Volunteer lifeboat crew on the Aran Islands have marked a key training milestone, with two members successfully completing a Tier 1 assessment.
Leah Ní Shearcaigh and Billy Gillan passed the assessment aboard the Severn class lifeboat David Kirkaldy. They were evaluated during an exercise by Coastal Lifeboat Trainer Sean Ginnelly.
The assessment covered core skills including anchoring, rope handling and local knowledge. It confirms their readiness for frontline lifeboat operations.
Following the exercise, Ní Shearcaigh was presented with a commendation at the station by Lifeboat Operations Manager Avril Ní Shearcaigh.
The award recognised her role in a challenging 2024 callout to the Cliffs of Moher. The operation lasted six hours and involved the recovery of a casualty in difficult conditions.
Speaking after the presentation, Avril Ní Shearcaigh said she was “delighted” with both crew members’ progress.
“They have put in a lot of time and effort into their training,” she said.
She added that the commendation reflected “exceptional resilience, professionalism and teamwork” shown during the callout by Ní Shearcaigh and fellow volunteers.
