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Displaying items by tag: Currach

Currachs and naomhógs are among the only sea craft built upside down, and the expertise dates back generations.

Poet Keith Payne learned all this and much more when he found himself working on a Dunfanaghy currach over 16 weeks. He was Cork City Library eco-poet in residence from 2022 to 2023 when he was drawn to the work of Meitheal Mara.

A Dunfanaghy currach under constructionA Dunfanaghy currach under construction Photo: Meitheal Mara

During that time, he learned about carpenters’ marks and pigtails and how to row with Naomhóga Chorcaí – “among the most inclusive groups of people” he has ever met, he said.

As he began to master the oars on the river Lee, he realised how hard those communities dependent on the currach had it out at sea – “ what they did to bring fish home and put it on the table”.

Payne is not only a poet, but also a translator and editor, and has published seven collections of poetry in translation as well as his debut collection, Broken Hill. A new publication, Whales and Whales, from the Galician of Luisa Castro is forthcoming from Skein Press. He is curator of the Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill Poetry Exchange.

Meitheal Mara brings together inclusive groups of people for its boat-building projects Photo: Meitheal MaraMeitheal Mara brings together inclusive groups of people for its boat-building projects Photo: Meitheal Mara

His latest work, Building the Boat, records his experiences with Meitheal Mara in verse, and it has just been published by Badly Made Books.

It is available in Meitheal Mara, in Books Upstairs in Dublin or directly by emailing [email protected]

He spoke to Wavelengths about the project below

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The tough realities of Irish island life are depicted in a new memoir of the Connemara island of Inis Treabhair.

The last years of an Irish-speaking community are recorded by Micheál Ó Conghaile in his book, An Island Christmas. The island’s last inhabitant, Pádraig Ó Loideáin, left the island in 2010.

A review by Micheál Ó hAodha in The Sunday Independent describes the book as “a small gem of a memoir incorporating place, people and childhood recollection”.

It includes stunning black and white photographs by Joe O’Shaughnessy of Patsy Lydon bringing his Christmas tree and bicycle in a currach to his Inis Treabhair home in December 1991.

“Daily tasks and harsh realities that people often took for granted on the mainland but which involved a great deal more work and struggle are given a special magic in Ó Conghaile’s prose as he brings tender memories to life in this unique and fascinating memoir,” Ó hAodha writes.

Patsy Lydon at home at Christmas on the Connemara island of Inis TreabhairPatsy Lydon at home at Christmas on the Connemara island of Inis Treabhair Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy

“Ó Conghaile doesn’t shirk from describing the back-breaking work the island community, both adults and children, performed – turf-cutting on the mainland and the subsequent loading into boats, the slaughtering of fowl and pigs for food ensure the maintenance of a way of life that survived for many centuries,” he writes.

“You needed to be hardy and tough to survive on an island, and that’s the truth. And yet this is no rose-tinted or nostalgic look at the past, even if a certain loneliness permeates the story for what we all may have lost with the arrival of the technology-saturated modernity that defines urban Ireland today,” he notes.

An Island Christmas’ (Nollaig Oileánach) is available from mercierpress.ie and all good bookshops nationwide.

Read The Sunday Independent here

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A team of three Donegal brothers have won the Three Island currach rowing challenge in Skerries, Co Dublin, this weekend.

Simon, Ronan and Michael O Dómhnaill from Gaoth Dobhair had won the race for traditional currachs in 2021, and were determined to regain their title after failing to secure it last year.

The 2023 race course was changed to allow for inclement weather, with the 12 competing boats completing a seven-kilometre trajectory on the leeward side of the three islands off the coast of the north Dublin harbour.

