Tag Archives: rescue

CONCERN has been expressed about the lack of full time lifeguards in Lahinch seven days a week following a number of incidents in the sea last week. Ben Bennett of Ben’s Surf Clinic, Lahinch, has revealed eight volunteer lifeguards were involved in a total of 15 rescues and 25 assists last weekend as no Clare County Council lifeguards were rostered at the time. Mr Bennett told the Clare Champion Lahinch was extremely busy last weekends as was like “two Bank Holiday weekends rolled into one”. He explained a lot of people needed assistance in the water on Sunday due to the weather conditions and tides. There were two ambulance emergency call outs in the popular North Clare resort over the weekend including one for a suspected heart attack. Mr Bennett said there were two different incidences of missing children, one child got lost on the beach for about two hours, while a different child was found within 15 minutes. If …

A LIFE-SAVING dog who helped its owner escape from a devastating fire has been hailed as a ‘Clare Covid Hero’. Former county councillor and well-known Clarecastle man Bernard Hanrahan narrowly escaped with his life after his home was engulfed in flames late last year. Bernard, known locally as the Bomber, was saved after being alerted to the blaze at his home in Barntick by his beloved dog Daisy’s incessant barking in the early hours of the morning. Daisy has now been named among the winners of the Clare Covid Hero award celebrating the county’s everyday heroes who have been supporting others during the pandemic. Luckily nobody was injured in the fire, however the house, which had been in the family for three generations, was extensively damaged and priceless photographs and memorabilia have been lost. The award certificate was presented to Daisy this week by Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council Mary Howard, who also had a surprise for Bernard. She was …

A MAN is being treated in hospital after he was injured in a rock climbing accident in North Clare on Friday evening. The man in his 20s had been climbing with a female companion at Ballyreen between Doolin and Fanore when the accident happened. It’s believed he fell about five metres (16 feet) after experiencing an issue with his climbing equipment. The alarm was raised at around 7pm when emergency services received a call to report that a person had fallen at the well-known climbing location. The area is a popular with recreational climbers but is also used by search and rescue crews for training. The Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard was tasked to the incident along with National Ambulance Service paramedics including an Advanced Paramedic. It’s understood that an off-duty paramedic, who lives close to the scene, also attended the incident and offered assistance. The injured man was assessed and treated the injured man at the scene …

TWO kayakers were rescued after getting into difficulty on Lough Derg this morning. The alarm was raised shortly after 9am when they got into difficulty, and the Killaloe Coast Guard, the RNLI, a unit from Shannon’s Rescue 115 and three units of the National Ambulance Service attended the scene. The kayakers, who entered the water in Garrykennedy, were found by Rescue 115 and were later saved by an RNLI lifeboat. It is understood the pair fell victim to the strong currents and were taken way off course from Garrykennedy. The kayakers were treated at the scene once ashore and one of the individuals was taken to hospital for further treatment.

A CLARE brother and sister, hailed as heroes after saving a swimmer from a rip current in Spanish Point, have revealed it was “lucky” circumstances that resulted in them being in the right place at the right time. Bernard and Róisín Cahill from Clarecastle dashed from their car after spotting a swimmer in trouble in the sea off the West Clare beach.  The quick-thinking off-duty lifeguards leapt into action, using a borrowed kayak to rescue the middle-aged man and bring him to safety. “We would never normally be coming through Spanish Point that late. The circumstances that surrounded us being there – you couldn’t make it up, it was so lucky. And any other people in the car driving past that situation mightn’t have even spotted him.  It’s mad,” said Bernard. After spending the day working as a lifeguard on Lahinch beach, he and a colleague travelled to White Strand to pick up Róisín, who had also been working as …

A rescue boat capsized in Kilkee this afternoon at approximately 1pm, resulting in one fatality. Another person is receiving treatment while a man who was stranded in a cave for several hours was finally brought ashore around 5pm and is expected to recover from his ordeal. The Kilkee Marine Rescue unit was part of the search party for missing Lissycasey man David McMahon. Among the units involved in the initial search are Kilrush RNLI, Doolin and Kilkee Coastguard and the local fire service. The Shannon based Rescue 115 helicopter is also at the scene.

A woman was rescued from the sea off Liscannor yesterday after she got into difficulty while kayaking. Four kayakers had set out from Liscannor Bay when one of the group fell into the water after her craft capsized. She was unable to climb back onto the kayak and the alarm was raised. The Shannon based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115, and the Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard were alerted. The crew of the fishing boat Gillstiffen that had been in the area at the time diverted to the area and located the kayakers. The woman, who had been in the water for a time, was taken on board by the fisherman and take back to Liscannor Harbour. The incident came just days after a father and son ghad to be rescued in Galway Bay after their inflatable kayak capsized. They were located by the crew of Rescue 115 after they climbed onto an anchored boat and waited …

  Holidaymakers and locals have been urged to confine swimming to times lifeguard hours after four teenagers were rescued from Kilkee Bay on Thursday night. Shortly before 9pm the alarm was raised when four swimmers were reported to be in trouble in Kilkee Bay. The Kilkee unit of the Irish Coast Guard and the Shannon based search and rescue helicopter were tasked by Valentia Coastguard to launch a search. Members of the Kilkee unit launched their rescue boat and found the four swimmers in the middle of the bay near speed limit marker buoys for any motorised craft such as jet skis in about ten minutes. The casualties were all taken on board the boat and assessed within about. No of them were hurt and had no injuries so medical assistance was not needed. The helicopter was stood down when it was confirmed the swimmers were safely ashore on the slipway in Kilkee. Officer in charge, Martony Vaughan advised all …