More relics from Spanish Armada discovered off Irish coast

The dive on the Spanish Armada wrecks off the west coast of Ireland is continuing to yield up more important artefacts, according to a cabinet minister on Monday.

Heather Humphreys, minister for arts, heritage and the Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking region), said vulnerable material that has become exposed over time is being recovered by her department.

"The quality of material being recovered is remarkable and the gun carriage wheels, designed for siege warfare on land, paint a very clear picture of the scale and intent of the planned invasion of England by King Phillip II of Spain," she said.

The focus is on the wreck of the Spanish Armada ship La Juliana, parts of which were uncovered on the seabed by recent winter storms and are at particular risk from both the effects of weather and illegal interference.

The latest phase of this work has so far seen the successful recovery of a variety of significant artefacts, including six bronze cannon, one gun carriage wheel, a ship's cauldron and a number of smaller items.

The variety of guns being recovered graphically illustrates the history of the ship itself from its origins as a trading vessel when it was built in 1570 to its use as a warship during the ill-fated Spanish Armada campaign of 1588.

La Juliana formed part of the Spanish fleet of 130 ships, 26 of which were lost around the coast of Ireland.

At 860 tons, La Juliana carried 325 soldiers and a crew of 70 mariners. She wrecked along with two other ships at Streedagh, County Sligo in September 1588, with the cumulative loss of over 1,100 souls. Endit