Currach (on right) the brothers from left Michael, Simon and Ronan O’ Domhnaill from Gweedore Co Donegal who won the Three Island challenge in Skerries during the race as they compete with a team from Carlingford LoughCurrach (on right) the brothers from left Michael, Simon and Ronan O’ Domhnaill from Gweedore Co Donegal who won the Three Island challenge in Skerries during the race as they compete with a team from Carlingford Lough Photo: Maxwells

The Skerries Three Island challenge / Dúshlán na dTrí Oileán na Sceirí differs from other regattas, in that it is open to all types of currachaí, including two, three and four-hander boats, with a handicap system being applied.

The race is described as a demonstration of “both athleticism and the many different crafts involved in traditional Irish boats”.

The challenge was hosted by Currachaí na Sceirí, a group of boatbuilding rowers and enthusiasts who have revived the currach racing tradition in the fishing harbour.

It dates back to 1959, when Denis Guiney, founder of Clerys department store, presented a silver cup to the Skerries Currach race.

Captain Paul Lampkin from Skerries as he keeps a watch on participants who took part in the Three Island challenge in Skerries . Pic Maxwell’s Captain Paul Lampkin from Skerries as he keeps a watch on participants who took part in the Three Island challenge in Skerries Photo: Maxwells

Currachaí na Sceirí has built a number of its own currachs, and purchased boats from Cork and Clare.

It also has a North Mayo-style Belderrig currach, which had previously featured in the “Game of Thrones” television series, and “King Arthur”.

The team from Skerries Currach Club from left Dermott Higgins, Anca Marginen, Donal Ruane, Finbar O Connor and Tony Moran from who took part in the Three Island challenge in Skerries Photo: MaxwellsThe team from Skerries Currach Club from left Dermott Higgins, Anca Marginen, Donal Ruane, Finbar O Connor and Tony Moran from who took part in the Three Island challenge in Skerries Photo: Maxwells

As previously reported by Afloat, the Skerries boat, An Béal Deirg, is a five hander 24 foot salmon fishing type of currach, which there is only a handful of worldwide.

In 2002, the National Museum of Ireland commissioned skilled boat-builder Pádraig Ó Duinnín and a team from Meitheal Mara in Cork to construct the Belderrig currach on the grounds of the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life, Turlough Park in Castlebar.

Catriona Ni Mhaidin from Cork as she races to the line to plant their flag, who took part in the Three Island challenge in Skerries Photo: Maxwells Cathriona Ni Mhaidin from Cork as she races to the line to plant their flag, who took part in the Three Island currach challenge in Skerries Photo: Maxwells

Presenting the East Coast Currach Rowing Championship Perpetual Cup to the three Ó Domhnaill oarsmen, newly elected Mayor of Fingal Cllr Adrian Henchy paid tribute to the “magnificent currachaí” and the “phenomenal craftsmanship” involved in the vessels.

The currach team from Carlingford Lough Currach Club Warrenpoint from left Paul Hogan and his wife Miriam and Madonna Jones who took part in the Three Island challenge in SkerriesThe currach team from Carlingford Lough Currach Club Warrenpoint from left Paul Hogan and his wife Miriam and Madonna Jones who took part in the Three Island challenge in Skerries

“And it’s great to see so many people travelling to be part of this event; people coming from overseas and all over Ireland, with competing teams coming from Clare, Cork, Down and Donegal and other counties,” Mayor Henchy said.

“The Three Island Challenge is a wonderful community event, and Skerries is a fantastic town right in the heart of Fingal, and I want to pay tribute to the organisers of the challenge, the Currachaí na Sceirí group, and all the volunteers that made today’s event possible,” he said.

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An Achill currach built by artist Mark Redden is part of a project on display for the next fortnight in Dublin’s Temple Bar.

Redden says the project began as a conversation about how a damaged two-handed Achill currach, An Trá Bán, owned by Rosie O’Reilly could “breathe life into a new boat”.

“Taking the beauty of its shape through Rosie’s charcoal rubbings and combining it with a build style that incorporates recycled furniture, hazel rod ribs and twine, An Mór Ríoghain was born,” he says.

The vessel is on display, along with work by both Redden and O’Reilly, at the TØN Gallery, Temple Bar, Dublin.

