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Displaying items by tag: World Championships,

# ROWING: The Ireland senior men’s crews at the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria will finish their programmes competing in C and D Finals.

Lightweight single sculler Niall Kenny finished a safe second in his C/D semi-final, but the lightweight pair finished third of three in theirs and with the last crew being consigned to the D Final, this will be how they finish their regatta.

Paul O’Donovan won his C/D Semi-Final of the junior single scull. The Skibbereen man, who came within a tenth of a second of qualifying for the A/B Semi-Finals earlier in the day, was an emphatic winner from Peter Purcell Gilpin of Zimbabwe.

In the women’s junior single, Kate O’Brien finished fifth in her C/D Semi-Final. She tracked the leaders down the course in fourth for most of the race but was pushed into fifth near the end.

World Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day Three (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Pair – C/D Semi-Finals (First Two to C Final, One to D Final; Only Three Crews Competed): 1 Russia 6:54.46, 2 Japan 6:57.50; 3 Ireland (M O’Donovan, A English) 7:00.77.

Junior Pair – Repechage Four (First Two to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:53.11, 2 Czech Republic 6:53.55; 3 Spain 6:56.80, 4 Ukraine 7:19.31, 5 Denmark 7:28.63.

Lightweight Single Sculls – C/D Semi-Finals (First Three to C Final; rest to D Final): 1 Germany 7:16.86, 2 Ireland (N Kenny) 7:19.67, 3 Japan 7:20.36.

Junior Single Sculls – Quarter-Final Two (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Azerbaijan 7:08.77, 2 Germany 7:11.13, 3 Belarus 7:12.37; 4 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:12.46, 5 Austria 7:27.00, 6 Denmark 7:34.99. C/D Semi-Finals (First Three to C Final; rest to D Final): 1 Ireland (O’Donovan) 7:25.81, 2 Zimbabwe 7:27.99, 3 United States 7:31.97.

Women

Junior Quadruple Sculls – Semi-Final Two (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 New Zealand 6:40.77, 2 United States 6:42.25, 3 Germany 6:42.46, 4 China 6:43.28, 5 Ireland (K Cromie, H Shinnick, B Jacques, B Walsh) 6:51.54, 6 Greece 6:55.84.

Junior Single Sculls – Quarter Finals (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Romania 8:02.92, 2 Sweden 8:07.68, 3 Poland 8:09.84; 4 Russia 8:13.92, 5 Ireland (K O’Brien) 8:17.69, 6 Tunisia 8:29.53. C/D Semi-Finals (First Three to C Final; rest to D Final): 1 Czech Republic 8:18.03, 2 Brazil 8:21.39, 3 United States 8:24.31, 4 Tunisia 8:27.27, 5 Ireland (O’Brien) 8:29.11, 6 Bulgaria 8:33.57.

Lightweight Single Sculls – A/B Semi-Final Two (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 United States 7:49.85, 2 Austria 7:49.92, 3 Belarus 7:50.25; 4 Italy 7:54.51, 5 China 8:00.95, 6 Ireland (C Lambe) 8:14.64.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING: Claire Lambe’s hopes of qualifying for the A Final of the lightweight single sculls at the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria fell away in the third quarter of her semi-final today. The Dubliner was competitive to halfway, although by this stage it was clear that the United States, Austria and Belarus had a strong hold on the three qualification places, though China’s Wang Miao was still pushing in fourth. Lambe had been holding off Elisabetta Sancassani of Italy in a battle for fifth, but the Italian pushed through her and later passed the Chinese as well. Lambe eventually finished sixth.

The Ireland junior women’s quadruple are also set for tomorrow’s B Final (places seven to 12). At the head of the field in their semi-final New Zealand, the United States and Germany took the A Final places, with China joining Ireland in the B Final after being pushed into fourth. The Ireland crew of Katie Cromie, Hilary Shinnick, Bridget Jacques and Bernadette Walsh won their private battle with Greece for fifth by virtue of a good finish.

World Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day Three (Irish interest)

Men

Junior Pair – Repechage Four (First Two to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:53.11, 2 Czech Republic 6:53.55; 3 Spain 6:56.80, 4 Ukraine 7:19.31, 5 Denmark 7:28.63.

