Displaying items by tag: death
Death of Rower Ailish Sheehan
#Rowing: Ailish Sheehan, the Limerick rower who was badly injured in a fall on Sunday after the World University Rowing Championships in Poznan, has died. BUCS, the British university and colleges sports organization, said in a statement:
British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) is deeply saddened to report the death of Ailish Sheehan on 9th September 2016.
Ailish, a postgraduate student at Goldsmiths, University of London representing the University of London Boat Club, was involved in an accident after the culmination of the 2016 FISU World University Championships for Rowing in Poznan, Poland on Sunday evening, 4th September. Ailish had been competing in the Women’s Four (W4) at the Championships, where she won a bronze medal.
BUCS, British Rowing and Rowing Ireland are providing support to her family during this difficult time and ask for their privacy to be respected.
On behalf of everyone at BUCS, I wish to extend our condolences to the family and friends of Ailish and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
Diver Death Off East Anglian Coast
#Diving - The Guardian reports that British police are investigating the death of a diver off the coast of East Anglia yesterday (30 August).
The deceased was one of two divers from a group of seven who got into difficulty off Lowestoft in Suffolk during a recreational diving trip.
The other diver was taken to hospital but police said he was likely to be discharged.
A police spokesperson added that the dead man is not thought to be local, and that the authorities are trying to trace his next of kin.
The death is currently being treated as unexplained until a portmortem can take place.
The 13 Deadliest Shipwrecks in History
#TITANIC - Irreverent tech website Gizmodo has marked the 100th annversary of the sinking of the Titanic with a list of the 13 deadliest shipwrecks in history.
The list runs the gamut from well over a century ago, in the early days of passenger shipping - see the SS Sultana, a tragedy overshadowed by the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the end of the American Civl War - to more recent events.
Included are such as sad tales as that of the Empress of Ireland, the worst disaster in Canadian maritime history in which more than 1,000 died, and much closer to home the Lusitania, which went down off Kinsale in May 1915 after a torpedo attack.
But the worst was arguably suffered by the passengers of the steamship SS Kiangya - which blew up 50 miles north of Shanghai in December 1948, taking as many as 3,920 lives - and the horror that befell the MV Doña Paz in the Philippines in December 1987, where estimates put the death toll at an unbelievable 4,000.
Gizmodo has more on the story HERE.
Corrib Anglers Donate to Rescue Boat
#ANGLING - Days after the tragic death of an angler on Lough Corrib, as previously reported on Afloat.ie, the Collinamuck Angling Club will donate €5 from every entry in the upcoming open wet fly competition on 22 April to the Corrib Mask rescue boat.
"The important work that is carried out by the volunteers of the Corrib Mask rescue boat is sometimes forgotted by us anglers," the club's Lionel Flanagan told the Galway Advertiser at the launch of this year's contest.
"We hope this small token will help the Corrib Mask rescue boat continue to provide this vital resource to Connacht anglers and visitors alike.”
Probe into Death of Seaman at Waterford Port
An investigation has been launched into the death of a seaman in Waterford Port yesterday.
The Irish Independent reports that the 51-year-old sailor from the Philippines fell more than five metres after being struck by machinery.
He had been tying down a load on the cargo ship MV Scot Pioneer when the incident occurred around lunchtime yesterday. He later died from his injuries.
The Health and Safety Authority and gardaí went to the scene, and RTÉ News reports that a post-mortem was set to take place yesterday afternoon.
The Port of Waterford Company also issued a statement extending its sympathies to the man's family and colleagues.
Kitesurfer Killed in France
A kitesurfer has been overwhelmed by the force of the wind while he was kitesurfing and been killed in France. He crashed into a nine-storey building and then went over it. The journal.ie has more on the accident. See over the fold.
About Currachs
A currach is a type of boat unique to the west coasts of Ireland and Scotland. Traditionally, currachs have a wooden frame over which animal skins or hides are stretched. These days, the wooden frame is more likely to be covered in canvas, which is then painted with tar to make it waterproof.
"Naomhóg" is the name given to the type of currach which used by coastal communities in Cork and Kerry. Currachs differ from each other from region to region. Naomhógs are slightly longer than the currachs used in the West of Ireland.
Some believe that currachs first came to the Dingle Peninsula in the early 19th century. They say this type of boat was introduced from Clare, where currachs are known as "canoes".
Currachs are a unique type of boat that can be found on the west coasts of Ireland and Scotland. These boats are traditionally constructed using a wooden frame over which animal skins or hides are stretched. While this practice is still observed by some, many modern currachs now feature a canvas covering which is painted with tar to make it waterproof.
In coastal communities located in the Cork and Kerry regions, a specific type of currach is used which is known as a Naomhóg. Naomhógs are slightly longer than other types of currachs used in the West of Ireland. It is believed that currachs were first introduced to the Dingle Peninsula in the early 19th century, having been brought over from Clare where they are known as "canoes".
Despite the fact that currachs have been in use for centuries, the different regions in which they are used have developed their own unique variations. As such, currachs can differ from one another significantly depending on their geographic location. Nonetheless, these boats remain an integral part of coastal communities, serving as a reminder of our shared maritime heritage.