Volunteers with Carrybridge RNLI were delighted to receive a generous donation of £1,100 (€1,320) from Jimmy Martin on Thursday evening (7 November).
The money was raised at a recently held 70th birthday and retirement party by family and friends following the tragic drowning of Jimmy’s youngest brother Francis this summer.
Francis was lost when cray fishing in Dungarvan, Co Waterford in August, and so it was decided to change the party to a fundraising event for the RNLI, who along with the Naval Service and Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopter worked tirelessly to retrieve his body and bring comfort to the family.
A further donation was made of €420 was made to Helvick Head RNLI.
Francis was the son of Henry and Kathleen Martin of Enniskillen. After completing his education in St Joseph’s College and Enniskillen Technical College, he joined the Northern Ireland civil service in February 1980. Initially he was based in Green Mount College and then attended the University of Jordanstown part time before moving to Belfast.
His working life was mainly in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) but for his last few years before retirement he was with the NI Department of Infrastructure. Francis retired after 44 years in February of this year.
Renowned in the local Enniskillen fishing fraternity, as well as among his civil service friends, Francis was an enthusiastic and avid fisherman who loved Ireland’s lakes, rivers, wildlife and nature and travelled near and far pursuing his lifelong hobby.
Stephen Scott, lifeboat operations manager at Carrybridge RNLI said: “We sincerely sympathise with the Martin family on the loss of Francis. The funds raised in Francis memory are vital to the continuing work of the Carrybridge RNLI on Lough Erne.
“It was a pleasure to have Jimmy visit us at the station and meet some of our crew and get a look at the equipment and facilities that fundraising like this provides to our volunteers.”
