Sailor ‘died doing what he loved best’

Tributes were paid to a 66-year-old sailor "who died doing what he loved best", at his funeral in Schull, West Cork yesterday. Douglas Perrin died after his boat capsized at the mouth of Schull Harbour last Wednesday. His body was recovered by rescue services the following morning.

Accomplished at sea, Mr Perrin was described by his brother Geoffrey as a fully-qualified, careful sailor who didn’t take risks. “I’m quite sure his last thoughts were for his crew; that they were safe,” Geoffrey Perrin told mourners, including Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork Paul Colton at Holy Trinity Church.

Mr Perrin thanked services that assisted in the rescue of the two survivors of the boating accident, who swam 100m to shore at Castle Island following the accident. He thanked the naval service, the Coast Guard, the RNLI, Schull Inshore Rescue Service and gardaí.