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Displaying items by tag: UCD

#Rowing: Trinity won the women’s senior eight at Trinity Regatta. The host crew were commanding winners over a Commercial eight made up of UCD alumni. In the semi-final they had beaten a Commercial eight made up of Trinity alumni.

 Blue Star, the alumni club of Newcastle University, won the men’s intermediate eight. UCD were unable to finish after a race which featured a number of clashes and a restart. Blue Star featured British Olympians George Nash and Scott Durant (both gold medallists in 2016)  as well as Irish Olympian Cormac Folan.  

Trinity Regatta, Islandbridge, Saturday (Selected Results)

Men

Eight – Senior: Trinity bt Commercial 1 1/3 l. Club: Commercial bt Neptune A 1 ¾ l. Novice: UCD A; Trinity disuqual.

Four – Sen, coxed: Commercial B.

Sculling,

Quadruple – Jun 18: Neptune bt Three Castles 4l. Jun 18B, coxed: Blackrock. Jun 16: Graiguenamanagh. Masters, coxed: Commercial.

Single – Sen: Commercial (N Beggan) bt Carlow (L Keating) 1l.  Inter: Sligo (G Patterson). Club One: Bann A (Christie).  Junior: Carlow (J Keating) bt Neptune (J Butler) easily. Jun 16: Neptune (T Orlic). Masters: Thames (C George).

Women

Eight – Senior: Trinity bt Commercial, 2l. Inter: Trinity B bt Trinity A ¼ l. Club One: Commercial bt Neptune 2l. Nov: UCD A. Jun 18: Bann bt Graiguenamanagh, easily. Jun 16B: Graiguenamanagh. Masters: Tribesmen A.

Four – Inter: Trinity A. Masters, coxed: Belfast BC/Tribesmen.

Sculling,

Quadruple, Club One, coxed: Neptune. Nov, coxed: Trinity r/0. Jun 18B, coxed: Graiguenamanagh bt Neptune 1 ½ l.

Double – Senior: Neptune bt Njord easily.

Single – Inter: Neptune (Feerick). Club One: Neptune (Clarke). Club Two: Neptune (Clarke). Jun 18A: Neptune (Clarke). Jun 16: City Of Derry (E Murphy).

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Trinity won the men’s senior eights at the University Championships of Ireland at the National Rowing Centre in Cork today. The race had a thrilling finish: Trinity led by less than a length, but UCD finished strongly and almost caught them. NUIG won the women’s senior eight much more comfortably, from Trinity.

 The overall winners were NUIG, who also won the Bank of Ireland Trophy for women. The men’s award, the Wylie Cup, went to Trinity.

 Fintan McCarthy of UCC won the senior single sculls from Andrew Goff of UCD and Selma Bounane of UCC topped the rankings in the women’s senior single.

University Championships of Ireland, National Rowing Centre (Selected Results)

Men

Eights – Senior: 1 Trinity, 2 UCD, 3 UCC. Inter: 1 Trinity, 2 UCD, 3 UCC. Club: 1 Trinity, 2 NUIG, 3 UCC. Novice: 1 UCD A, 2 Trinity A, 3 Queen’s A.

Four – Sen: UCD. Inter, coxed: Trinity. Club, coxed: UCC.

Pair – Sen: UCD.

Sculling, Quadruple, coxed – Novice: University of Limerick. Double – Inter: Queen’s. Single - Sen: UCC (F McCarthy). Inter: Univ of Limerick (K Mannix)

Women

Eights – Senior: 1 NUIG, 2 Trinity A, 3 Trinity B. Inter: 1 NUIG, 2 Trinity A, 3 Queen’s. Club: 1 NUIG, 2 Queen’s, 3 UCD A. Novice: 1 UCD, 2 Queen’s A, 3 Queen’s B.

Four – Sen: NUIG. Inter, coxed: NUIG A. Club, coxed: NUIG A.

Pair – Sen: UCC.  

Sculling, Quadruple – Nov: Queen’s B. Double – Inter: NUIG. Single – Sen: UCC (Bounane). Inter: UCC (L Heaphy).

Overall Winners: NUIG. Wylie Cup for Men: Trinity. Bank of Ireland Trophy for Women: NUIG.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Trinity looked strong as they beat UCD in the men’s senior eights final at Neptune Regatta this evening. The final verdict was under a length, but as the crews passed the Neptune boathouse the men in white looked in control.

