portballintrae harbour

A team of Belgian divers found an immense and very valuable store of Spanish Armada treasure between 1967 and 1968 off the Causeway coast. On the inight of October 26th 1588, the Galleon Girona was sunk in a severe storm, with only about five survivors out of 1,300 sailors. It was the largest of the Armada ships. Besides her own treasure, she also carried what had been salvaged from two other Spanish ships which had been wrecked previously. Amongst the 10,000 pieces of rubies and pearls, and silver and gold coins. These items can be seen on display in the Ulster Museum, Belfast, County Antrim.