A DOOLIN-BASED expert rock climber has recalled how a team drilled around 120 bolts along the wall of a sea cave to rescue a man that had been trapped for almost 22 hours. The man was forced to remain on a ledge after a freak wave washed him into a cave at Downpatrick Head on the Mayo coast beyond Killala at 6pm on Saturday, September 17. Former Doolin Coast Guard volunteer, Conor McGrath said, “It was probably the most technical rescue ever undertaken in my 40 years’ experience. To rescue the man alive after such a long time was a great bonus. It was a very good result for all the team.” Mr McGrath recalled a few people were swimming and climbing along the coast when they were washed off a ledge into the water around 5.30pm. The RNLI Lifeboat was tasked to the scene after a woman was rescued by kayakers, but a Polish man in his forties was …
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