Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: Damian Morris

A grateful family presented a cheque to Portrush lifeboat crew in thanks for saving their son this summer.
On 16th May 2010 both Portrush Lifeboats were launched to two separate incidents within one at 0922 hours and one at 0924 hours.
Within minutes two full volunteer crews had assembled and both the All-weather Lifeboat and the Inshore Lifeboat were launched. The Inshore Lifeboat was launched to reports of two young people in the water at Dhu Varren. Karl O'Neill was at the helm supported by Nick Christie and Jonathan Weston. Two youths had gone into the sea after a dog, and were starting to experience real difficulties in getting back to shore. One of the youths Damian Morris had sustained cuts to his arms and legs, was suffering hypothermia and was literally going under the water for the third time when the Portrush Lifeboat arrived on scene. Damian spent several days in hospital as a result of the incident and was delighted to be able to come to the station to meet the crew who had saved him that day.
Damian's uncle and Godfather Raymond Comac and his friend Paul McGuigan, do a lot of charity work in Damian's hometown in Omagh holding fundraisers to raise funds to take motorbikes out to South Africa for use by health care workers in the townships. However this year, they divided the proceeds between their charity and the RNLI, in recognition of the fact that the volunteer crew at Portrush had saved Damian's life.
Damian's parents Liam and Rosemary Morris, Damian himself and his uncle Raymond and friend Paul travelled to Portrush to meet the crew and hand over a cheque for £1000. Both Nick and Karl were overwhelmed by the generosity and stated;
'We don't do this for thanks, but it's so nice to meet someone that you have helped and for this amount to be raised is fantastic for the station'
The family got a tour of the station and had a look at the new Inshore lifeboat 'The David Roulston' which took over from the 'Ken and Mary' the boat that responded to the call that day....one of her last launches.

Cheque_Presentation_Nov_2010_055

Related Safety posts

RNLI Lifeboats in Ireland


Safety News


Rescue News from RNLI Lifeboats in Ireland


Coast Guard News from Ireland


Water Safety News from Ireland

Marine Casualty Investigation Board News

Marine Warnings

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

Ireland's Sailor of the Year Awards

Created in 1996, the Afloat Sailor of the Year Awards represent all that is praiseworthy, innovative and groundbreaking in the Irish sailing scene.

Since it began 25 years ago, the awards have recognised over 500 monthly award winners in the pages of Ireland's sailing magazine Afloat, and these have been made to both amateur and professional sailors. The first-ever Sailor of the Year was dinghy sailor Mark Lyttle, a race winner at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

And since then it's gone on to read like a who's who of Irish sailing.

The national award is specially designed to salute the achievements of Ireland's sailing's elite. After two decades the awards has developed into a premier awards ceremony for water sports.

The overall national award will be announced each January to the person who, in the judges' opinion, achieved the most notable results in, or made the most significant contribution to, Irish sailing in the previous year.

A review of the first 25 years of the Irish Sailor the Year Awards is here

Irish Sailor of the Year Award FAQs

The Irish Sailor of the Year Awards is a scheme designed by Afloat magazine to represent all that is praiseworthy, innovative and groundbreaking in the Irish sailing scene..

The Irish Sailor of the Year Awards began in 1996.

The awards are administered by Afloat, Ireland's boating magazine.

  • 1996 Mark Lyttle
  • 1997 Tom Roche
  • 1998 Tom Fitzpatrick & David McHugh
  • 1999 Mark Mansfield
  • 2000 David Burrows
  • 2001 Maria Coleman
  • 2002 Eric Lisson
  • 2003 Noel Butler & Stephen Campion
  • 2004 Eamonn Crosbie
  • 2005 Paddy Barry & Jarlath Cunnane
  • 2006 Justin Slattery
  • 2007 Ger O'Rourke
  • 2008 Damian Foxall
  • 2009 Mark Mills
  • 2010 Anthony O'Leary
  • 2011 George Kenefick
  • 2012 Annalise Murphy
  • 2013 David Kenefick
  • 2014 Anthony O'Leary
  • 2015 Liam Shanahan
  • 2016 Annalise Murphy
  • 2017 Conor Fogerty
  • 2018 Robert Dickson & Sean Waddilove
  • 2019 Paul O'Higgins

Yes. The boating public and maritime community can have their say to help guide judges in deciding who should be crowned Ireland's Sailor of the Year by using an Afloat online poll). The judges welcome the traditional huge level of public interest in helping them make their decision but firmly retain their right to make the ultimate decision for the final choice while taking voting trends into account. By voting for your favourite nominee, you are creating additional awareness of their nomination and highlighting their success.

Anthony O'Leary of Crosshaven and Annalise Murphy of Dun Laoghaire are the only contenders to be Afloat.ie "Sailors of the Year" twice – himself in 2010 and 2014, and herself in 2012 and 2016.

In its 25 year history, there have been wins for 15, offshore or IRC achievements, nine dinghy and one designs accomplishments and one for adventure sailing.

Annually, generally in January or February of the following year.

In 2003 Her Royal Highness Princess Anne presented the Awards.

©Afloat 2020