Neptune took two wins by tiny margins. They won the club one coxed fours by two feet and the club two coxed quadruple by just one foot.

There was a spectacular incident at the end of the women’s masters’ eight final. Tribesmen beat the hosts, but crashed against the bank just after the finish.

The regatta was hit by a hail and rain shower just after 5.20 and the programme ran late.

Neptune Regatta, Islandbridge, Saturday (Selected Results)

Men

Eight – Senior: Trinity bt UCD ¾ l, 3:13. Club One: UCD B bt Neptune ¾ l, 3:20. Novice: UCD B bt Trinity 3l, 3:30. Junior 18: Neptune bt Col Iognaid 2l, 3:27. Jun 16: Col Iognaid bt Blackrock 3l, 3:49. Jun 15: Bann bt St Joseph’s 1 ½ l. Masters: Old Collegians bt Neptune 1l.

Four – Senior, coxed: Trinity B bt UCD 2l, 3:35. Club One, coxed: Neptune bt UCD 2ft, 3:43. Jun 18, coxed: Col Iognaid bt Commercial 2/3 l, 4:14. Masters, coxed: Athlone bt Neptune ¾ l.

Sculling, Quadruple – Club Two, coxed: Neptune bt Bann 1ft, 3:57. Jun 18: Col Iognaid bt Three Castles 2l, 4:06. Jun 16, coxed: Fermoy bt Bann 3:50. Jun 15, coxed: Blackrock A bt Galway easily, 4:16.

Double – Jun 16: Col na Coiribe bt Commercial A 3l, 4:01.

Single – Senior: Commercial (N Beggan) bt Portadown (A Laivins) easily, 3:58. Inter: Offaly (C Brady) bt Garda (P Ryan) 2 ½ l, 4:40. Club One: Commercial (D Crowley) bt Portadown (A Laivins) 2/3 l 4:10. Club Two: Clonmel (S O’Donnell) bt Garda (P Ryan) 4l, 4:25. Jun 18: New Ross (L Sutton) bt Commercial (C Kelly) easily, 4:00. Jun 16: Neptune (T Orlic) r/0.  

Women

Eight – Club One: Commercial bt UCD B 2l, 3:50. Jun 18: Graiguenamanagh bt Col Iognaid, canvas 3:53. Novice: UCD A bt UCD B 4l, 4:00. Jun 16: Commercial bt Fermoy 2 ½ l, 4:07. Jun 15: Galway bt Enniskillen 4l. Masters: Tribesmen bt Neptune 3l.

Four – Club One, coxed: UCD B bt UCD A 2 ½ l, 4:48.

Sculling, Quadruple – Club Two, coxed: Graiguenamanagh A bt King’s Hospital 2l, 4:27. Jun 18: Col Iognaid bt Neptune 3l, 4:56. Jun 16, coxed: Commercial bt Carlow 2 ½, 4:12. Jun 15, coxed: Carlow bt Athlone 2 ½ l. Double – Jun 16: Fermoy A bt Commercial B, easily, 4:34.

Single – Club One: Athlone (Y Curley) r/0. Club Two: Clonmel (S McGrath) bt Clonmel (E Fitzpatrick) 4l. Jun 18: Commercial (K Dolan) bt Neptune (N Clarke) 1ft, 4:30. Jun 16: Carlow (S Scully) r/o.

 

Published in Rowing
Tagged under

#Rowing: The first set of finals at Neptune Regatta was a good one for UCD. Their B crew beat Neptune – by three-quarters of a length – in the competitive club one eights and their B crew beat Trinity in the novice eights. However, Trinity won the battle of the senior coxed fours – their B crew beat UCD. The host club provided be the top junior 18 eight, beating Coláiste Iognáid in the final.

 The women’s junior 18 eight gave Graiguenamanagh a win over Coláiste Iognáid by a canvas, while the club one eights went to Commercial, who beat UCD B. In the closest race of the session, Katie Dolan of Commercial beat Niamh Clarke of Neptune by just one foot in the women’s junior 18 single sculls. Luke Sutton of New Ross won the men’s junior 18 single.

Neptune Regatta, Islandbridge, Saturday (Selected Results)

Men

Eight – Club One: UCD B bt Neptune ¾ l, 3:20. Novice: UCD B bt Trinity 3l, 3:30. Junior 18: Neptune bt Col Iognaid 2l, 3:27. Jun 15: Bann bt St Joseph’s 1 ½ l.

