A family of four were aided by Lough Derg RNLI after their cruiser ran aground on a shoal south of the Corragheen Islands.

The inshore lifeboat Jean Spicer launched shortly after 6pm yesterday (Wednesday 16 July) and was on scene within minutes to assess the situation of the 36ft cruiser.

One of the RNLI volunteers took soundings as the lifeboat made a "cautious approach" to the cruiser, the Lough Derg station reports. Once the RIB was alongside, all on board were confirmed to be safe, unharmed and wearing their lifejackets.

Once the vessel was checked for damage, it was decided the safest course of action would be to take the cruiser off the shoal into clear water.

Following a final check of the vessel’s steering and drives, the cruiser made its way under its own power to the nearest safe harbour at Dromineer.

Speaking later, Lough Derg RNLI deputy launching authority Catherine Gleeson advised water users to “enjoy Lough Derg and remember to stay within the navigation routes as there are sudden shallows and shoals close to islands and unmarked shores”.

On Wednesday afternoon, June 30, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to launch to assist a young person reported to be semi-conscious on a floating pontoon, by Dromineer Harbour.

At 3.43 pm the lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, crew Steve Smyth, Doireann Kennedy and Chris Parker on board. The winds were northerly, light airs. Visibility was good.

At 3.45 pm, when the lifeboat arrived on scene, two Advanced Paramedics from the Ambulance Service, transferred from shore, were also in attendance and had the person in the recovery position. The casualty’s level on consciousness had improved and he was speaking. The RNLI volunteers took a history from the ambulance crew and decided to transfer the casualty to shore immediately, where Dr. Peter Hooker, Lifeboat Medical Advisor, another Ambulance Crew member, and Claire Toohey, Lifeboat Training Co-ordinator, were waiting to receive the casualty.

Once the casualty was handed over to the care of the medical, ambulance and shore crew, the lifeboat returned to Station.

Peter Hooker, Lifeboat Medical Advisor at Lough Derg RNLI, advises water users to ‘ensure you keep sufficiently hydrated and wearing sunblock when out enjoying the water’.

Lough Derg RNLI launched yesterday afternoon (Thursday 24 June) to assist a family of five on a 30ft cruiser in difficulty by navigation mark G on the eastern shore of the lough.

At 2.20pm the inshore lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, Steve Smyth and Chris Parker on board. Weather conditions had a westerly Force 4/5 wind and poor visibility with rain, mist and frequent squalls.

The lifeboat arrived on scene 11 minutes later and found the family on board — two adults, two teenagers and a child — were safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets.

An RNLI volunteer was transferred across to the casualty vessel to reassure everyone on board. They also established that the boat’s anchor was holding and evidently stuck fast.

With the weather continuing to deteriorate, the RNLI helm made the decision to take the family onto the lifeboat and transfer them to the safety of the nearest safe harbour at Terryglass.

Christine O’Malley, lifeboat operations manager at Lough Derg RNLI, advises boat users to “ensure your boats and engines are checked and fuelled ahead of your journey”.

The incident was the latest in a busy week for Lough Derg RNLI, with three separate callouts since last Wednesday 16 June for cruisers run aground on the lough.

Lough Derg RNLI launched to assist 12 people on a 52ft cruiser aground inside the Goat Road at navigation mark E on the eastern shore of Lough Derg.

At 6.15pm on Tuesday evening (22 June), Valentia Coast Guard called on Lough Derg’s lifeboat volunteers and the inshore lifeboat Jean Spier launched 15 minutes later with helm Keith Brennan, Eleanor Hooker, Dom Sharkey and Owen Cavanagh on board.

As the lifeboat arrived on scene, at a raised shoal for migrating birds, the crew found the cruise hire company were already present and setting up to refloat the cruiser and stood by.

When the tug had the cruiser off the shoal and in safe water where it was able to make way safety, the lifeboat crew informed the coastguard and were stood down.

The callout was just the latest in a number of incidents involving grounded cruisers on Lough Derg within the last seven days.

Christine O’Malley, lifeboat operations manager at Lough Derg RNLI, advises boat users to “plan your passage, study your charts and don’t stray off the charted navigation routes”.