Seaweed print-Strangers in a middle world by Rosie O'ReillySeaweed print-Strangers in a middle world by Rosie O'Reilly

O’Reilly’s will show a series of black and white film images, developed and printed using chemicals derived from an invasive seaweed, a Japanese kelp as part of an ongoing oceanic research project entitled “Strangers in a middle world’.

Her project had its first home at the terminal building of Porto’s port from Jan-March 2018 where she was artist in residency at the marine research institution CIMAR observing the study of marine invasive species.

Flight of the great fish by Mark ReddenFlight of the great fish by Mark Redden

Redden will show “An island of abundance and poverty”, taking early Irish literary romances as inspiration for this series of paintings and sculptures.

He says the work references the 11th century “Imrama” or navigations; and the voyage of Máel Dúin, which resembles the classical tale of Ulysses.

Redden has been building currachs since 2004, having worked with master boat builder Jackie Mons of Oughterard and Meitheal Mara in Cork.

An accomplished painter and sculptor, he still turns out currachs every now and then to share the joys of currach making and coastal rowing.

He has built boats in Norway, Spain and as far away as Tasmania, as well as all over Ireland and has won the Ocean to City regatta in Cork with a crew he trained in Barcelona.

In 2008, Redden established Iomramh in Barcelona, an association dedicated to currach building, rowing and oceanic awareness.

For the past 11 years, he has organised a regatta and festival around St Patrick’s day in Barcelona, which centres around his fleet of four currachs.

Both Redden and O’Reilly collaborated on a community project to build currachs for the East Wall Water Sports Centre. In 2016, O’Reilly acquired An Tra Bán from a Mayo fisherman.

To celebrate their latest project, a short talk was given last week by Dr Treasa de Loughry of the University College, Dublin School of English, touching on themes of blue humanities and eco-literacy, and this was followed by a discussion with the two artists.

Redden’s currach An Mór Rioghain and the artworks are on view at the TØN Gallery, Temple Bar, Dublin, by appointment from now until May 15th. For information, contact Sorcha Finlay at 085 108 9899 or artist Rosie O’Reilly at [email protected]

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The 70th anniversary of “Tóstal na Gaillimhe”, a traditional currach regatta, is to be celebrated off Salthill in Galway Bay in early May.

After a break of ten years, the event planned for May 6th and 7th has been billed as a “celebration of Galway’s maritime life and seafaring customs” will be held off Ladies Beach along Salthill promenade.

It is being hosted by the Galway Hooker Sailing Club, in partnership with the Salthill village business community, Blackrock Cottage restaurant, the Gráinne Mhaol Rowing Club, and Galway City Council.

The event was initiated in the early 1950s, and “Tóstal na Gaillimhe” of 1953 hosted by Bord Fáilte, marked the beginning of the All-Ireland Currach Racing Championships. After it lapsed in 1959, it was revived again in 2011, and new trophies were presented in 2012.

Tóstal na Gaillimhe

This year’s two-day gathering involve male, female, and junior traditional currach racing rowers alongside sliding seat rowers.

The currachaí will be provided by Cóiste Lár na gCurrachaí for the duration of the festival.

Ciaran Oliver of the Galway Hooker Sailing Club said, “we are thrilled to bring back the tradition of An Tóstal to Salthill in celebration of its 70th anniversary” and promised an “exciting two-day event”.

The Gráinne Mhaol Rowing Club will be hosting ‘”try rowing” sessions, and the Galway Hooker Sailing Club will be hosting ‘”try sailing” sessions for those curious about getting started.

“ Galway Bay promises a spectacle of red sails as the iconic Galway Hooker fleet - along with other local sailing clubs - take to the water,” the organisers state.

The event is free, and there will be live music, work by local artists, sandcastle-building contests, and food and drink on the promenade during the event.

The Village Salthill business group is “delighted to be involved”, its spokesman Pete Kelly said.