Four – Senior, coxed: Trinity B bt UCD 2l, 3:35. Masters, coxed: Athlone bt Neptune ¾ l.

Sculling, Quadruple – Jun 16, coxed: Fermoy bt Bann 3:50.

Double – Jun 16: Col na Coiribe bt Commercial A 3l, 4:01.

Single – Club Two: Clonmel (S O’Donnell) bt Garda (P Ryan) 4l, 4:25. Jun 18: New Ross (L Sutton) bt Commercial (C Kelly) easily, 4:00.  

Women

Eight – Club One: Commercial bt UCD B 2l, 3:50. Jun 18: Graiguenamanagh bt Col Iognaid, canvas 3:53. Novice: UCD A bt UCD B 4l, 4:00. Jun 15: Galway bt Enniskillen 4l.  

Sculling, Quadruple – Jun 16, coxed: Commercial bt Carlow 2 ½, 4:12. Double – Jun 16: Fermoy A bt Commercial B, easily, 4:34.

Single – Club Two: Clonmel (S McGrath) bt Clonmel (E Fitzpatrick) 4l. Jun 18: Commercial (K Dolan) bt Neptune (N Clarke) 1ft, 4:30.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing; Trinity won the Gannon Cup with a fine performance today. The Colours races were run on a reverse of the Trinity Regatta course above the weir for safety reasons. There was a strong east wind and a powerful flow.

 UCD took a one-length lead in the Gannon Cup at the first bend, but Trinity came back to lead and held on. Trinity’s senior women won the Corcoran Cup with a commading performance.

 The novice women’s title (the Sally Moorhead Trophy) was won easily by UCD. The closest race of the day was the novice men’s race, which was a thrilling contest. Trinity led past the boat clubs, but UCD overtook them and led by a length. Trinity came back to retake the lead … only for UCD to overhaul them right at the finish line.   

Colours Races 2018, Islandbridge (raced above the weir because of bad weather)

Senior Men (Gannon Cup): Trinity (B Cronin, D Butler, W Doyle, G Moore, A Liadov, D Pierse, T Hughes, M Quigley; cox: R Hamilton) bt UCD, ¾ l.

Novice Men (Dan Quinn Shield): UCD bt Trinity 2ft.

Senior Women (Corcoran Cup): Trinity  (D Maguire, S Kelly, A Byrne, J Hogg, A Corcoran, C Dempsey, L McHugh, S Higgins; cox: M Jungmann) bt UCD easily.

Novice Women (Sally Moorhead Cup): UCD bt Trinity easily

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: UCD won both coin tosses and will row from the North Station in all four Colours races on the Liffey on March 18th. Pat Kenny performed the coin toss at Trinity College, assisted by the four captains: Emma Thornton (UCD Ladies Boat Club); Laura Walsh (Dublin University Boat Club), Shane Mulvaney (UCD Boat Club) and Conor Ryan (Dublin University Boat Club).

 The toss was set for early in the week but was delayed until Thursday.

 The schedule set for Sunday, March 18th, is:

 10:30 Sally Moorhead Trophy (novice women)

 11:00 Dan Quinn Shield (novice men)

 11:30 Corcoran Cup (senior women)

 12:00 Gannon Cup (senior men)

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: UCD’s men’s intermediate eight just came out on top as the fastest crew at the St Michael’s Head of the River in Limerick. They clocked 19 minutes and 39 seconds, just ahead of the 19 minutes 43.4 seconds of the NUIG senior eight. Carlow Rowing Club’s women’s junior coxed four just pipped NUIG’s women’s senior eight as the fastest women’s crew.  

 

