McAleese revisits Cork city fire station

IT was a case yesterday of Cork city’s Central Fire Station revisited for President Mary McAleese.

“It’s not the first time I was here,” announced the President, jokingly disclosing she almost ended up in casualty on her last visit to the Anglesea Street station.

As a programmer maker for RTÉ over 25 years ago, she accompanied firefighters on an emergency call-out.

“I remember the day well. There was a fire extinguisher behind me in the fire tender and as we drove out of the station, it hit me a clip on the head. I thought I would have ended up in casualty,” she said.

On a more serious note, President McAleese extended the Cork community’s heartfelt thanks to the city’s fire department for generations of excellent service.

Underlining her admiration and respect for the country’s fire crews, both men and women, the president said: “It seems to be one of the services we take so much for granted but to which we owe so much.”

She said it took a disaster as devastating as New York’s September 11 to make people realise, globally, the daily grind and life-threatening risks facing firefighters.

“Firemen and woman do their job so quietly, humbly and to such a high level of excellence,” she said.

The President visited the station at the invitation of the Chief Fire Officer John Ryan in recognition of the department’s 125 years-plus service to the city.

She was presented with a bouquet of flowers on arrival by firefighter Irene Wallace of the station’s Amber Watch while the fire chief made a presentation of Cork Crystal on behalf of the staff and crews.

President McAleese admitted to having a “soft spot” for firefighters having being born and reared almost next door to a Belfast fire station.

Former chief fire officer Cathal Garvey, she said, headed Anglesea Street when she put together an RTÉ programme on the station, shortly after it opened in the mid-’70s.

“I had the privilege then to join the Cork city fire service on an emergency call-out. It was a great insight into the service, the onerous and the extraordinary work firefighters undertake,” she said.

Under the Fire Training and Development Officer Noel Casey, several crews performed demonstrations. Joined by her husband Martin, the president inspected the fire service’s new river rescue boat and stretcher service and saw how firefighters deal with a line rescue from heights, road traffic and chemical accidents.

Assistant chief fire officer Seamus Coughlan, the second and third officers, Denis Mulcahy and Michael O’Flynn, respectively, were also in attendance along with Cork city manager Joe Gavin.

The president’s busy schedule of engagements also included a visit to the Cork lesbians’ group, L Inc, at White Street, the Brother Jerome Kelly Day Care Centre in Sheares Street and the Mayfield Employment Action Project at Old Youghal Road.