Tag Archives: Tomsie O’Sullivan

  PEOPLE in Lahinch are mourning the loss of a community leader following the passing of Tomsie O’Sullivan. The long serving community activist died at his residence in Doonboy, Station Road, Lahinch, on St Patrick’s Day. After reposing in Lahinch Church on Friday, his Funeral Mass took place on Saturday morning before burial afterwards in the Old Cemetery, Ennistymon. While Tomsie was involved with numerous community organisations for decades, he is synonymous with the RNLI, who presented him with a Long Service Award for reaching 58 years with the organisation last September. The RNLI was very much a family affair as Tomsie’s children used to help him with church gate collections and flag days.   In an interview with the Clare Champion last year, Tomsie estimated the Lahinch branch used to raise between €6,000 to €8,000 annually over a 28-year period. Born in Main Street, Tomsie’s father, Thomas, who was a carpenter fell off a roof in the early fifties …

Volunteers honoured for contribution as foundations laid for Lahinch Rescue and Training Centre FOUR volunteers were honoured for their selfless contribution to water safety and life saving in Lahinch. Tomsie O’Sullivan, Odran O’Looney, Jarlath O’Looney and Richard Devereux have each committed much of their lives to voluntary water safety functions in the west Clare resort. They formed the Lahinch Search & Rescue Unit, fundraised, promoted water safety, and spent many hours on search and rescue missions in the Liscannor Bay area. On disbanding the Lahinch Search and Recovery company in 2018 they donated their existing equipment, including a rescue jetski to their successors, Water Safety Clare. These four gentlemen also became members of Water Safety Clare – a countywide voluntary life saving organisation since the 1930s – which continues to promote and develop the excellent work already started in the Lahinch area. Appropriately, Tomsie, Odran, Jarlath and Richard were invited to a ceremony to witness the foundation being laid for …

SPIRALLING insurance costs were one of the main factors that eventually sunk a voluntary rescue service in Lahinch, according to cone of its co-founders. In 1974, Tomsie O’Sullivan was one of the people who helped set up the Lahinch Inshore Rescue Service (LIRS). Insurance premiums soared from €2,500 at the start up to €6,000 over an 18-year period. All the organisation’s stock had to be insured while separate insurance was required for the use of a vessel and equipment at sea. In 2017, Tomsie recalled the organisation needed about €4,000 to upgrade equipment to meet national water safety standards, which they didn’t have in their coffers at the time. Grant aid was not available because the group were operating out of a steel container and would have to build a new small boathouse costing an estimated €20,000 to secure any further financial assistance. Once the organisation ceased to exist, all the group’s stock, steel container, boat, jet ski and quad …

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 …