RankBib nrNameResultPenaltySpeed
Womens J18A 2X
148St. Michael's Rowing Club00:33:30.0 9.31 km/h
Womens Novice 4X+
120St. Michael's Rowing Club00:35:08.7 8.88 km/h
Mens Senior 8+, (A)
11NUIG Boat Club00:19:43.4 15.82 km/h
Mens Intermediate 8+,
13UCD Boat Club00:19:39.0 15.88 km/h
Mens Club 1 8+,
14UL Boat Club00:23:31.2 13.27 km/h
Mens J18A 4X-,
16Athlunkard Boat Club00:27:00.5 11.55 km/h
2107Colaiste Iognaid Rowing Club00:27:09.2 11.49 km/h
Mens Intermediate 4-,
18St. Michael's Rowing Club00:22:37.2 13.79 km/h
29Uni of Limerick Rowing Club00:22:55.1 13.61 km/h
Mens Masters 8+, (A)
110Castleconnell BC00:35:04.3 8.90 km/h
Mens Masters 8+,
111St. Michael's Rowing Club00:23:43.0 13.16 km/h
212Athlone Boat Club00:24:07.7 12.93 km/h
Mens Masters 8+, (B)
113Castleconnell BC00:20:45.9 15.03 km/h
Womens Senior 8+,
114NUIG Boat Club00:22:50.8 13.66 km/h
Mens J18A 4+,
116Carlow Rowing Club00:22:49.6 13.67 km/h
215St. Joseph's College RC00:22:50.2 13.66 km/h
317Colaiste Iognaid Rowing Club00:23:11.1 13.46 km/h
418Athlunkard Boat Club00:25:07.9 12.41 km/h
Mens Senior 2X,
119Galway Rowing Club00:27:50.6 11.21 km/h
Mens Club 1 2X,
121Carlow Rowing Club00:25:53.3 12.05 km/h
Mens J18A 2X,
124St. Michael's Rowing Club00:23:27.5 13.30 km/h
222Castleconnell BC00:25:15.0 12.36 km/h
326St. Joseph's College RC00:25:53.1 12.05 km/h
425St. Michael's Rowing Club00:26:13.8 11.89 km/h
523Colaiste Iognaid Rowing ClubDNS -
Womens J18A 8+,
128St. Michael's Rowing Club00:24:58.7 12.49 km/h
230Galway Rowing Club00:25:43.2 12.13 km/h
329Colaiste Iognaid Rowing Club00:26:11.1 11.92 km/h
427Shannon Rowing Club00:28:12.2 11.06 km/h
Mens J16 8+,
131Colaiste Iognaid Rowing Club00:22:27.1 13.90 km/h
232St. Michael's Rowing Club00:25:44.5incl. +30 sec.12.36 km/h
333St. Joseph's College RCDNS -
Womens Club 1 8+,
134Uni of Limerick Rowing Club00:25:20.7 12.31 km/h
Mens Masters 4X-, (A)
135Galway Rowing Club00:24:13.6 12.88 km/h
Mens Masters 4X-, (B)
136Galway Rowing Club00:26:00.5incl. +90 sec.12.73 km/h
Mens Masters 4X-
137St. Michael's Rowing ClubDNS -
Mens J16 4X+, (A)
138Castleconnell BC00:26:06.0 11.95 km/h
Mens J16 4X+, (B)
139Castleconnell BC00:25:28.9 12.24 km/h
Mens J16 4X+,
142St. Michael's Rowing Club00:27:51.1 11.20 km/h
243St. Joseph's College RC00:27:52.1 11.20 km/h
341Shannon Rowing Club00:29:57.1 10.42 km/h
440Colaiste Iognaid Rowing Club00:33:46.0 9.24 km/h
Mens Masters 4X+,
145St. Michael's Rowing Club00:27:46.1 11.24 km/h
2144Athlone Boat ClubDNS -
Womens J18A 4X-,
147Colaiste Iognaid Rowing Club00:25:46.4 12.11 km/h
25Clonmel Rowing Club00:26:20.9 11.84 km/h
346Castleconnell BC00:26:23.0 11.83 km/h
Womens Club 1 4X-,
149St. Michael's Rowing ClubDNS -
Mens Masters 4+,
151St. Michael's Rowing Club00:24:40.1 12.65 km/h
250Athlone Boat ClubDNS -
Mens J16 4+,
152Shannon Rowing Club00:28:25.4 10.98 km/h
Mens Masters 2X,
154St. Michael's Rowing Club00:24:14.1 12.87 km/h
253Castleconnell BC00:27:19.4 11.42 km/h
Mens Senior 1X
155St. Michael's Rowing Club00:25:40.7 12.15 km/h
Womens J16 8+,
156St. Michael's Rowing Club00:29:15.4 10.66 km/h
Womens J18A 2X,
157Castleconnell BCDNS -
2158Colaiste Iognaid Rowing ClubDNS -
Womens Intermediate 4+,
159NUIG Boat Club00:25:34.0 12.20 km/h
Womens Masters 8+,
160Uni of Limerick Rowing Club00:29:34.3 10.55 km/h
Womens J16 4X+,
162Colaiste Iognaid Rowing Club00:31:43.4 9.84 km/h
263Shannon Rowing Club00:32:19.8 9.65 km/h
361Athlunkard Boat Club00:33:52.9 9.21 km/h
Womens Novice 4X+,
165Uni of Limerick Rowing Club00:31:27.0 9.92 km/h
Womens Masters 4X-
166Soc des Régates Messines00:31:05.0 10.04 km/h
Mens Touring 4X+
167LBC / SMRC00:46:21.0 6.73 km/h
Late Entry
184UnknownDNS -
282UnknownDNS -
385UnknownDNS -
483UnknownDNS -
581UnknownDNS -
Mens Senior 4+
12NUIG Boat ClubDNS -
Womens Intermediate 2X
164St Michaels Rowing Club00:27:23.9 11.39 km/h
Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Max Murphy took a silver medal at the New Zealand Rowing Championships on Lake Karapiro. The UCD man teamed up with Thomas Bedford in the Waikato crew which took second in the men’s senior pairs behind Avon Rowing Club and ahead of another Waikato crew.