Kelly noted there were “ample attractions to complement the ‘on water’ spectacle, with the Funpark, Leisureland Aquarium, Seapoint, and the Galway City Council Family Funday”.

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An historic race involving the rare Belderrig currach resulted in a victory for Mayo emigrants over the August bank holiday weekend.

Oarsmen with Mayo links from Currachaí na Sceirí, a club based in Skerries north Dublin, secured first place in the hotly contested race against a crew from Belderrig.

As Afloat reported previously, It was the first time since 1953 that what was once a regular challenge had taken place in Belderrig harbour on the north Mayo coast.

The winning Belderrig currach crew from Currachaí na Sceirí -Shane Holland Finbarr O Connor, Dermot Higgins, Anthony Moran  pictured with Kevin O'Sullivan  in the stern..jpgThe winning Belderrig currach crew from Currachaí na Sceirí -Shane Holland Finbarr O Connor, Dermot Higgins, Anthony Moran pictured with Kevin O'Sullivan in the stern

Both crews were rowing the Belderrig design of currach, a five-hander 24-foot-long salmon fishing type of craft once used along that stretch of coastline.

The winning team from Currachaí na Sceirí included Shane Holland, Finbarr O Connor, Dermot Higgins, Anthony Moran and Kevin O'Sullivan in the stern.

The Belderrig crew involved the Madden brothers of Padraig, Paul and Darren, along with Declan Caulfield and Oisín Mc Conamhna in the stern.

The Belderrig crew of the Madden brothers, Padraig, Paul and Darren, with Declan Caulfield and Oisín Mac Conamhna in  the sternThe Belderrig crew of the Madden brothers, Padraig, Paul and Darren, with Declan Caulfield and Oisín Mac Conamhna in the stern

In separate time trials, Dan and Alan Mc Hale from Mayo won first place, with Skerries crews coming second and third.

In 2002, the National Museum of Ireland commissioned skilled boat-builder Pádraig Ó Duinnín and a team from Meitheal Mara in Cork to construct the Belderrig currach in the grounds of the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life, Turlough Park in Castlebar.

CnS crew get readyCurrachaí na Sceirí crew get ready Photo: Ann Laurent

Currachaí na sceiriCurrachaí na sceiri in full flight Photo: Ann Laurent

 Belderrig (in foreground) Belderrig (in foreground) Photo: Ann Laurent

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For those missing the annual Dublin-Mayo clash on the GAA pitch, there is a substitute of sorts on water this weekend.

A friendly clash between the Dublin-based Mayomen of Skerries and the Mayomen of Belderrig in the north of the county takes place on Saturday, July 30th, in Belderrig harbour.

Declan Caulfield, owner of the local Mayo boat, says it will be the first such race in over 50 years.

Belderrig currach oarsmenBelderrig currach oarsmen in action

The crews previously raced against each other in Skerries at the 3 Island Currach Challenge.

The Skerries boat, An Béal Deirg, is a five hander 24 foot salmon fishing type of currach, which there are only a handful of worldwide.

Shane Holland, who is captain of Currachaí na Sceirí, says he is excited about the trip.

Holland says he “always wanted to row the North Mayo coast, given that my father grew up in the Post office in Killala”

“. Our crew consists of two other Mayomen - Tony Moran of Killala, Finbarr O’Connor of Knockmore and my nephew Louis Holland of Halifax, Nova Scotia, along with Kevin O’Sullivan and Dermot Higgins of Skerries,” Holland says.

The Belderrig crew skippered by Declan Caulfield includes Oisín Mc Canamhna of Belderrig, Darren and Paul Madden of Ballycastle, now living in Glasson and Co Cork respectively.

Oisín’s father, Brendán Mc Canamhna, is an expert on the subject of North Mayo currachs, and has written extensively on the subject.

The race will also be closely observed by Noel Campbell of the National Museum of Ireland, custodian of the third existing “Belderrig” which resides in the museum in Turlough Park in Castlebar, Co Mayo.

