#RNLI - Fethard RNLI have received a major boost for their inshore lifeboat appeal after receiving a €12,000 donation from local business Loftus Hall.
Ahead of the RNLI Waves Festival at the end of the month, Aidan and Shane Quigley from Loftus Hall presented Fethard RNLI with the significant contribution towards their special appeal, which was launched earlier this year to raise €65,000 for a new D class inshore lifeboat for the station.
The current lifeboat, Trade Winds, has been operational for almost 10 years, launching 119 times to rescue 85 people in that time, and is due for retirement in 2017.
Aidan Quigley, proprietor of Loftus Hall, said: ‘We are delighted to support such a worthy cause. The RNLI plays such a vital role in the lives of those who live by, work on and visit our coasts. The lifeboat service is kept going by the generosity, dedication and commitment of volunteers, who give selflessly of their time and skills.
"This donation will hopefully ensure the provision of a new D class lifeboat in Fethard to operate in the area over the coming years. Not only is it reassuring to know that many more lives will be saved, but also that the volunteer crew who work tirelessly in saving those lives will be kept safe on their way to a rescue."
Rebecca Doyle, Fethard RNLI lifeboat press officer, added that she and her fellow lifeboat volunteers are "overwhelmed by the support from Loftus Hall with their donation of €12,000 towards our appeal and also by providing us with the astounding and historic location for one of our main fundraising events to be held at the end of the month."
Tickets for the RNLI Waves Festival on Sunday 28 August are available from www.wavesfestival.ie.