Spirit of volunteerism gives hope as search continues

FARMERS, the self-employed, nurses who’ve just finished a night shift, retired and off-duty gardaí are all to be found in the midst of the search for the missing fishermen at Glandore Bay.

Some of the people who are combing the coves around the bay have never been involved in such a tragedy before, but for many, this dedication to the spirit of volunteerism is apparent year-round. Mallow Search and Rescue, Dundalk Search and Rescue, Irish Coast Guard volunteers from Goleen, Toe Head, Castlefreke, Seven Heads, the Old Head of Kinsale, Oysterhaven and Summercove were all milling around the pier at Union Hall.

Richard Hurley, a farmer from Toe Head, is one of the coastguard volunteers who found 40-year-old Abdo Mohamad on Sunday. He got a call from the coastguard at 6.45am and was in the boat in about 20 minutes.