Remembrance garden for lost at sea unveiled

A memorial garden dedicated to people lost at sea has been unveiled in Union Hall as the West Cork fishing village prepares to welcome President Michael D Higgins for a commemoration service on Sunday.

A 300-year-old, 18ft, anchor salvaged off the coast locally forms the centrepiece of the memorial garden, set to feature more than 80 names including the five fisherman lost in the Jan 15 sinking of the Tit Bonhomme in Glandore Harbour.

Family and friends of the crewmen of Tit Bonhomme are to gather on the pier for the commemorative service.

President Higgins is expected to thank those involved in the extensive 27-day air, sea and land search to recover skipper Michael Hayes, 52, Kevin Kershaw, 21, 35-year-old Wael Mohamed, Attaia Shaban, 26, and 22-year-old Saied Ali Eldin.

Rescue services, including Coastguard, Civil Defence, fishermen and trawler crews, navy and volunteer divers and members of the local community who coordinated the mission will gather on the pier ahead of the President’s arrival at 11am.

The memorial, situated on the causeway at the entrance to Union Hall, was completed by local volunteers and features the centuries-old anchor resting against a granite wall on which the names of those lost at sea will be engraved.

“It was initially earmarked as a garden project before Christmas by the local Tidy Towns but when the tragedy happened in January, it was put on hold.

“Because of what happened it was decided we would place a memorial garden there and dedicate it to those lost at sea,” Willie O’Donovan, committee spokesman said.

The anchor, recovered by Aodh O’Donnell who assisted in the search for the crew of the Tit Bonhomme, was salvaged off the coast, south of Myross graveyard.

The work carried out on the garden far exceeded the expectations of the committee who have collected more than 80 names of loved ones lost at sea from the parish, stretching back to 1875 when seven people died in a fishing tragedy at Prison Cove.

“It is something that will be there long after we are gone,” Mr O’Donovan said.

Fundraising to pay for the memorial garden, due to officially open in six weeks’ time, is continuing.

Sunday’s commemoration will feature a multi-faith service offering Catholic, Church of Ireland and Muslim prayers that became a nightly ritual during the 27-day search for the crew of the Tit Bonhomme.

The President is expected to offer words of comfort to the grieving families and to offer a short prayer at the memorial garden.