Junior Single Sculls – Quarter-Final Two (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Azerbaijan 7:08.77, 2 Germany 7:11.13, 3 Belarus 7:12.37; 4 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:12.46, 5 Austria 7:27.00, 6 Denmark 7:34.99.

Women

Junior Quadruple Sculls – Semi-Final Two (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 New Zealand 6:40.77, 2 United States 6:42.25, 3 Germany 6:42.46, 4 China 6:43.28, 5 Ireland (K Cromie, H Shinnick, B Jacques, B Walsh) 6:51.54, 6 Greece 6:55.84.

Junior Single Sculls – Quarter Finals (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Romania 8:02.92, 2 Sweden 8:07.68, 3 Poland 8:09.84; 4 Russia 8:13.92, 5 Ireland (K O’Brien) 8:17.69, 6 Tunisia 8:29.53.

Lightweight Single Sculls – A/B Semi-Final Two (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final): 1 United States 7:49.85, 2 Austria 7:49.92, 3 Belarus 7:50.25; 4 Italy 7:54.51, 5 China 8:00.95, 6 Ireland (C Lambe) 8:14.64.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING: Claire Lambe produced a good performance in her repechage of the lightweight single sculls at the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria today. The 22-year-old Dubliner needed to finish in the top two to qualify for the A/B semi-finals in a race which included Fabiana Beltrame of Brazil, the reigning World Champion, and Leonie Pless of Germany, a World Cup silver medallist in Lucerne this year. Lambe moved into second, over three lengths clear of Pless, by 1250 metres and pushed Beltrame over the rest of the race, although the Brazilian – who competed in the Olympics in the lightweight double sculls – did open up a gap by the finish.

Niall Kenny could not make it into the top three of his lightweight single sculls quarter final. His fourth-place finish behind Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia, sends him to the C/D semi-finals.

Mark O’Donovan and Anthony English finished a disappointing fourth and last  in their repechage of the men’s lightweight pair. Two crews qualified for the A/B Semi-finals, and Canada and Italy fought it out for the lead. Ireland were not able to make it into this set, but held third until they were passed coming up to the line by Hong Kong.    

World Senior and Junior Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day Two (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Repechage Three (First Two to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to C/D Semi-Finals): 1 Canada 7:00.48, 2 Italy 7:01.81, 3 Hong Kong 7:06.93, 4 Ireland (M O’Donovan, A English) 7:07.40.

Junior Pair – Heat Three (Winner directly to A/B Semi-Final; rest to repechages): 1 Romania 6:46.98, 2 Germany 6:53.83, 3 Poland 6:58.00, 4 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:59.13, 5 Estonia 7:13.74.

Lightweight Single Scull – Quarter Final Two (First Three to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to C/D Semi-Finals) 1 Italy 7:16.04, 2 Slovakia 7:20.77, 3 Slovenia 7:21.94; 4 Ireland (N Kenny) 7:24.42, 5 Hong Kong 7:32.44, 6 Japan 7:37.21.

Junior Single Scull – Heat Four (First Four to Quarter-Finals): 1 China (Ganggang Li) 7:08,24, 2 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:13.05, 3 Zimbabwe (P Purcell Gilpin) 7:14.77, 4 Estonia (A Luenekund) 7:22.12; 5 Japan 7:27.06.

Women

Junior Quadruple – Repechage One (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C Final): 1 Germany 6:38.45, 2 Italy 6:43.88, 3 Ireland (K Cromie, H Shinnick, B Jacques, B Walsh) 6:46.34; 4 Denmark 6:47.68, 5 Ukraine 7:02.24.

Lightweight Single Scull – Repechage Four (First Two to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C/D Semi-Final): 1 Brazil (F Beltrame) 8:02.62, 2 Ireland (C Lambe) 8:05.35; 3 Germany 8:09.65, 4 Japan 8:10.58, 5 Mexico 8:26.49.

