Doolin veteran of 28 years angered by ‘danger’ implication

A FORMER Doolin Coast Guard volunteer has asked how he was “suddenly viewed as a danger to himself and others in the unit after 28 years of service”.

Myles Duffy would like an apology for a statement made by Coast Guard director, Eugene Clonan at the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications on Thursday, November 18, 2021.

Mr Clonan stated, “Doolin Unit has been having problems for years. Six members resigned and there are 12 members left. Based on what I have been told, my belief is the interaction between the team is not safe.

“The 12 members are not safe to go out because of the issues that have arisen as a result of the internal conflict. I will not have people going out to sea or climbing cliffs if I do not have confidence in them doing so safely.

“I am protecting myself and I am protecting them, but mainly them. We had the loss of Caitriona Lucas. I do not want to have such a loss ever again.

“We have a situation in Doolin that, in my belief is not a safe situation to allow to continue. That is why they were taken off the board. Until that assurance is got, that is the way it will be. I am not in the business of sending people out onto cliffs or in boats and putting them in harm’s way.”

A native of Howth in Dublin, Mr Duffy has lived in Doolin since 1992. For 21 years, he ran the Stonecutter’s Kitchen Restaurant with his wife, Karen, which employed 16 people and was located between the Cliffs of Moher and Doolin.

“Over three decades, the unit dealt with really horrific incidents, but I never lost a night’s sleep. Since we were sacked, I have had countless sleepless nights thinking about why this has happened.

Recently, I had a dream I was up in front of the Coast Guard management who were sitting on a big wooden bench and I was sitting on a grassy bank.

“When I was called up to talk, every time I opened my mouth, I was shut down, they wouldn’t let me talk. I woke up after that and couldn’t get back to sleep for about 90 minutes wondering how has all this happened.”

Myles is also hurt about the way he discovered an interim team was put in place last Christmas while he was socialising in McGann’s Pub on St Stephen’s Day when he claimed Coast Guard members were wandering around ignoring him.

“I went over and talked to two of them and said ‘what is happening, lads?” I was told ‘we are the interim team’.

“Only I made the effort to go over to them, they wouldn’t have come near me. These were people I had worked with for years.

“I couldn’t understand how someone hadn’t told the rest of us certain members were back in action and we will be in touch with ye soon. But there was nothing.”

He was upset about the way Kieran Mulvey was provided with personal interviews with a private company commissioned by the Coast Guard, which was supposed to remain confidential.

He was also disappointed to hear about the findings of the so-called Mulvey Report on media reports, in view of a promise from Mr Mulvey to come back and present his draft findings to volunteers before completing his final report, which didn’t happen.

Thomas Linnane, Lisdoonvarna, joined the Coast Guard in 2015. The driving instructor recalled his girlfriend who was in McGann’s Pub that night phoned him and couldn’t believe the way Mr Duffy was being treated.

He said his girlfriend when she was talking to some members of the interim team said there was no mention of the Coast Guard or the fact they are returned to the unit.

“Ten families have been affected from the fall out.

“In the first year, I was encouraged to get as many qualifications as I could. I really enjoyed it.”

When the unit was stood down on November 2, Mr Linnane found this out through social media.

As one of the newest members, he was shocked the unit was stood down and was surprised by the resignation of the officer in charge.

“We knew there was something going on but we couldn’t find out what it was and felt you would be shot down if you asked. Then there was no-one to ask except ourselves,” he said.