The race between the two currachs takes place at 12 noon on Saturday, July 30th, in Belderrig harbour, Co Mayo.

Belderrig Killala French oarsmen wearing French coloursBelderrig Killala French oarsmen wearing French colours

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Rowing a currach across Kerry waters features in one of five TG4 projects to be screened at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh, which opens this week.

Four of the actors in the film, entitled Tarrac, take to their oars on the Atlantic in what has been described as an “intimate character drama set in the Kerry gaeltacht”.

Directed by Declan Recks, the plot focuses on Aoife Ní Bhraoin, who returns home to help her father, Brendán ‘The Bear’ Ó Briain, recover from a heart attack.

Day to day they get along “just fine”, but a deeper dig explores “so much that has been left unsaid about the loss of Aoife’s mother”, according to the film notes.

The script was written by Eugene O’Brien and the film was produced by Clíona Ní Bhuachalla.

Cast includes Kelly Gough, Lorcan Cranitch, Kate Nic Chonaonaigh, Kate Finegan, Rachel Feeney and Cillian Ó Gairbhí.

The premiere of Tarrac will be screened at Galway’s Town Hall Theatre on Friday, July 8th, at 9pm.

TG4 and Screen Ireland will also host a networking event at the Galway Film Fleadh on Saturday July 9th for producers interested in creating content in the Irish language.

For the full programme, screening times, and tickets see www.galwayfilmfleadh.com or contact Galway’s Town Hall Theatre box office on 091 569 777.

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This year’s Liffey City Currach Regatta takes place this coming Saturday 7 May, with crews assembling at St Patrick’s Rowing Club in Ringsend at 10am for registration before the first race at 11.30am.

Racing will continue throughout the afternoon with crews from Dublin, Connemara and Warrenpoint all expected to take part. For more on the event see the Facebook page HERE.

The event comes not long after three currachs were launched on the Liffey in a rare occasion in the capital, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

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Three currachs were successfully launched on the River Liffey yesterday to the sound of traditional music tunes and the boats were blessed in a ceremony at Poolbeg in Dublin city.

As Afloat reported earlier, the boats were launched by the Draíocht na Life rowing group.

Traditional Boats of Ireland Editor Criostoir Mac Cartaigh officiated at the proceedings, saying that it's not every day you see three currachs being launched on the same day, especially in Dublin.

The three currachs are launched at the slipway next to Stella Maris Rowing Club Photo: AfloatThe three currachs are launched at the slipway next to Stella Maris Rowing Club Photo: Afloat

One currach is a racing version, built in Connemara and used on the Liffey.

'Cairde' was recently restored by Micheál Ó Maoilchiaráin from Carna in Conamara who took off the old canvas in favour of fibreglass.

A revamp of a Conamara racer, named 'Cairde', from left to right;  Peter Carey and Tom Jordan Photo: AfloatA revamp of a Conamara racer, named 'Cairde', from left to right;  Peter Carey and Tom Jordan Photo: Afloat

New hardwood and pins alongside a nice new paint job finished off the job.

'Sáile', a two-seater and a three seater, 'Faoileán', were built by Ed Tuthill, a Liffey rower, and both were put together in Clane, Co Kildare.

The three-seater was built during the lockdown.

A two seater currach, named Saile, meaning 'woods salted by the sea' from left to right;  Colm Mac Con Iomaire and Frank Tate Photo: AfloatA two seater currach, named Saile, meaning 'woods salted by the sea' from left to right;  Colm Mac Con Iomaire and Frank Tate Photo: Afloat

Mac Cartaigh praised the skill, passion and bravery of the builders who have contributed a huge amount to currach building and getting people out rowing on the Liffey.

The currachs were blessed by Fr Ivan Tonge from Ringsend.

The Draíocht na Life rowing group was formed around 15 years ago by Liffey currach rower and owner, Dave Kelly.

