Tag Archives: RNLI

TWO people in need of rescue when their fishing boat engine failed on Lough Derg signalled their position to rescuers using torches as night had fallen. At 9.30pm on Thursday evening, August 26, Lough Derg RNLI who were out on exercise were requested by Valencia Coast Guard to assist the occupants of a 12 foot fishing boat just off the Goat Road, on the eastern shore of Lough Derg. The lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, crew Doireann Kennedy, Tom Hayes and Ciara Lynch on board, immediately diverted from their exercise in Dromineer Bay to assist. The RNLI crew plotted a course to the Goat Road and monitored the fast moving vessels operating in the area on radar. Valentia Coast Guard informed the lifeboat that they had requested the casualties to uses lights to signal their location as the lifeboat approached. At 9.49pm as the lifeboat approached the Goat Road, the people on the casualty vessel indicated their position using torches. …

A FAMILY of three were found safe and unharmed after their boat got into difficulty on Scarriff Bay recently. On Monday evening, August 23, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to launch to assess a cruiser reported aground by a concerned member of the public. The cruiser 36 foot motor cruiser was said to be in Scarriff Bay, north of the entrance to the Scarriff River. At 6.51pm the lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm crew Owen Cavanagh, crew Eleanor Hooker, Joe O’Donoghue and Doireann Kennedy on board. When the lifeboat arrived at the scene the cruiser was aground on a rocky shore, north of the entrance to the Scarriff River. The lifeboat stood off to inspect the aspect of the cruiser, which appeared to be pivoting on the edge of the shoal. The lifeboat made a cautious approach to the casualty vessel and found there was a family of three on board, all safe and unharmed and …

A FAMILY of four and their two dogs were rescued by the Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat after their speedboat suffered engine failure on Tuesday evening. At 7.05pm the lifeboat Jean Spier launched following a request from Valentia Coast Guard to help the family on a 12ft speedboat adrift in open water south of Garrykennedy. The lifeboat, with helm crew Owen Cavanagh, crew Steve Smyth, Chris Parker and Tom Hayes on board, arrived on scene at 7.15pm. The family and dogs were safe and unharmed. Given their proximity to Garrykennedy Harbour, the closest safe harbour, and the hour, the helm decided that the safest option was to set up an astern tow and take the vessel with her passengers and an RNLI volunteer on board, to Garrykennedy, where the boat was tied alongside at 7.45pm. At 7.50pm lifeboat departed the scene and was back at Station at 8.05pm. Jeremy Freeman, Deputy Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI, advises water users to …

THE RNLI helped five people in difficulty in two back-to-back calls on Lough Derg this week. The first incident saw Valentia Coast Guard request Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to launch to assist a person on a 30ft cruiser reported aground close to Mountshannon Harbour at the south-west of Lough Derg. At 11.40am the lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, crew Owen Cavanagh, Joe O’Donoghue and Chris Parker on board. Shortly afterwards the lifeboat was in sight of the casualty vessel which was aground on a sandbar in the bay east of Mountshannon Harbour. The lifeboat took frequent soundings on a cautious approach to the casualty vessel, located in an area known for its sudden shallows. At 12.11pm the lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel and the skipper was found to be safe and unharmed and wearing his lifejacket. An RNLI volunteer was transferred across to the cruiser. Given the location of the boat close to a navigation channel …

RNLI honour Lahinch community activist Tomsie after 58 years’ voluntary service A LAHINCH community activist has been honoured with a Long Service Award after almost 60 years volunteering with the RNLI. Tomsie O’Sullivan, (89), who will celebrate 58 years with the RNLI next September, received a special commemorative medal for his decades of unstinting service. RNLI chairman, Stuart Popham stated in his tribute “the difference your make is life changing and that is why your are an RNLI volunteer”. “You don’t do it for recognition and celebration – but that is exactly what you deserve. The Long Service Award recognises your dedication and commitment to the RNLI, and marks an extraordinary milestone in our sterling service. “The RNLI is extremely grateful to have long-serving volunteers like you. You are the lifebood of our charity and without your efforts, we wouldn’t be able to go on saving lives.” His late wife, Marie, and Odhran O’Looney were each awarded a medal for …

‘DON’T drink and drive’ is the timely message from the TY3 class at St Joseph’s Secondary School in Tulla. Looking ahead to the situation at packed beaches, lakes and rivers around the county, they undertook a Young Social Innovators (YSI) campaign to highlight the role of alcohol in water-based incidents. The team’s research found one-third of drowning deaths annual are related to alcohol. The project is supported by Clare County Council, the RNLI and Irish Water Safety. “We are going to spread our message about the dangers of drinking and swimming in  Lahinch, Kilkee and all along the coast this summer so watch out for our posters coming into the summer,” the team said.

RESCUE figures for 2020 show that the volunteer lifeboat crew at the RNLI’s station in Kilrush launched nine times and brought 11 people to safety. Three of those launches were carried out in the hours of darkness. The figures were released as RNLI launched its Mayday Mile appeal which is calling on the public to cover one mile on any day in the month of May to help raise funds for the voluntary service. Kilrush RNLI Helm Charlie Glynn said, “Our callouts last year ranged from a young child blown out to sea on an inflatable to rescuing three people from a sinking vessel in gale force conditions. “For every callout there is a person behind it who is worried that something bad may have happed to a loved one and we are there to help find them and bring them home. “Thank you to everyone who supports the work of the volunteer lifeboat crews. From the vessel we use …

LIGHTING on piers in West Clare is critical to supporting what remains of the county’s fishing industry, a local councillor has said. At this month’s meeting of the Municipal District committee, Councillor Cillian Murphy described the issue as “close to his heart”. “As someone who was involved in the fishing industry, I know the importance of having proper services on our piers,” he said. “Fishing crews have started to gear back up and I’ve had contact in relation to both of the piers in Carrigaholt. But, equally, I’m making the call on behalf of fishermen using all of the district’s piers, lights must be operational on all of them. For the want of a few bulbs, we could be making these areas a lot safer. There was no light at all on either of the Carrigaholt piers at one stage. We have little enough left of our fishing industry at this stage and this would go some way toward supporting …