Source: Tawnylust Lodge/Twitter
Contrary to how the ball looks above, it’s actually quite small, about 80mm in thickness.
“It would have come from a smaller swivel cannon,” says Gilroy.
It’s smaller than it looks and actually quite light.
We’re pretty sure it’s made out of granite.
So what’s next in store for the Streedagh cannonball?
Well, we’re obliged by law to tell the National Museum when we make a find like this.
They’ll be down next month to have a look and take the ball for display, but until then we’ll be showing it around the schools and that kind of thing, try and drum up a little interest in the history of it.
But it’ll be kept safe in secure storage, don’t worry!
The beach at Streedagh has long been a hotspot for Armada enthusiasts.
Three ships from the infamous 16th century naval force were driven into nearby Donegal Bay by bad weather on 21 September, 1588.
The three ships (La Lavia, La Juliana, and Santa Maria de Vision) were wrecked four days later by a heavy storm after putting down anchor off Streedagh strand.
As many as 1,100 people are thought to have died when the ships foundered.
The wrecks were rediscovered in 1985 by the ‘Streedagh Armada Group’ headed by Steve Birch and Alan King who were instrumental in raising cannons and other artifacts from the seabed.