Tunes were played ashore by Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Frank Tate and Fionn O hAlmhain. 

TG4 were there to capture the event in the stern of Cairde and the launch was aired on Nuacht TG4 at 7 pmAs well as Afloat, TG4 were there to capture the event in the stern of Cairde and the launch was aired on Nuacht TG4 at 7 pm Photo: Afloat

Next Saturday crews from Kerry to Donegal and from Conamara to Warrenpoint will take part in the first currach races of the season in Dublin. 

Currach Launching on the Liffey Photo Gallery 

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The Irish Coast Guard

The Irish Coast Guard is Ireland's fourth 'Blue Light' service (along with An Garda Síochána, the Ambulance Service and the Fire Service). It provides a nationwide maritime emergency organisation as well as a variety of services to shipping and other government agencies.

The purpose of the Irish Coast Guard is to promote safety and security standards, and by doing so, prevent as far as possible, the loss of life at sea, and on inland waters, mountains and caves, and to provide effective emergency response services and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The Irish Coast Guard has responsibility for Ireland's system of marine communications, surveillance and emergency management in Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and certain inland waterways.

It is responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue and counter-pollution and ship casualty operations. It also has responsibility for vessel traffic monitoring.

Operations in respect of maritime security, illegal drug trafficking, illegal migration and fisheries enforcement are co-ordinated by other bodies within the Irish Government.

On average, each year, the Irish Coast Guard is expected to:

  • handle 3,000 marine emergencies
  • assist 4,500 people and save about 200 lives
  • task Coast Guard helicopters on missions

The Coast Guard has been around in some form in Ireland since 1908.

Coast Guard helicopters

The Irish Coast Guard has contracted five medium-lift Sikorsky Search and Rescue helicopters deployed at bases in Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo.

The helicopters are designated wheels up from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours and 45 minutes at night. One aircraft is fitted and its crew trained for under slung cargo operations up to 3000kgs and is available on short notice based at Waterford.

These aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains of Ireland (32 counties).

They can also be used for assistance in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and aerial surveillance during daylight hours, lifting and passenger operations and other operations as authorised by the Coast Guard within appropriate regulations.

Irish Coastguard FAQs

The Irish Coast Guard provides nationwide maritime emergency response, while also promoting safety and security standards. It aims to prevent the loss of life at sea, on inland waters, on mountains and in caves; and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The main role of the Irish Coast Guard is to rescue people from danger at sea or on land, to organise immediate medical transport and to assist boats and ships within the country's jurisdiction. It has three marine rescue centres in Dublin, Malin Head, Co Donegal, and Valentia Island, Co Kerry. The Dublin National Maritime Operations centre provides marine search and rescue responses and coordinates the response to marine casualty incidents with the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Yes, effectively, it is the fourth "blue light" service. The Marine Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) Valentia is the contact point for the coastal area between Ballycotton, Co Cork and Clifden, Co Galway. At the same time, the MRSC Malin Head covers the area between Clifden and Lough Foyle. Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Dublin covers Carlingford Lough, Co Louth to Ballycotton, Co Cork. Each MRCC/MRSC also broadcasts maritime safety information on VHF and MF radio, including navigational and gale warnings, shipping forecasts, local inshore forecasts, strong wind warnings and small craft warnings.

The Irish Coast Guard handles about 3,000 marine emergencies annually, and assists 4,500 people - saving an estimated 200 lives, according to the Department of Transport. In 2016, Irish Coast Guard helicopters completed 1,000 missions in a single year for the first time.

Yes, Irish Coast Guard helicopters evacuate medical patients from offshore islands to hospital on average about 100 times a year. In September 2017, the Department of Health announced that search and rescue pilots who work 24-hour duties would not be expected to perform any inter-hospital patient transfers. The Air Corps flies the Emergency Aeromedical Service, established in 2012 and using an AW139 twin-engine helicopter. Known by its call sign "Air Corps 112", it airlifted its 3,000th patient in autumn 2020.