Junior Single Scull – Heat Four (Four Guaranteed Quarter-Finals; fastest of rest to Quarter-Finals; rest to Final E): 1 Belarus (K Staraselets) 7:57.89, 2 Chile (N Sanchez Rojas) 8:09.53, 3 Ireland (K O’Brien) 8:13.90, 4 Ukraine (D Serebrianska) 8:16.83; 5 Uganda 10:14.48.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING: The Ireland junior women’s quadruple of Katie Cromie, Hilary Shinnick, Bridget Jacques and stroke woman Bernadette Walsh showed great character to take third in their repechage and qualify for the semi-finals of the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria today.

Three places were available, and in the early stages it seemed that eventual winners Germany would be joined by Italy and Denmark. Behind them the young Ireland crew were battling with Ukraine for fourth. But by halfway the Irish, roared on by their support, were closing in on Denmark. They passed the Danes in the next 500 metres and fought off their attempts to regain third in the final quarter.

All but Cromie in the Ireland crew are 17 years of age.

World Senior and Junior Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day Two (Irish interest)

Men

Junior Pair – Heat Three (Winner directly to A/B Semi-Final; rest to repechages): 1 Romania 6:46.98, 2 Germany 6:53.83, 3 Poland 6:58.00, 4 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:59.13, 5 Estonia 7:13.74.

Junior Single Scull – Heat Four (First Four to Quarter-Finals): 1 China (G Li) 7:08,24, 2 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:13.05, 3 Zimbabwe (P Purcell Gilpin) 7:14.77, 4 Estonia (A Luenekund) 7:22.12; 5 Japan 7:27.06.

Women

Junior Quadrple – Repechage One (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to C Final): 1 Germany 6:38.45, 2 Italy 6:43.88, 3 Ireland (K Cromie, H Shinnick, B Jacques, B Walsh) 6:46.34; 4 Denmark 6:47.68, 5 Ukraine 7:02.24.

Junior Single Scull – Heat Four (Four Guaranteed Quarter-Finals; fastest of rest to Quarter-Finals; rest to Final E): 1 Belarus (K Staraselets) 7:57.89, 2 Chile (N Sanchez Rojas) 8:09.53, 3 Ireland (K O’Brien) 8:13.90, 4 Ukraine (D Serebrianska) 8:16.83; 5 Uganda 10:14.48.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING: Paul O’Donovan took second in his heat of the junior single sculls to ease into the quarter-finals of the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria. China’s Ganggang Li ran away with the race. Four of the five crews qualified, but the big Chinese sprinted away from the rest and was never caught. O’Donovan came closest, but even the pugnacious Skibbereen man could not wrest the lead from Li Ganggang. Zimbabwe and Estonia took third and fourth, while Japan, in fifth, lost out.

Kate O’Brien will also compete in the quarter-finals of the junior women’s single scull. A good scull in her heat by the St Michael’s athlete saw her take third place behind Belarus and Chile and ahead of Ukraine, with all four qualifying.

World Senior and Junior Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day Two (Irish interest)

Men

Junior Pair – Heat Three (Winner directly to A/B Semi-Final; rest to repechages): 1 Romania 6:46.98, 2 Germany 6:53.83, 3 Poland 6:58.00, 4 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:59.13, 5 Estonia 7:13.74.

Junior Single Scull – Heat Four: 1 China (G Li) 7:08,24, 2 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:13.05, 3 Zimbabwe (P Purcell Gilpin) 7:14.77, 4 Estonia (A Luenekund) 7:22.12; 5 Japan 7:27.06.

Women

Junior Single Scull – Heat Four (Four Guaranteed Quarter-Finals; fastest of rest to Quarter-Finals; rest to Final E): 1 Belarus (K Staraselets) 7:57.89, 2 Chile (N Sanchez Rojas) 8:09.53, 3 Ireland (K O’Brien) 8:13.90, 4 Ukraine (D Serebrianska) 8:16.83; 5 Uganda 10:14.48.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING: Ireland’s Chris Black and Joel Cassells must negotiate a repechage to make the A/B semi-finals of the junior men’s pair at the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria. The Bann crew found themselves in the fastest heat of four this morning and finished fourth. Romania set the pace and won in a quick time of six minutes 46.98 seconds despite the challenge of Germany and Ireland over the first half of the race. Poland took over from Ireland in third in the closing stages and held off a late push by Black and Cassells.  