New Zealand Rowing Championships, Lake Karapiro, Day Four (Irish interest)

Men

Pair - Senior - A Final: 2 Waikato (M Murphy, T Bedford) 6:59.41.

 

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Paul O’Donovan was the pick of the Irish internationals at the testing New Zealand Rowing Championships on Lake Karapiro on Tuesday. O’Donovan finished third in his heat of the Premier (openweight) single sculls – just .11 of a second behind the winner of the other heat, Mahe Drysdale, the Olympic champion. O'Donovan will get a second chance to make the final through the repechages.

 The pair of Mark O’Donovan and Shane O’Driscoll took fourth in their heat, while a four with the three O’Donovans and O’Driscoll also conserved energy for Wednesday’s repechages. The double of Paul and Gary O’Donovan took part in a race for lanes and took fifth.

 It was another good day for UCD’s Max Murphy, who is competing for Waikato. He was part of the club’s senior four which won their heat and progressed directly to the final. In the pair, Murphy placed third in a heat.

 Kevin Neville of NUIG, competing for Wairau, qualified for the senior double semi-finals. Neville and Eamon Power, also of NUIG and rowing for Wairau, are set for repechages in the senior and club singles respectively.

New Zealand Rowing Championships, Lake Karapiro, Day One (Irish interest)

Men

Four – Premier (First to Final; rest to repechage)– Heat Two: 4 Skibbereen (S O’Driscoll, M O’Donovan, P O’Donovan, G O’Donovan) 7:05.67.  

Senior (First to Final; rest to repechage) - Heat Two: 1 Waikato (3 M Murphy) 6:25.58.

Pair – Premier (First to Final; rest to repechage): Heat Two: Skibbereen (S O’Driscoll, M O’Donovan) 7:24.79.

Senior (First to Final; rest to repechage) – Heat Two: 3 Waikato (M Murphy, T Bedford) 7:11.58.

Sculling,

Double – Premier (All go to Final): 5 Skibbereen (P O’Donovan, G O’Donovan) 7:20.97.

Senior – (First Four to Semi-Finals: rest to Repechages) – Heat Three: 3 Wairau (2 K Neville) 6:50.56.

Single – Premier (First to A Final; rest to repechage) – Heat One: 4 Skibbereen (G O’Donovan) 7:45. 8. Heat Two: 3 Skibbereen (P O’Donovan) 7:20.17.

Senior (First to Final; rest to repechage) – Heat One: 3 Wairau (K Neville) 7:53.53.

Club – Heat One (First two to Semi-Final; rest to repechage) – Heat One: 3 Wairau (E Power) 8:00.75.

Published in Rowing

UCD Team Ireland finished fifth overall in the Student Yachting World Cup in France today. The Dublin team was disappointed that the last day of racing had to be cancelled due to lack of wind, but are very happy with their overall result.

The event in general provided spectators with some very exciting racing. While the Scottish team pulled ahead early in the competition, in the end it was Team Japan who won the SYWOC title.

Sywoc photo 3 The Dublin team was disappointed that the last day of racing had to be cancelled due to lack of wind

With a number of top three finished throughout the week, Team Ireland certainly were in contention for a podium finish, but unfortunately it was not to be.

The young team, skippered by Jack Higgins, will be setting their sights for the Irish Student Yachting Nations in April to qualify again for next year.

Published in Youth Sailing
Page 4 of 15

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