The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is responsible for the Northern Irish coast.

The Irish Coast Guard is a State-funded service, with both paid management personnel and volunteers, and is under the auspices of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. It is allocated approximately 74 million euro annually in funding, some 85 per cent of which pays for a helicopter contract that costs 60 million euro annually. The overall funding figure is "variable", an Oireachtas committee was told in 2019. Other significant expenditure items include volunteer training exercises, equipment, maintenance, renewal, and information technology.

The Irish Coast Guard has four search and rescue helicopter bases at Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo, run on a contract worth 50 million euro annually with an additional 10 million euro in costs by CHC Ireland. It provides five medium-lift Sikorsky S-92 helicopters and trained crew. The 44 Irish Coast Guard coastal units with 1,000 volunteers are classed as onshore search units, with 23 of the 44 units having rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and 17 units having cliff rescue capability. The Irish Coast Guard has 60 buildings in total around the coast, and units have search vehicles fitted with blue lights, all-terrain vehicles or quads, first aid equipment, generators and area lighting, search equipment, marine radios, pyrotechnics and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Community Rescue Boats Ireland also provide lifeboats and crews to assist in search and rescue. The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the Garda Siochána, National Ambulance Service, Naval Service and Air Corps, Civil Defence, while fishing vessels, ships and other craft at sea offer assistance in search operations.

The helicopters are designated as airborne from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours, and 45 minutes at night. The aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, on inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains and cover the 32 counties. They can also assist in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and can transport offshore firefighters and ambulance teams. The Irish Coast Guard volunteers units are expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time of departing from the station house in ten minutes from notification during daylight and 20 minutes at night. They are also expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time to the scene of the incident in less than 60 minutes from notification by day and 75 minutes at night, subject to geographical limitations.

Units are managed by an officer-in-charge (three stripes on the uniform) and a deputy officer in charge (two stripes). Each team is trained in search skills, first aid, setting up helicopter landing sites and a range of maritime skills, while certain units are also trained in cliff rescue.

Volunteers receive an allowance for time spent on exercises and call-outs. What is the difference between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI? The RNLI is a registered charity which has been saving lives at sea since 1824, and runs a 24/7 volunteer lifeboat service around the British and Irish coasts. It is a declared asset of the British Maritime and Coast Guard Agency and the Irish Coast Guard. Community Rescue Boats Ireland is a community rescue network of volunteers under the auspices of Water Safety Ireland.

No, it does not charge for rescue and nor do the RNLI or Community Rescue Boats Ireland.

The marine rescue centres maintain 19 VHF voice and DSC radio sites around the Irish coastline and a digital paging system. There are two VHF repeater test sites, four MF radio sites and two NAVTEX transmitter sites. Does Ireland have a national search and rescue plan? The first national search and rescue plan was published in July, 2019. It establishes the national framework for the overall development, deployment and improvement of search and rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region and to meet domestic and international commitments. The purpose of the national search and rescue plan is to promote a planned and nationally coordinated search and rescue response to persons in distress at sea, in the air or on land.

Yes, the Irish Coast Guard is responsible for responding to spills of oil and other hazardous substances with the Irish pollution responsibility zone, along with providing an effective response to marine casualties and monitoring or intervening in marine salvage operations. It provides and maintains a 24-hour marine pollution notification at the three marine rescue centres. It coordinates exercises and tests of national and local pollution response plans.

The first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to die on duty was Caitriona Lucas, a highly trained member of the Doolin Coast Guard unit, while assisting in a search for a missing man by the Kilkee unit in September 2016. Six months later, four Irish Coast Guard helicopter crew – Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith -died when their Sikorsky S-92 struck Blackrock island off the Mayo coast on March 14, 2017. The Dublin-based Rescue 116 crew were providing "top cover" or communications for a medical emergency off the west coast and had been approaching Blacksod to refuel. Up until the five fatalities, the Irish Coast Guard recorded that more than a million "man hours" had been spent on more than 30,000 rescue missions since 1991.

