Volunteers line up to man service for tragedy-hit area

More than 100 people have volunteered to help man an inshore lifeboat service which is being sought by a coastal community touched by tragedy.

Almost 200 people attended a public meeting in Union Hall in West Cork on Monday to discuss the preparation of a detailed submission to the RNLI seeking the establishment of an inshore lifeboat service to serve the area.

Many of those who attended were involved in the mammoth search and recovery operation triggered by the Tit Bonhomme trawler tragedy just over 15 months ago. Five crew members died when the vessel went down at the mouth of Glandore Bay.

Monday’s meeting saw 54 people pledge their support to serve as RNLI crew members for the proposed service. A total of 34 people said they would help oversee and manage the backroom operations, while a further 80 people offered to help fundraising efforts for the RNLI.

The steering committee set up to spearhead the lifeboat submission received overwhelming support from the community.

Paddy O’Donovan, who is chairing the committee, said he hoped the document would be ready for submission to the RNLI within a week or so. It is expected that it will be considered by the RNLI executive at a meeting in Poole, England, in April.

Two previous attempts to secure an inshore lifeboat service in Glandore Bay have been unsuccessful.