal began in 1967 and then completed in 1969. The terminal was in operation for ten years, However, on Monday, 8 January 1979 after the oil tanker of the name ‘Betelgeuse’ exploded causing the ship to be engulfed in flames along with much of the oil cargo that was still onboard. The great extent of this fire caused the island’s Jetty to crumble. This tragedy claimed the lives of 50 men and one women. This incident is known as ‘The Whiddy Island disaster’ or ‘The Betelgeuse Incident’.
This brings us to today, where Whiddy island is home to 20 families and a staple in Bantry and the Beara peninsulas tourism and history. The island has a great fishing industry and the once operational oil terminal has now been repurposed to store the Irish strategic oil reserve. The Island is popular to both tourists and locals for its scenic walks, historical remains and gorgeous views of Bantry Bay.
During the Great Famine the population of the island dropped to around 250. Because of the available land on the island, Lord Bantry started using the land for deer farming.
In 1918 the East end of the Island was used by U.S. Naval Air Station to build a seaplane base. This was used for patrols and convoys for the Southwest waters of Ireland. This base also had an operational radio station that received messages from countries as far as the United States and Russia. After only one month of operation one of the planes crashed killing one airman, and the base was closed 3 months later in 1919.
In 1966, Whiddy Island was identified by the Gulf Oil Corporation as being the most suitable site for a new terminal. The construction of the oil terminal began in 1967 and then completed in 1969. The terminal was in operation for ten years, However, on Monday, 8 January 1979 after the oil tanker of the name ‘Betelgeuse’ exploded causing the ship to be engulfed in flames along with much of the oil cargo that was still onboard. The great extent of this fire caused the island’s Jetty to crumble. This tragedy claimed the lives of 50 men and one women. This incident is known as ‘The Whiddy Island disaster’ or ‘The Betelgeuse Incident’.
This brings us to today, where Whiddy island is home to 20 families and a staple in Bantry and the Beara peninsulas tourism and history. The island has a great fishing industry and the once operational oil terminal has now been repurposed to store the Irish strategic oil reserve. The Island is popular to both tourists and locals for its scenic walks, historical remains and gorgeous views of Bantry Bay.
Whiddy Island oil terminals
In the 1960s the use of ULCC (ultra large crude carriers) became the most economical transportation of oil between the middle east and europe. This however would mean that some ports would be unenterable due to the great size and depth of these vessels.
The reason for these terminals is so that oil could be shipped in very large amounts from the Middle East by ULCC's in one trip. This aids in limiting the amount of trips taken using smaller vessels to the middle east. The large vessel would then off-load the oil to a terminal in Europe, where it is stored until it is needed to be transported using smaller vessels to its final destination to a European refinery. This is commonly known as Transshipment.
It was in 1966, that Whiddy Island was sought after by the Gulf Oil Corporation as the site for a new terminal, It was deemed a suitable location due to the harbours deep-water anchorage, the sheltered area, and the free area of land. The construction of the oil terminal began in 1967 and then completed in 1969.
The terminal consisted of an on land ‘Tank Farm’ made up of: two tanks for ballast, two for bunker fuel oil, one for diesel oil, and 12 crude oil storage tanks. There was also a 488m long Jetty built 396m off the shore of the island. The terminal appeared to have great success in the first five years of operation and brought a great economy to Bantry.
The reason for these terminals is so that oil could be shipped in very large amounts from the Middle East by ULCC's in one trip. This aids in limiting the amount of trips taken using smaller vessels to the middle east. The large vessel would then off-load the oil to a terminal in Europe, where it is stored until it is needed to be transported using smaller vessels to its final destination to a European refinery. This is commonly known as Transshipment.
It was in 1966, that Whiddy Island was sought after by the Gulf Oil Corporation as the site for a new terminal, It was deemed a suitable location due to the harbours deep-water anchorage, the sheltered area, and the free area of land. The construction of the oil terminal began in 1967 and then completed in 1969.
The terminal consisted of an on land ‘Tank Farm’ made up of: two tanks for ballast, two for bunker fuel oil, one for diesel oil, and 12 crude oil storage tanks. There was also a 488m long Jetty built 396m off the shore of the island. The terminal appeared to have great success in the first five years of operation and brought a great economy to Bantry.
Whiddy Jetty being built
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Whiddy Jetty as it stands today
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Where the impressive 488m long Jetty that was claimed to be capable of accommodating vessels up to 500,000 tonnes deadweight once stood, are the remains of a still remarkable structure. The jetty is situated around 396m off the South-West shore of the island and is only accessible by boat.
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The Whiddy Disaster
From the beginning of its voyage the ‘Betelgeuse’ had faced many unforeseen challenges leading up to its unprecedented disaster on whiddy island.
The ship ‘Betelgeuse’ set out from a port in Saudi with a full load of cargo onboard where she was to make her way to Sines, Portugal where she was to offload some cargo. However, the vessel was unable to enter the harbour due to very poor weather conditions.
The vessel continued on the journey to the second port in Portugal, Leixões where the ‘Betelgeuse’ was once again stopped from offloading cargo due to a ship having run aground in the harbours entrance.
From there the vessel was instructed to continue its journey to Whiddy Island after their stop in Vigo, Spain to change crew. The ship set sail to Whiddy island on the 30th of december 1978.
On the voyage, the ‘Betelgeuse’ were met with heavy weather while sailing in the Bay of Biscay. After this the crew reported leaking oil and they were instructed to leave their course towards Bantry bay and head to Brest, France. While sailing towards France they found the source of the leak and stopped it.