Several investigations were initiated into each incident. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board was critical of the Irish Coast Guard in its final report into the death of Caitriona Lucas, while a separate Health and Safety Authority investigation has been completed, but not published. The Air Accident Investigation Unit final report into the Rescue 116 helicopter crash has not yet been published.

The Irish Coast Guard in its present form dates back to 1991, when the Irish Marine Emergency Service was formed after a campaign initiated by Dr Joan McGinley to improve air/sea rescue services on the west Irish coast. Before Irish independence, the British Admiralty was responsible for a Coast Guard (formerly the Water Guard or Preventative Boat Service) dating back to 1809. The West Coast Search and Rescue Action Committee was initiated with a public meeting in Killybegs, Co Donegal, in 1988 and the group was so effective that a Government report was commissioned, which recommended setting up a new division of the Department of the Marine to run the Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC), then based at Shannon, along with the existing coast radio service, and coast and cliff rescue. A medium-range helicopter base was established at Shannon within two years. Initially, the base was served by the Air Corps.

The first director of what was then IMES was Capt Liam Kirwan, who had spent 20 years at sea and latterly worked with the Marine Survey Office. Capt Kirwan transformed a poorly funded voluntary coast and cliff rescue service into a trained network of cliff and sea rescue units – largely voluntary, but with paid management. The MRCC was relocated from Shannon to an IMES headquarters at the then Department of the Marine (now Department of Transport) in Leeson Lane, Dublin. The coast radio stations at Valentia, Co Kerry, and Malin Head, Co Donegal, became marine rescue-sub-centres.

The current director is Chris Reynolds, who has been in place since August 2007 and was formerly with the Naval Service. He has been seconded to the head of mission with the EUCAP Somalia - which has a mandate to enhance Somalia's maritime civilian law enforcement capacity – since January 2019.

  • Achill, Co. Mayo
  • Ardmore, Co. Waterford
  • Arklow, Co. Wicklow
  • Ballybunion, Co. Kerry
  • Ballycotton, Co. Cork
  • Ballyglass, Co. Mayo
  • Bonmahon, Co. Waterford
  • Bunbeg, Co. Donegal
  • Carnsore, Co. Wexford
  • Castlefreake, Co. Cork
  • Castletownbere, Co. Cork
  • Cleggan, Co. Galway
  • Clogherhead, Co. Louth
  • Costelloe Bay, Co. Galway
  • Courtown, Co. Wexford
  • Crosshaven, Co. Cork
  • Curracloe, Co. Wexford
  • Dingle, Co. Kerry
  • Doolin, Co. Clare
  • Drogheda, Co. Louth
  • Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
  • Dunmore East, Co. Waterford
  • Fethard, Co. Wexford
  • Glandore, Co. Cork
  • Glenderry, Co. Kerry
  • Goleen, Co. Cork
  • Greencastle, Co. Donegal
  • Greenore, Co. Louth
  • Greystones, Co. Wicklow
  • Guileen, Co. Cork
  • Howth, Co. Dublin
  • Kilkee, Co. Clare
  • Killala, Co. Mayo
  • Killybegs, Co. Donegal
  • Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford
  • Knightstown, Co. Kerry
  • Mulroy, Co. Donegal
  • North Aran, Co. Galway
  • Old Head Of Kinsale, Co. Cork
  • Oysterhaven, Co. Cork
  • Rosslare, Co. Wexford
  • Seven Heads, Co. Cork
  • Skerries, Co. Dublin Summercove, Co. Cork
  • Toe Head, Co. Cork
  • Tory Island, Co. Donegal
  • Tramore, Co. Waterford
  • Waterville, Co. Kerry
  • Westport, Co. Mayo
  • Wicklow
  • Youghal, Co. Cork

Sources: Department of Transport © Afloat 2020