WEXFORD, Ireland — After more than two centuries on the seabed, the wreck of the British merchant ship Recovery appears to have been located off the southeast coast of Ireland, offering a tantalising glimpse into a long-vanished chapter of maritime history and its valuable cargo of European art and antiquities.
The Recovery sank in 1787 while transporting priceless cargo from Italy to Dublin, claiming the lives of six crew members, including the captain and his two sons. Now, following decades of searching, divers led by Edmond O’Byrne have identified key elements of the vessel in Wexford waters, most notably a substantial rudder that may prove to be a rare surviving example of 18th-century shipbuilding technology.
Side-scan sonar imagery first highlighted what appeared to be a large piece of timber. Upon closer investigation, divers confirmed it was a 20-foot-long rudder sheathed in copper — a distinctive feature that has become central to the wreck’s identification. “At first I thought it was a torpedo, because the image would be slightly distorted on the side-scan sonar,” O’Byrne explained. “When we went down, it turned out to be a 20-foot-long rudder covered in copper sheet. We’ve searched and, so far, nobody can tell us that there is a copper-covered rudder in existence from that time anywhere. It could be the only one of its time. Now that really identified her.”
Built in Chester in 1773, the Recovery belonged to a select group of British merchant vessels whose hulls were protected with copper sheathing — a technique initially developed for Royal Navy warships to deter marine growth and wood-boring organisms. This relatively uncommon feature for merchant ships of the era provides strong corroborating evidence for the identification.
The rudder was discovered nearly 250 metres from other significant wreckage, including an anchor and timber fittings. Additional artefacts recovered nearby, such as a copper teapot and inkwells, further support the connection to the Recovery and offer insight into daily life aboard the vessel.
Analysis of the wreck site suggests the ship was torn apart in shallow waters after rounding Carnsore Point. O’Byrne and his team believe the vessel struck trouble in the shallows, with the rudder and part of the stern detaching first. “We reckon when she came around Carnsore Point, she came into shallower water, and pulled the rudder and part of the stern off,” he said. “And then the ship was at the mercy of the sea.”
The Recovery was carrying a cargo of considerable cultural and financial value, including bronze and marble artworks collected by the Earl of Charlemont during a nine-year grand tour of Europe. Some pieces also belonged to John La Touche, described as “Ireland’s wealthiest banker.” One notable statue from La Touche’s collection, Amorino by the renowned Italian sculptor Antonio Canova, sold for more than £500,000 in 1997 and is now displayed at the National Gallery of Ireland. The full value and extent of the cargo lost with the Recovery remain unknown, but the careful packing required for its overland and maritime journey raises hopes that surviving artefacts may be in relatively good condition despite nearly 239 years underwater at a depth of about 20 metres.
O’Byrne remains optimistic about future recoveries. “There could be something in very good condition,” he noted. “Because if they had to journey some distance on land to get to the port and then be loaded and then unloaded, they would have to be packed very, very well. So there is a chance that something would survive.”
The discovery not only promises potential insights into 18th-century maritime trade, ship construction, and the transport of fine art across Europe, but also raises intriguing questions about the final moments of the Recovery and the stories of those who perished with her. As further dives and analysis continue, the wreck may yet yield more secrets from beneath the Irish Sea — artefacts and details that could reshape our understanding of this long-lost voyage.