Tag Archives: Irish Coastguard

The man who passed away on Sunday, having been pulled from the water in Lahinch, was the father of Shay Moloney who drowned in a quarry close to Ennis on May 31, 2018. Fran Harding died in hospital having been taken from the water by an Irish Coastguard helicopter. He had got into difficulty while swimming. A range of rescue services attended. Mr Harding was subsequently treated at University Hospital Limerick, where he passed away.      

KILRUSH Gardai have acknowledged support from members of the public for their assistance and help in searching for a missing pensioner late on Monday evening. Gardai said that the elderly man “has now been located safe and well.” “Particular thanks to Kilrush GAA, Kilrush Chamber of Commerce. Special mention of thanks to the staff of SuperValu, Kilrush for staying open and providing torches to searchers,” the Garda statement added. The search was led by Gardai, along with the Coast Guard and Cappa based RNLI. The man lives in the town and he was reported missing on Monday evening.

THE Marine Casualty Investigation Board has today published its report into the incident in Kilkee, on September 12, 2016, which led to the Coast Guard volunteer, Caitríona Lucas, tragically losing her life. Speaking this afternoon, Transport Minister, Shane Ross, said that the reports recommendations will be implemented. The report found that there was  no evidence of an “effective management system” at the Kilkee Irish Coastguard Station. Catríona Lucas was a member of Doolin Coastguard but was on board a Kilkee Coastguard Delta rigid inflatable when she died. “I wish to again express my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Caitríona, who lost her life so tragically, doing the volunteer work she loved. Caitríona was a talented, hardworking and deeply committed member of the Doolin Coast Guard Unit. She was a selfless member of a unique group of people, those men and women who dedicate themselves to the protection of others at great risk to themselves. Caitriona made …

A visitor to Kilkee died tragically at the weekend, when he drowned while at the bottom of a cliff on the Dunlickey Road in Kilkee. It is believed that the man was taking photographs. The man is understood to be a Hungarian national who had been living in Galway. The alarm was raised on Saturday afternoon with the local coast guard and Rescue 115 joining in the search, along with Kilrush gardaí. The man was located and brought to University Hospital Limerick where he subsequently died.

A moving and emotional funeral mass for Caitríona Lucas heard the 41 year old mother of two described as “a gracious and wonderful woman,” by Liscannor parish priest Fr Denis Crosby. Thousands of people paid their respects at the Irish Coast Guard volunteer’s removal on Wednesday night and Liscannor church was packed to overflowing for Thursday’s funeral mass. She died following an accident on a coast guard rescue boat in Kilkee on Monday. President Michael D Higgns and An Taoiseach Enda Kenny were officially represented, while Transport Minister Shane Ross was amongt the congregation, which included several hundred people in the church grounds. Hundreds of Irish Coast Guard representatives were in attendance, along with representatives from all rescue services, local and national. The national flag is today at half mast on all state buildings across the country. Poignantly a big screen inside the church featured photos of the late Caitríona and her family. “She carried the light wonderfully into our …

NORTH and West Clare is united in grief today following the tragic death of Caitriona Lucas, who died during a search and recovery operation in Kilkee on Monday. Originally from Ballyvaughan, the mother of two, whose husband Bernard is also a rescue service volunteer, died when the Kilkee Coastguard Unit rib boat capsized during the search for missing Lissycasey man David McMahon. Amongst those paying tribute to the late Caitriona Lucas, a Clare County Council employee, was An Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Another coastguard volunteer, Jenny Carway, was injured and removed by helicopter while James Lucey was trapped in a cave for four to five hours before he was rescued. Speaking to The Clare Champion two years ago this month, Jenny Carway, who is originally from Somalia, poignantly outlined the challenges involved. “You have your good times and your bad times but you’re here to provide a service and, hopefully, we have provided a good service here. Not always in the …

A THREE-day search for missing 19-year-old Quilty man, Stephen Mungovan, concluded on Wednesday, when his body was located by Irish Navy divers in the waters off Spanish Point. He was last seen early on Monday morning and gardaí were contacted at around 11am that day. “The body was located, on the Caherrush side of Spanish Point, by naval divers just before 4pm on Wednesday. He was returned to the slipway in Seafield and was transferred to Limerick,” Martony Vaughan, officer in charge of the Irish Coastguard Unit in Kilkee, told The Clare Champion. “There was a major push for the last three days by Kilkee and Doolin Coast Guard Units, the gardaí, Rescue 115 from Shannon, while naval divers arrived on scene on Tuesday. There was also a major effort from Kilkee and Burren Sub Aqua Clubs, Clare Civil Defence and several hundred members of the local community also took part in searches over the last few days,” Mr Vaughan …