The Girona had anchored in Killybegs harbour, Donegal, for repairs to her rudder while two other ships had been lost on attempting to enter the harbour. About 800 survivors from two other Spanish shipwrecks were taken aboard at Killybegs, from La Rata Santa Maria Encoronada, which ran aground off the coast of County Mayo, and the Duquesa Santa Ana, which went aground at Loughros Mor Bay, Donegal.

With the assistance of an Irish chieftain, MacSweeney Bannagh, the Girona was repaired and set sail for Catholic Scotland on 25 October, with 1,300 men on board, including Alonso Martinez de Leyva. Lough Foyle was cleared, but then a gale struck and the Girona was driven ashore at Lacada Point, near Dunluce in County Antrim on the night of 26 October 1588. Of the estimated 1300 people on board, there were nine survivors, who were sent on to Scotland by Sorley Boy MacDonnell ; 260 bodies were washed ashore. Some of these sailors are buried at the nearby Saint Cuthberts church.

 The first salvage attempts of the Girona were made within months by Sir George Carew , who complained at the expense of “sustaining the divers with copious draughts of whiskey.

Sorley Boy MacDonnell recovered 3 brass cannon and 2 chests of treasure from the wreck.

In 1967 and 1968, off the coast of Portballintrae a team of Belgian divers brought up the greatest find of Spanish Armada treasure ever recovered from a wrecked ship.  The Girona’s recovered gold jewellery is on show in the Ulster Museum in Belfast.

An intersting piece of history to be aware of on your trip up the North coast with Ireland Luxury Tours.

Tours of Ireland should always include a visit to this part of the island…..

A day tour or Belfast tour can also include this part of the world…

If you are in Belfast in 2010 contact Ireland Luxury Tours…..we can make it happen…..