Special Mass to mark first anniversary of Tit Bonhomme tragedy
Relatives of the drowned fishermen will gather in St Bridget’s Church in Union Hall, Co Cork, on Tuesday for an evening of prayer and remembrance.
Bishop of Cork and Ross, Most Rev Dr John Buckley, is expected to attend.
The Mass, which will be attended by the families and friends of the drowned crewmen, will feature special prayers for the relatives of the Egyptian crewmen who died.
Five men died when the Tit Bonhomme trawler went down in heavy seas at the mouth of Glandore Harbour in the early hours of Jan 15 last year.
The accident sparked one of the largest and most concentrated search and recovery operations in the history of the State.
The combined efforts of several state and voluntary agencies resulted in the recovery of three bodies — those of Kevin Kershaw, Wael Mahamed, and Attaia Shaban — within days of the sinking.
But the search for skipper Michael Hayes and the remaining Egyptian crewman, Saied Ali Eldin, continued for 26 days until their remains were recovered.
The relatives and searchers were supported throughout the recovery operation by a massive community effort, which President Michael D Higgins hailed as “heroic”.
“This is a very intense month,” said Fr Pierce Cormac, who has been supporting all the relatives.
“Those weeks last January and February saw heartbreaking scenes on the pier every day.
“But the support of people, their concern, empathy, kindness, and hospitality, in the bleakest of conditions, was truly inspirational.
“It is a very difficult time for the families but it is also a difficult time for the community, and the families are aware of that.
“There will be grief next week but it will be nice for the families to come together to remember.”
Fr Cormac said everyone is welcome to attend the Mass.
“The families will be forever grateful to the people of Union Hall... and to all in the statutory services and volunteer groups who helped in so many ways to bring their loved ones back to shore,” he said
“It was heartening to see people of all faiths and none united in a way that could only restore one’s belief3 in the goodness of humanity.”
Fr Cormac said the Mass will also remember those who have been lost on land or at sea, but who have never been found.
The people of Union Hall won a ‘Person of the Year’ award last year and dedicated it to families who are still waiting for loved ones to come home.
