Local school groups, community associations, supporters of the charity and many donors have made the new boathouse at Lough Ree RNLI one of the emerging visitor attractions in the Midlands with last month been one of the busiest periods to date.
More than 200 people visited the station for the Lough Ree RNLI Open Day on Saturday 10 June. It was an event that proved particularly successful with visitors delighted to have the opportunity to walk through the new facility and get a close-up look at the charity’s lifeboat, the Tara Scougall.
Volunteer crew were on hand to give the guided tours with face-painting a great hit for younger visitors and the RNLI Shop a great attraction for adults.
A guest from St Hilda’s Special School in Athlone enjoying a boat trip during Lough Ree RNLI’s joint initiative with Lough Ree Access for All on Friday 16 June
In a special collaboration with Lough Ree Access for All, volunteers hosted a wonderful group from St Hilda’s Special School in Athlone on Friday 16 June. The day-long event allowed the visitors to experience the Lough Ree RNLI facility followed by a trip on the access boat which had come south from Lanesboro for the occasion.
Paul Kelly, Lough Ree RNLI station visits officer said: “It is always great to welcome the public to the station. They get to see the environment where we train and operate and RNLI volunteers are delighted to have the opportunity to share life saving tips and advice with our guests.”
Organised group visits will begin again in the autumn and interested parties should make contact on the Lough Ree RNLI website or Facebook page.
Already this summer, many day trippers to Coosan Point have had the opportunity to visit when volunteers were at the lifeboat station. Among those were Hugh Hanlon and Kevin Power from Arklow, Co Wicklow — members of the aptly named ‘Iron Butt Association’, a community of long-distance motorcyclists.
Lough Ree RNLI operations manager Kevin Ganly
The association hosts the annual Wolfhound Rally which this year has asks members to photograph themselves and their bikes outside 15 named lifeboat stations between May and September. The lads left Lough Ree heading for Achill Island.
On the water things, remain busy for Lough Ree RNLI with volunteers responding to 22 call-outs in the first half of the year.
Kevin Ganly, Lough Ree RNLI operations manager encourages everyone using the lake and river this summer to ‘“prepare before taking to the water, ensure that everyone has a floatation device and in the event of an emergency call 112 or 999 and ask for the coastguard.”