Skerries RNLI searching the shoreline from Loughshinny to Rush | Credit: RNLI/Gerry Canning

Elsewhere, Skerries RNLI in north Co Dublin launched on Monday evening (21 June) following reported sightings of red distress flares near Loughshinny.

With nothing found in a search of the shoreline from Rush to Loughshinny, the inshore lifeboat was proceeding towards Lambay Island to search further out to sea when they received an update that Skerries Coast Guard were speaking to a person who was flying a drone in the area.

The drone operator confirmed that he was operating in the area where the flares were reported, and the lifeboat was stood down satisfied that the incident was a false alarm with good intent.

Lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning added: “The crew did get to enjoy a magnificent summer solstice sunset on the way home.”

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Shannon Navigation that a water quality monitoring buoy will be deployed on the western side of Lough Derg close to the entrance to Dromaan Harbour in Co Clare this week.

The monitoring buoy will be yellow in colour and be approximately three metres in height. The buoy will remain in position for up to four years.

Masters of vessels are requested to navigation with additional caution in the vicinity of the buoy.

Lough Derg RNLI launched on Thursday afternoon (17 June) to assist two people on a 28ft cruiser aground inside the G navigation mark, north of Drominagh Point on Lough Derg.

The inshore lifeboat Jean Spicer arrived on scene at 12.50pm, 15 minutes after launch, and waited on standby as the cruise hire company were also on scene and attempting to refloat the cruiser.

When it was evident the cruiser was fast on rocks, and the cruise hire company had arranged for a more powerful tow vessel to assist, the RNLI volunteers — helm Eleanor Hooker, Ger Egan, Steve Smyth and Chris Parker — requested to take the two casualties off the stricken vessel to Terryglass Harbour, where their boat would be taken once it was reflected.

The callout came less than 24 hours after Lough Derg’s lifeboat volunteers attended a 32ft cruiser that ran aground by the entrance to Terryglass Harbour, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

Brendan O’Brien, deputy launching authority at Lough Derg RNLI, advises boat users to “plan your passage, study your charts and don’t stray off the charted navigation routes”.

Lough Derg RNLI launched on Wednesday evening (16 June) to assist two people on a 32ft cruiser aground by the entrance to Terryglass Harbour, at the northern end of Lough Derg.

At 6.48pm the inshore lifeboat Jean Spier set off with helm Eleanor Hooker and crew Steve Smyth, Joe O’Donoghue and Tom Hayes on board. Weather conditions had a westerly Force 3/4 wind with good visibility.

The lifeboat arrived on scene 20 minutes later and could see the cruiser aground inside the navigation marker by Terryglass Harbour.

After assessing the location and depths, the lifeboat made a careful approach to the casualty vessel, all the time taking soundings of the depths. Once alongside, the RNLI volunteers found both passengers on board to safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets.

A lifeboat crew member transferred across to the cruiser and, after making a thorough check of the boat to ensure it was not holed, set up for a tow.

The lifeboat found the casualty vessel to be stuck fast on the rocky shelf. Two marine engineers from the cruise hire company arrived on scene with a tow vessel but were also unable to get the vessel off the rocks.

The lifeboat took both passengers and their RNLI crew member onto the lifeboat and into Terryglass Harbour, where arrangements were made for both casualties to stay on shore overnight and their boat to be refloated this morning.

Brendan O’Brien, deputy launching authority at Lough Derg RNLI ,advises boat users to “plan your passage, study your charts and identify the navigation marks for the harbour to which you are travelling”.

Lough Derg RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was requested by Valentia Coast Guard to launch to assist four people on a 35ft cruiser with fuel problems yesterday evening, Friday 11 June.

The vessel was reported to be near Navigation Mark F, north of the Goat Road on the Tipperary shore.

At 5.05pm the lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Owen Cavanagh and crew Eleanor Hooker, Joe O’Donoghue and Chris Parker on board. Conditions had a westerly Force 3/4 wind, with good visibility.

Fifteen minutes later, the lifeboat located the vessel just off the navigation channel above the Goat Road, where the passengers had dropped anchor to prevent drifting into the shallows and onto rocks.

All on board were found to be safe and unharmed, and wearing their lifejackets.

An RNLI volunteer transferred across the casualty vessel and once it was established that there was no damage to the vessel, but that it would require assistance to safe harbour, an alongside tow was set up.

