The Norwegian barque Hirundo was timber laden from Porsgrunn for Barrow, was caught in a northerly gale, north of Rathlin on the morning of 30^th March 1880.  She was blown ashore later that day, a few yards east of Carrick Rock, her anchor can still be seen there.  The crew all managed to get ashore, but it was two days before they were discovered by islanders and rescued from the cave in which they had sought refuge.

Diving information – Carrick-na-rone was the rock on which the Hiruno was reputed to have ben wrecked, although Ian Wilson’s book ‘Shipwrecks of the Ulster Coast’ reports the Hirundo as “a dangerous derelict floating off Fair Head”. This could be quite true although it conflicts with reports from the island for that period. The only evidence of a wreck in the area is a large anchor and chain just east of the rock and some large oak ship timbers which lay on the adjacent breach for some years. The only other thing which has been found on the site were some large copper strips. The current runs quite strong over the site for about two hours. After that there is quite a long period of slack. Depth varies from 4/9 metres on a seabed covered with thick weed and kelp. When diving this wreck site it will become quite apparent why the rock is called Carrick-na-rone (rock of the seal) as there are usually a number of seals in the vicinity to keep you company.