Higgins hails ‘heroic’ search for trawler crew

A village that held fast to the spirit of its seafaring traditions welcomed President Michael D Higgins yesterday to commemorate the crew of the Tit Bonhomme.

The “unmercifully cruel” conditions in which the 21m trawler foundered on the morning of Jan 15 were recalled, but the overwhelming grief and shock of that and subsequent days on Union Hall pier were replaced yesterday with gratitude.

“We all know only too well the dark cloud that descended on the harbour that morning but the silver lining was to be found in the exemplary response of so many people in so many ways,” search coordinator Bill Deasy said.