World Senior and Junior Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day Two (Irish interest)

Men

Junior Pair – Heat Three (Winner directly to A/B Semi-Final; rest to repechages): 1 Romania 6:46.98, 2 Germany 6:53.83, 3 Poland 6:58.00, 4 Ireland (C Black, J Cassells) 6:59.13, 5 Estonia 7:13.74.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING: Niall Kenny claimed third place in his heat of the lightweight single sculls to progress to the quarter-finals of the World Senior and Junior Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria today. The Galway man slotted in behind Hungary and Poland and ahead of Korea to guarantee himself meaningful action tomorrow.

The lightweight men’s pair finished fifth and last in a fascinating heat. Just one crew moved directly into the semi-finals. Germany looked like that crew until the final 500 metres, when they folded under pressure from the United States, who won, and Denmark, who took second.

Claire Lambe was in an extremely difficult heat of the lightweight single sculls. Alexandra Tsiavou of Greece was fresh from claiming bronze at the Olympic Games in the lightweight double scull – and proved fresh in competition as well, giving no encouragement to ther opposition as she grabbed hold of the one direct qualification place for the semi-finals. Lambe could not shift out of fifth and will compete in a repechage tomorrow.  

World Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day One (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Pair – Heat Three (Winner directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechages): 1 United States 6:49.02, 2 Denmark 6:49.61, 3 Germany 6:53.94, 4 Serbia 6:59.78, 5 Ireland (M O’Donovan, A English) 7:02.51.

Lightweight Single Scull – Heat Four (First Three and fastest losers to Quarter-Finals): 1 Hungary (P Galambos) 7:14.16, 2 Poland (B Lesniak) 7:15.33, 3 Ireland (N Kenny) 7:24.91; 4 Korea 7:31.27.

Women

Lightweight Single Scull – Heat Three: (Winner directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to repechages): 1 Greece (A Tsiavou) 7:49.89; 2 Belarus 7:52.99, 3 United States 7:54.22, 4 Australia 7:58.28, 5 Ireland (C Lambe) 8:06.07, 6 Kuwait 9:34.72

Junior Quadruple Scull – Heat Two (First Two to Semi-Final A/B, rest to repechage): 1 Romania 6:36.54, 2 New Zealand 6:39.41; 5 Ireland 7:00.39.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING: Ireland began their campaign in the World Senior and Junior Rowing Championships today at Plovdiv in Bulgaria. The senior programme is for non-Olympic events. The Ireland team has been boosted by the inclusion of Claire Lambe in the lightweight single scull.  The first Ireland crew in action was the junior women’s quadruple, which finished fifth and must compete in a repechage tomorrow. The were not helped by catching a crab (missing a stroke) in the middle of the race.

World Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Day One (Irish interest)

Women

Junior Quadruple Scull – Heat Two (First Two to Semi-Final A/B, rest to repechage): 1 Romania 6:36.54, 2 New Zealand 6:39.41; 5 Ireland 7:00.39.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING: Ireland will field just two senior crews at next week’s World Senior and Junior Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria. The lightweight men’s pair of Mark O’Donovan and Anthony English will be joined by lightweight single sculler Niall Kenny. The senior events are for crews in non-Olympic events.

The four junior crews representing Ireland will be a women’s quadruple scull, the men’s pair of Chris Black and Joel Cassells and single scullers Paul O’Donovan and Kate O’Brien.

Competition at the Championships begins on Wednesday and runs through to Sunday.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING; Four Ireland crews have been chosen to represent Ireland at junior level at the World Senior and Junior Championships in Plovdiv in Bulgaria in August. The men's single of Paul O'Donovan and the pair of Joel Cassells and Chris Black will be joined by Kate O'Brien in the junior women's single and a junior women's quadruple. The teams for the Coupe de la Jeunesse and the Home Internationals have also been picked. 

