Kilkee’s first female crew give it full throttle

FOR the first time in the history of Kilkee Marine Rescue Service, an all-female crew can now take to the waters off the coastal resort town.
The service has approximately 20 fully trained members currently, although that figure increases during the summer months.
In recent weeks, Orla Hassett, Vanessa Keane, Annette Stanford, Lorraine Lynch and Fiona Kenny have completed their training and if they were the first five to respond to a call-out, they would form the rescue crew. Furthermore Deirdre Kenny often co-ordinates call-outs from the lifeboat station.
“Up until now there could never have been a female crew because enough of us weren’t qualified. We would have been able to be part of a crew but we would have had to have some of the others with us. Now, if it turned out that we were the first to turn up to a call we could go out,” Orla Hassett explained.
All five live either in Kilkee or within five miles of the town and their training was organised by Chief Cox Kieran Deloughrey.
“I would have always been around the water having grown up with it. I went to college then and I kind of lost interest. When I finished college I was finding it hard to get work for a couple of months, so I joined out of boredom really. I joined almost two years ago now. At the start I was a trainee member on my own. We had to wait for a few more to join because I couldn’t go on a course on my own. We’ve all joined over the last 18 months to two years,” Orla added.
Trained crew-members could have to rush to the rescue centre in the East End at any time if their pager goes off.
“We don’t have set times. It’s taken that we’re all around but if you’re going away for a weekend or a week, you just let them know that you’re not available. I love it. For a while I said I wouldn’t join because there wasn’t that many girls. There were a few women but they wouldn’t be active crew-members. I knew a few of the lads and they brought me up and I’ve never had a problem since,” Orla added.
Since Kilkee Marine Rescue Service was established by Manuel Di Lucia in 1982, the voluntary organisation has rescued approximately 400 people and has recovered more than 40 bodies from the West Clare coast.