‘Lifeboat baby’ and mother welcome ship

The delivery of a hi-tech lifeboat to Baltimore will give an enormous sense of security and reassurance to island and coastal communities, a mother and her “lifeboat baby” daughter said.

Cecilia Uí Dhrisceoil and her daughter Niamh were among hundreds of people who lined Baltimore pier yesterday to welcome the new €3m lifeboat, named Alan Massey, to its new home.

Cecilia, who has lived on Cape Clear for almost 40 years, was pregnant with Niamh when she went into labour early on St Stephen’s Day, 1985.