by Brian Cain
CHAPTER EIGHT
Sunday 8th June 1806. Fial had anchored the Pacific Star in Ireland’s Cork Harbour, choosing deep water between Haulbowline and Ringaskiddy. This kept the black crew away from prying eyes and allowed Fial to further modify his ship without too much attention. Fial traversed back and forth via longboat to Ringaskiddy and King’s Head Tavern. He found it difficult; bringing back memories of the past. The Harbour, the town, the smell and atmosphere played on Fial's mind as a childhood of horror came back to haunt him.
The Society of United Irishmen was active but hard to find. King’s Head Tavern publican Evan McTaggert was confided in an effort to find Donal McGuire, a merchant seaman he had heard of who was related to his step father, but progress was slow. Then one balmy summer's afternoon in August while dining at the Tavern, in walked Donal McGuire with two other seamen. Fial had not been recognised as he was sporting a new beard so he approached Donal.
"You would be Donal McGuire would you not?" asked Fial of Donal as he stood at the bar. Donal looked closely at Fial.
"Well bless my soul; it's the very man himself. I have heard you are looking for me. I see your ship in the harbour; a fine vessel. We have heard of the Pacific Star and her escapades off the coast of Portsmouth." Donal embraced Fial and slapped him on the back. "These men here are the finest sailors I have served with; they are staunch to the cause, They are grand friends of Dan Evans whom you have meet right here in the tavern." Donal, a short, fit, young sailor with shoulder length, blonde hair turned and put his hand on the shoulder of the man next to him. "Fial meet Hainan McGee." McGee was a massive man; over six feet. He looked like a barrel with arms and no neck; the same diameter all the way down. Fial and McGee exchanged greetings. Donal then introduced Ronan Cameron; a tall, slim, very pale man, middle-aged; the sea had etched its waves into his face and Fial shook his hand, noticing his strong grip.
"We are united in a cause no doubt for we have a thing in common. The British have taken our families and continue to disrupt our lives at will. The time has come to talk." Donal did not continue the conference; his wife came in and dragged him away by the ear. Cameron and McGee were shocked and looked on in silence. Fial warmed to the event; the McGuire family had suffered enough sacrifice to the cause. Fial, Cameron and McGee sat outside in the tavern beer garden out of earshot of all and Fial disclosed his plan.
"I am sure as long as I live that the death of my family will be avenged. The British continue to assist in the preparation of a ship that will become the scourge of ships of the line. She can attack and sink a man of war and be gone. I intend to lay waste as many ships of the line as I see fit. I will show you the fine black men I have on my ship; the British, French and Spanish are all involved in transporting and selling these people. They see them as nothing but wealth to build their empires, looking down upon them as they do to us.
Compared to their mighty sword we are only a fleeting dagger but the dagger can be hidden and brought to bear with great speed and consequence. Gentlemen I ask you to join me in trust that the dagger will be called the Ghost of McMurrin and sail from this port in the next few days to plunder the ships of the line. We will have a few weeks grace before we are declared enemies of the realm so we need to make good use of the time and the good weather of the months of summer. All the ships we attack must go to the bottom of the sea and carry no information on the tactics of the Ghost or her location; their ships will just vanish, as did my family. Raise a toast with me men to the Ghost of McMurrin." They clanked their wooden tankards together and drank to the bottom.
Through records held by the British on Haulbowline Island prison Fial found reference to McGee and Cameron having been imprisoned for suspected activities within the Society of United Irishmen but being released to serve as gunners on ships of the line, a probable death sentence anyway, but they survived and were on leave. McGee and Cameron were both orphans from an early age and did not know their parents other than that the British were involved in their demise.
They had become very good friends in prison, working together on a British man of war with initial experience on merchant shipping lines running from the northern port of Belfast. They were quiet men, different to Fial in as much as they paid not much mind to ethics or politics, they just wanted to take revenge on the British. Fial made it clear he was the captain of his ship and orders were to be followed even if crew members did not agree with them. Fial carried a multi-barrelled short silver musket pistol always loaded and stated mutiny or disrespect for the ship would bring swift justice. All agreed that for a ship to function correctly trust must be held by all for the captain and Fial was a man they would follow to the end of the earth.
With a full moon on Sunday the 7th of July 1806 the name on the bow of the Star was changed to Ghost of McMurrin, gold lettering on a black background. A figurehead of a long thin dagger, also gold and black, was bolted to the bow; the sculpture was over six feet long and was carved by a member of the Society. The Ghost flew a pure green tapered flag from the rear of her bow that trailed out long behind the ship nearly touching the water should there be no wind. The Ghost cut a wide wake as she went to full sail in the westerly wind heading for the twenty-five mile stretch of water between the Isle of Scilly and Land’s End, England.