A night to remember

The sinking of the St Patrick is nowhere as famous as the loss of the Titanic, nor was this drama as memorable as the above-named film about the 1912 tragedy. Nevertheless Ship Ahoy!  at our local theatre was a triumph for the 23 young people and their tutors who put the show together in a one week summer school. Together they created and directed a 90-minute performance that included comedy and tragedy, singing and dancing, music, video and stage effects, in five days flat. There were a few fluffs and stumbles but all in all it was a great success and I got the feeling that the kids had had a brilliant experience as well as learning a huge amount.

I don't normally go to this sort of thing but it just so happened that I have just been researching the loss of the St Patrick for our local history centre, Ein Hanes. And, only a couple of days ago, someone donated a picture of the ship with the comment that it might get more attention in the heritage centre than on her sitting room wall.

The St Patrick was the only ferry to maintain the sea link  between Ireland and Wales during the war, dodging mines and air strikes in St George's Channel. On June 13th 1941 her luck ran out when she was bombed from the air, broke apart and sank in seven minutes  just 10 miles short of the Pembrokeshire coast. Thirty of the 89 passengers and (mostly Irish) crew were lost including the captain and his son, a naval rating accompanying his father while on leave. Three of the surviving crew received awards for bravery including a young local stewardess, Elizabeth May Owen,  who got the George Medal for her courage in returning below decks several times to rescue desperate passengers. Her story is all but forgotten  but Ship Ahoy!  helped to bring it back to life for the cast, crew and audience on tonight.

Extras: the picture of the St Patrick in her heyday and an artist's impression of the stricken ship.