McCorkell Line

The McCorkell Line was a shipping line operated by Wm. McCorkell & Co. Ltd. from 1778, principally carrying passengers from Ireland, Scotland and England to the Americas. Notably, the McCorkell Line carried many immigrants who were fleeing the Great Irish Famine and sailed some of the most famous ships of the Western Ocean Ticket.

It is said three brothers named McCorquodale, part of the Clan Gunn, arrived in Ireland after the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie following the rebellion in 1745, having escaped in an open boat from the west coast of Scotland and landed on the County Antrim Coast. Wishing to cover their tracks on arriving in Ireland they dropped the 'dale' and assumed the name McCorkell. However, recent discoveries show that the McCorkells have been in Ireland since the mid 16th century. One of the three brothers, William, who was born in 1728, established the shipping line in 1778. Descendants of William McCorkell include Sir Dudley and Colonel Sir Michael.

Londonderry Port was one of the main points for emigration to Canada and America with passengers traveling from Scotland, England and Ireland. From 1778, the company operated as Agents for ships sailing to and from County Londonderry. In 1800 William and Archibald McCorkell, sons of the founder started to expand the firm by using American owned ships, with voyages ranging from Canada to the West Indies. Their first ship was the "MARCUS HILL", bought in 1815, at the conclusion of the American War; she continued to traverse the Atlantic until 1827. She was followed in 1824 the "PRESIDENT". With the purchase of the "CAROLINE" in 1834 and the "ERIN" in 1836, the McCorkell's began to collect oil paintings of each of their ships; these are still in family ownership. In 1851 the "MOHONGO", built in Canada, commenced her work in Atlantic trade, in her twenty years in the McCorkell Line, she completed more than 100 crossings with emigrants without any serious fault.

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