Valentia, and Fenit, Co. Kerry. At 12.55 early on the morning of the 7th of February, 1959, the coxswain of the Valentia life-boat was informed that the French trawler Mary-Brigitte of Concarneau was sinking three miles south of the Blaskets. Nine minutes later the trawler reported that her crew were abandoning ship. The life-boat Rowland Watts left her moorings at 1.35 in a south-easterly gale, with a rough sea and a flood tide. She arrived at the position given at 3.5 and carried out a search of the area but found nothing.

At 3.15 the Fenit life-boat Hilton Briggs put out to help in the search. Both life- boats received a radio message at 5.5 giving an amended position three miles west of Teareaght Rock, and they altered their area of search accordingly.

The British merchant vessel Manchester Spinner, two French trawlers, a local fishing boat from Dingle, an Irish Army aircraft and a Hastings aircraft of the R.A.F. were also searching. At 7.35 some fishing buoys, four fish baskets, two hatch covers and other wreckage were picked up by the Valentia life- boat, and the Fenit life-boat also picked up wreckage. At 10.33 two bodies were recovered by the Valentia life-boat, and the search for survivors continued until the afternoon, but nothing further was found, and the life-boats returned to their stations. Valentia life-boat ar- rived at 5.40 and the Fenit life-boat at eight o'clock. The whole crew of nine of the Mary-Brigitte lost their lives.

A letter of appreciation was received from the French Ambassador in Dublin.

Valentia : rewards to the crew, £38 5s ; rewards to the helpers on shore, £1 8s.

Fenit : rewards to the crew, £38 5s. ; rewards to the helpers on shore, £1 8s.