Dunleavy also admitted at the inquest that he told the men that 90 out of 100 of these mines were harmless. In the grey Atlantic swells off the rugged Donegal coast bobbed a strange, black, knobby object. The young fishermen of Ballymanus village strolled down to the sea, stared and wondered. At length came the official coast watcher. It was a mine, he warned: let no one touch it. ('Death in Donegal', Time Magazine, May 24th, 1943) Just as darkness was falling, at 9.50 pm on that May evening, Dunleavy left the scene to report the matter to his ordnance officer and to seek help. That same night a dance was scheduled to take place in the local hall at nearby Mullaghduff. Many of the young people from the area who were making their way to the dance hall drifted towards the seashore to investigate what was afoot. Apparently, when Dunleavy left the site a few of those present proceeded to haul the mine in with ropes, throwing stones and attempting to unscrew portions of it. This activity caused it to explode. "But two bold youths - James Rogers and James Roarty - waded out waistdeep, fixed a rope to the mine's horns. Up on the beach the crowd heavedho. Inshore wallowed the sinister machine until, suddenly, it bumped a rock. In the black roar of the explosion, Rogers and Roarty were blown to bits, 16 others were killed, 40 Ballymanus houses were damaged. The torn, tattered bodies were borne to the dance hall in neighbouring Mullaghduff, where there was to have been a dance that night. From villages miles around the women came, with black shawls over their heads, to keen beside the coffins. This was the saddest wartime tragedy that had come to neutral Eire". ('Death in Donegal', Time magazine, May 24th, 1943). The explosion which occurred at 10.00 pm ripped the crowd apart. The noise of the blast was heard miles away. Needless to say, mayhem erupted. Those who were standing nearby were blown to bits, bodies were scattered in such a manner that it was hard to tell how many were dead or maimed. Local doctors, Daniel McDevitt of Burtonport, Doctor C. Carr of Bunbeg, Dr. Callaghan of Dungloe, and Dr. McDonagh from the military base in Letterkenny, rushed to the scene to give whatever assistance they could. Members of the Gardai, the local Red Cross and the Civil Defence (five of the victims were active members of the Local Defence unit) all came to offer their services, even though darkness hampered the search. Spiritual aid was administered by Rev J O'Byrne, C.C., Rev T. McGinley, C.C., and Rev J Glacken, C.C. Eventually 16 bodies were collected from the wreckage but later in the night, and amid the confusion, another body was located at the scene, making the total
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