After this they diverted back to their planned course towards Bantry bay and arrived on the 4th of January 1979 to Bantry bay and on the 6th of January at around 8pm they had officially berthed on the jetty off Whiddy island and began the discharge of the 114,000 tone of Arabian crude oil onboard the vessel.
It was estimated to take about 36 hours to discharge the oil from onboard, to the tank farm. While this was in process, crew onboard ‘Betelgeuse’ were taken ashore to Bantry after what had already been a very eventful voyage.
At around 1am on Monday January 8th 1979, a distinct rumbling noise was heard to be coming from the vessel. This was followed only a short while after with a huge explosion within the hull of the vessel. The explosion had a catastrophic force that not only impacted the vessel but the jetty alongside.
It is said by witnesses that the ‘Betelgeuse’, which still had much of its cargo onboard, was engulfed in flames only moments later and followed by multiple other explosions aboard the vessel resulting in it breaking in half while the jetty alongside crumbled to pieces.
Due to the extent of the disaster firefighters couldn't get near the vessel as temperature exceeded 1,000°C. While locals of the island and survivors evacuated the island, Firefighters focused on stopping the spread of the fires and protecting the onshore Tank Farm.
Around 12 hours later the vessel started to sink and the stern of Betelgeuse was completely submerged with just to bow over water. This extinguished the main body of the fire.
A total of 51 lives were lost in this disaster. All 41 crew on board at the time, one visitor who was the wife of a crewmate died along with 8 of the terminal workers.
The ship ‘Betelgeuse’ set out from a port in Saudi with a full load of cargo onboard where she was to make her way to Sines, Portugal where she was to offload some cargo. However, the vessel was unable to enter the harbour due to very poor weather conditions.
The vessel continued on the journey to the second port in Portugal, Leixões where the ‘Betelgeuse’ was once again stopped from offloading cargo due to a ship having run aground in the harbours entrance.
From there the vessel was instructed to continue its journey to Whiddy Island after their stop in Vigo, Spain to change crew. The ship set sail to Whiddy island on the 30th of december 1978.
On the voyage, the ‘Betelgeuse’ were met with heavy weather while sailing in the Bay of Biscay. After this the crew reported leaking oil and they were instructed to leave their course towards Bantry bay and head to Brest, France. While sailing towards France they found the source of the leak and stopped it.
After this they diverted back to their planned course towards Bantry bay and arrived on the 4th of January 1979 to Bantry bay and on the 6th of January at around 8pm they had officially berthed on the jetty off Whiddy island and began the discharge of the 114,000 tone of Arabian crude oil onboard the vessel.
It was estimated to take about 36 hours to discharge the oil from onboard, to the tank farm. While this was in process, crew onboard ‘Betelgeuse’ were taken ashore to Bantry after what had already been a very eventful voyage.
At around 1am on Monday January 8th 1979, a distinct rumbling noise was heard to be coming from the vessel. This was followed only a short while after with a huge explosion within the hull of the vessel. The explosion had a catastrophic force that not only impacted the vessel but the jetty alongside.
It is said by witnesses that the ‘Betelgeuse’, which still had much of its cargo onboard, was engulfed in flames only moments later and followed by multiple other explosions aboard the vessel resulting in it breaking in half while the jetty alongside crumbled to pieces.
Due to the extent of the disaster firefighters couldn't get near the vessel as temperature exceeded 1,000°C. While locals of the island and survivors evacuated the island, Firefighters focused on stopping the spread of the fires and protecting the onshore Tank Farm.
Around 12 hours later the vessel started to sink and the stern of Betelgeuse was completely submerged with just to bow over water. This extinguished the main body of the fire.
A total of 51 lives were lost in this disaster. All 41 crew on board at the time, one visitor who was the wife of a crewmate died along with 8 of the terminal workers.
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The Betelgeuse and Whiddy Jetty on fire
It was 2 weeks before any recovery or pumping the remainder of the oil cargo still on board was able to go ahead due to the heavy clouds of toxic and flammable gas that surrounded the site. The sea bed and fishing ground was also badly contaminated and the clean up was not completed until 1983
Later the wreck of the Betelgeuse was removed in four separate parts. The bow was towed to open water where it was deliberately sunk 160km offshore. Another two pieces of the wreck were towed to Spain for disposal and the final piece of the wreck was not removed until July 1980 where it was broken up locally. The ship's bell was recovered and was incorporated in a memorial sculpture that is in Bantry graveyard that overlooks the bay and Whiddy island.
Whiddy Island after the disaster
From 1998, nearly 20 years after the disaster, Whiddy islands oil terminal reopened.
A specially designed Single Point Mooring System (SPM) which is situated farther out the bay from where the remains of the old jetty lays. Whiddy island oil terminal is now used for the storage of oil in the 17 storage tanks situated on the island.
Later the wreck of the Betelgeuse was removed in four separate parts. The bow was towed to open water where it was deliberately sunk 160km offshore. Another two pieces of the wreck were towed to Spain for disposal and the final piece of the wreck was not removed until July 1980 where it was broken up locally. The ship's bell was recovered and was incorporated in a memorial sculpture that is in Bantry graveyard that overlooks the bay and Whiddy island.
Whiddy Island after the disaster
From 1998, nearly 20 years after the disaster, Whiddy islands oil terminal reopened.
A specially designed Single Point Mooring System (SPM) which is situated farther out the bay from where the remains of the old jetty lays. Whiddy island oil terminal is now used for the storage of oil in the 17 storage tanks situated on the island.
