Accident at Nuns' Island Distillery

Galway Advertiser — 17th November 1883

On Wednesday evening last the distillery premises of Mr. Henry S. Pearse were the scene of a very unusual amount of excitement, consequent on the bursting of a large tank, called the "Worm—vessel", which contained no less than the extraordinary quantity of 270,000 gallons of water, or equal to about 4,000 tons. It appears that, in order to make the vessel contain a larger quantity of water than was originally intended, additional plates were attached, and in such a manner that it was felt no danger of any kind could be the consequence, but the sequel will show the fallacy of such an idea. Everything having been completed to satisfaction, the vessel was filled, as it was necessary that the worm should be covered, and the employees were proceeding with their various vocations, the excise—men in charge were going through their ordinary routine, the busy wheels of the ponderous machinery rolled on as usual, the clerks in their respective offices plied their inky quills, when suddenly, and with a roar as of the discharge of a park of artillery, the vessel above—mentioned gave way to the great pressure that bore upon it internally, and the water gushed forth with a force indescribable, carrying with it in its course all that came in its way. At the rere was a massive stone wall, which yielded to the great force as if it were only a wooden sheeting, and so immense was the flow, that the water rebounded, and swept with terrible velocity to the other side of the yard, taking with it barrels and all other moveable's in its onward course, and striking a shed in which a number of coopers were working at the time, dashed in about the shop, upset the workmen, and knocked them about most mercilessly, two of whom, named Walsh, brothers, received such injuries that when the danger was past it was deemed advisable to convey them to the County Infirmary. Another man had actually to swim for his life, while others were more or less injured from being struck by floating barrels and loose timber. But although the foregoing in itself is possessed in a manner of an aspect of sadness to the sufferers, still there is another side to the picture which presents somewhat of a ludicrous aspect, as far as some of the parties connected with the premises are concerned. For instance, one exciseman, who thought it was the "real stuff" that was surreptitiously flowing into the cellars, without being "dipped," dashed out of the office rod and book in hands, and pen behind the ear, to estimate the quantity, but he was speedily compelled to beat a retreat, and mounting the highest ledge of the desk, like an auctioneer on his rostrum, and in the attitude of an oratorical demagogue, he bellowed forth "Hold, enough". There he remained until the floods assuaged and "the waters were abated", when he descended, to contemplate the amount of damage which had been done, and which, we are glad to say, is not of any great extent. Another officer, to avoid the deluge, availed himself of a life—buoy that presented itself in the shape of a floating puncheon, to which he bounded with the agility of a cat, and having secured himself after the manner of a jockey riding bare—backed, and fixing his hands firmly in the bung—hole, to balance himself, he succeeded in escaping an inevitable drenching, though he suffered some inconvenience by his endeavour to save his peg—tops from getting wet, and thus, like "Patience on a monument", he drifted from one place to another, till at length his empty barque found a resting place on an elevated spot to which fortune steered its course, when he alighted on terra firma, greatly relived in mind, but terribly cramped in the nether extremities from his weary and uncomfortable voyage, and now, after the great excitement which had so lately prevailed, the pair of worthy gaugers were at last in a position to congratulate each other on their wonderful preservation from the terrors of the mighty deep.