JUNIOR TEAMS
JUNIOR WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS – PLOVDIV, BULGARIA
JM1X Paul O’Donovan (Skibbereen RC)
Coach: Teddy O’Donovan
JW 1x Kate O’Brien (St.Michael’s RC)
Coach : HP Team
JM2‐ Joel Cassells (Bann RC)
Chris Black (Bann RC)
Coach: Seamus Reynolds
JW4X‐ Bridget Jacques (Belfast Boat Club)
Hilary Shinnick (Fermoy RC)
Katie Cromie (Portora BC)
Bernadette Walsh (Skibbereen RC )
Coaches: Derek Holland , Nathan Adams
Team Manager: Martin McElroy
Lead Coach : Derek Holland
Details regarding the Junior World Rowing Championships can be found at
http://www.worldrowing.com/events/2012‐world‐rowing‐senior‐and‐juniorchampionships
COUPE DE LA JEUNESSE – BANYOLES, SPAIN
JM4‐ Henry Millar (Portora BC)
Lloyd Seaman (Portora BC)
Finnion Tolan (St. Joseph’s RC)
James Egan (St. Joseph’s RC)
Coaches: Derek Holland , David Ewart
JM2X Andrew Griffin (Neptune RC)
David Quinlan (Castleconnell BC)
Coaches: John Holland
JM4X Aodhan Burns (Skibbereen RC)
John Mitchell (Lee RC)
Jack Casey (Shandon BC)
Paddy Hegarty (Skibbereen RC)
Coaches: John Holland , Teddy O’Donovan
JW4x Aileen Crowley (Muckross RC)
Lucie Litvack (Belfast Boat Club)
Sarah Allen (Bann RC)
Sarah Higgins (Cork BC)
Coach: Nathan Adams
JW2‐ Brooke Edgar (Bann RC)
Aoife Cooper (Muckross RC)
Coach: Seamus Reynolds
Team Manager: Clare Cox
Lead Coach: Derek Holland
Details regarding the Coupe de la Jeunesse can be found at
http://www.cebanyoles.cat/en‐us/competicio/rem2012/inici.aspx
http://www.couperowing.org/
HOME COUNTRIES REGATTA
JM4‐ / JM 8+ William Yeomans (Commercial RC)
Colm O’Riada (Commercial RC)
Gary Thornton (Portora BC)
Chris Alcorn (Bann RC)
JM4+/ JM8+ Eric McEvoy (St.Josephs RC)
Aiden Kinneen (St.Josephs RC)
Kevin Keohane (Presentation College)
Niall Crowley (Presentation College)
JM2‐ Shane Walsh (Galway RC)
Alan Murtagh (Galway RC)
Colm Connelly – Cox (St. Joseph’s RC)
Coaches: John Walsh, Jamie Bradley
JM4X‐ Matthew Ryan (Skibbereen RC)
Andy Harrington (Shandon RC)
Daniel Buckley (Lee RC)
Paudie Leonard (Skibbereen RC)
Coach : David O’Donovan
JM2X Andrew Bell (Colaiste Iognaid)
Patrick Boomer (Methodist College )
JM1X David O’Malley (St.Michaels’s RC)
Coach: James Boomer
JW4‐ / JW8+ Ruth Gilligan (Shannon RC)
Lauren McHugh (Shannon RC)
Ruth Cummins (Galway RC)
Kellie Wade (Galway RC)
JW4+ / JW8+ Hanna McCarthy (St.Michael’s RC)
Hanna O’Sullivan (St.Michael’s RC)
Emily Hutchinson (Bann RC)
Fiona Murtagh (Galway RC)
JW2‐ Kara O’Connor (Muckross RC)
Jasmine English (Methodist College)
Affric O’Regan Cox (Galway RC)
Coach: Iain Cumiskey, Michael O’Callaghan
JW 4x Leonie Hamel (Cork BC)
Megan McLaughlin (Cork BC)
Rosin Merz (Shandon RC)
Laura Coleman (Shandon BC)
Coach: David O’Donovan
JW 2x Kathrine Cremin (Muckross RC)
Sadbh Cassidy (Neptune RC)
JW 1x Ella Ciallis (Skibbereen RC)
Coach: Cathal Moynihan
Team manager: Lisa O’Callaghan
Published in Rowing
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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