ALTHOUGH the mid-August weather was warm and sunny, a sombre cloud of despair hung low over the picturesque village of Quilty last Friday, as the bereft community gathered to bury their dead.

The families of Michael Galvin and Noel Dickinson, the fishermen neighbours who drowned aboard their boat, The Lady Eileen, last Monday week, were laid to rest in their local graveyard, which faces the Atlantic. They had been moving lobster pots ahead of an impending storm when the accident occurred.
The water was calm and placid as hundreds of mourners flocked to both funeral masses in the historic Star of the Sea Church, which is located less than 100 metres from the burial ground.
The church bell, once the bell abroad the Leon XII, the ship which sank off Quilty in October 1907, rang out twice. Noel Dickinson’s funeral mass was held at 11am, while Michael Galvin’s was at 3pm. Kilmurry Ibrickane parish priest, Fr Pat Larkin was the chief celebrant at both ceremonies.
Anybody passing through Quilty village, who may not have been aware of the double tragedy, had their eyes drawn to the ‘Funeral Parking’ signpost outside the Kilmurry Ibrickane GAA Club car park.
Such was the expression of sympathy from the local and surrounding communities last Thursday night, stewards estimated that 2,000 cars passed through the GAA car park alone throughout the evening. Cars were also parked on all roads leading into the village and in the car park opposite the parish church. The funerals were expertly stewarded, which helped with car parking and traffic flow through Quilty.
It was clear from the guards of honour that both men were held in the highest of esteem locally. Kilmurry Ibrickane GAA Club and the local ladies’ football club accompanied both corteges, as the neighbours were brought to the church from their homes. Hundreds walked silently beside and behind the coffins as they were slowly shouldered the short distance between Seaview Park and the Star of the Sea Church.
Some of the items brought to the altar by Michael Galvin’s family during mass included a Kilmurry Ibrickane GAA Club jersey, a fishing net and family photographs.
At both masses, Fr Larkin spoke of the shock and devastation that had hit the families and the Quilty community. He said the only solace that could be offered to the bereaved families was community support, even if people couldn’t think of anything that day.
The church was overflowing with people, with hundreds of mourners standing outside or seated on the stone wall across the road.
Numbness at the men’s tragic deaths was evident from the silence that engulfed the portion of the congregation outside the church, with not an informal word uttered during either ceremony.
Both men lived in Seaview Park. Michael Galvin and his wife, Liz, have three children, Brian, Aidan and Michelle, all of whom travelled home from Australia.
Noel Dickinson is survived by his partner, Helen O’Leary; his parents, Larry and Mary and siblings, Anne-Marie, Frances and Alan.
The fishermen were due back at Seafield Pier at 5pm on Monday, August 13. When they failed to return, concern grew locally for their well-being.
Rescue services, family and friends began searching the waters around Spanish Point that Monday night, while around 100 volunteers searched the shore from Spanish Point to Green and Goats islands.
The remains of the two fishermen were brought ashore shortly after 1pm the following day to scenes of overwhelming grief.
The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) has confirmed it is investigating the tragic drownings.

Minister visits bereaved families

MARINE Minister Simon Coveney expressed his deep condolences to the families of Michael Galvin and Noel Dickinson, who tragically lost their lives last week.
After the respective funerals last Friday, Minister Coveney called to the homes of both men to express his sympathy with their families on his own and on the Government’s behalf.
“This has been a particularly tragic week at sea for Clare and for County Cork. Michael Galvin and Noel Dickinson drowned in a fishing accident off Clare, poet and farmer John O’Leary tragically drowned off the Beara Peninsula and this week we had more tragic news of another drowning near Castletownbere in West Cork,” he said. “My heart goes out to all of the families, who are struggling to deal with the loss of their loved ones. This has been a shocking and tragic week in a year that has seen so much loss and sadness at sea.”