The nearest safe harbour was the public moorings at Kilgarvan Quay, where the casualty vessel was safety tied at 5.50pm.

Jeremy Freeman, deputy launching authority at Lough Derg RNLI, advises boat users this busy summer season to “ensure you have sufficient, fresh fuel for your journey and a means of communication”.

Lough Derg RNLI launched to assist a person on a 28ft cruiser with engine failure, near Mountshannon on Friday evening.

At 5.58 pm, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to launch. At 6.09 pm, the lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, crew Joe O’Donoghue, Tom Hayes and Ciara Moylan on board.

The winds were southerly, Force 3/4. Visibility was good.

With a description from the Valentia Coast Guard, the lifeboat located the vessel in the navigation channel off Ilaun Hobert and was alongside at 6.19 pm. The skipper was safe and unharmed and wearing his lifejacket. He had managed to get his engine going and was underway, but at a slow speed, as the engine cut each time he increased the revs. 

The lifeboat informed Valentia Coast Guard that they were going to take the casualty vessel under tow to Dromaan Harbour. By Dromaan Harbour the lifeboat volunteers changed the tow from an astern tow to an alongside tow in order to navigate the narrow channel into the Harbour.

At 7.24 pm the casualty vessel was safely tied alongside and the lifeboat departed the scene. The lifeboat was back at the station at 7.40 pm.

Liam Maloney, Deputy Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI advises boat users to ‘ensure your boat engine is serviced, and that you use fresh fuel when returning to the water after overwintering your boat’.

Last Sunday morning members of the Lough Derg RNLI Fundraising committee and the Lifeboat station welcomed Joe Barry, uilleann piper and writer, to the Station.

A long time supporter of the RNLI, Joe presented a cheque for €2,600, proceeds from the sales of his third book 'Once Upon a Piper’s Time', to Niamh McCutcheon, Chairperson of the Lough Derg RNLI Fundraising Committee. Joe, whose book was first published in November 2019, had intended to present the cheque in 2020, but the pandemic prevented him doing so. He was accompanied by fellow musicians, Martin Shot and Cillian Roche, from the Thomas MacDonagh Pipe Band.

As a founder member of the Thomas MacDonagh Pipe Band in 1962, Joe and his band have performed around the world. They have played for President Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin, at the St.Patrick’s Day Parade in New York and at a commemoration ceremony on the beaches at Normandy. Closer to home, Joe, who plays the uilleann and highland pipes, led the Thomas MacDonagh Pipe Band at the opening ceremony for the Mirror World Sailing Championships at Lough Derg Yacht Club.

Joe says he first started fundraising for the RNLI following a Christmas visit to Kilmore Quay twenty-five years ago. He went there to hear the famous Kilmore Carollers and learned that the choir were all volunteers with the Kilmore RNLI lifeboat. After the service, Joe says he was invited by RNLI volunteer, the late Jack Devereux, to see the station and learn about lifeboat launches. He says since that time he has had a ‘deep respect for the brave men and women of the RNLI’.

On behalf of her fundraising committee and all the volunteers at Lough Derg RNLI, Niamh McCutcheon thanked Mr. Barry for his ‘ongoing generosity and support’. Niamh noted that although the pandemic had restricted fundraising activities, the RNLIs lifesaving operations have continued without interruption. Niamh told Joe that his donation-supported ‘volunteers training and equipment, and ensures our crew have the very best kit’ to perform a rescue and to then bring them home safely to their families, whom they must leave every time they respond to a Shout.

Niamh reminded the assembled group that in 2009 Joe donated €3,000 to Lough Derg RNLI; the proceeds from his first book Ate Mate and Follow the Band. Niamh commended Joe’s cousin ‘John Crowe and his wife Phyllis who underwrote the total printing costs of the book and Joe’s previous books so that all funds raised are benefitting the RNLI’. Celebrating a big birthday recently, Joe asked that instead of gifts, friends and family made donations to the RNLI. Niamh has since received a further €100 after another ten copies of the book were sold.

Prior to the presentation, the fundraising committee provided refreshments, with kind permission, on the balcony of Lough Derg Yacht Club. Crew arrived back to station just as the presentation was being made and Joe was delighted to meet the volunteers and to see the lifeboat, Jean Spier, on the water.