‘Never Fear, Baggy’s Here’: Lifeboat named after RNLI benefactor Sally

By Sean O’Riordan

A special ceremony will take place tomorrow when a new inshore lifeboat will be named after a woman who was a generous benefactor to the RNLI right up to her death last year.

The naming ceremony will take place in Kinsale in honour of a woman known to the local crew as “The Godmother”.

The lifeboat was funded by Sally Anne Odell, who has been a close friend of the station and a generous benefactor until her death last year at the age of 81.

She was affectionately known to her friends as “Baggy” and the lifeboat will be named Miss Sally Anne Baggy II — Never Fear, Baggy’s Here during a ceremony at the Kinsale lifeboat station at 2pm. The Atlantic 85 lifeboat will be accepted on behalf of the station by James Grennan and named by Valerie Good, chairperson of the fundraising team who will be representing the late donor.

The lifeboat replaces the Miss Sally Anne Baggy, which has been retired after 15 years of service.

It was involved in countless high-profile incidents including the rescue 30 young people from the training ship Astrid in 2013 and plucking three fishermen from treacherous seas as their trawler, Sean Anthony, sank in 2016.

Speaking ahead of the naming ceremony, Kevin Gould, Kinsale RNLI Lifeboat operations manager said it will be a very special occasion for the lifeboat station although it is tinged with sadness as Ms Odell is no longer with them.

He said: “We want to give her lifeboat the naming ceremony befitting its status. Sally Anne was a lifelong supporter of the RNLI and was affectionately known to the crew as ‘The Godmother’. She will always be remembered by our community and we will forever be grateful for her care and affection. She funded the original Kinsale lifeboat and part of the station, and kept in close contact with the crew throughout the years.

The Atlantic 85 is a B-class inshore lifeboat designed to operate in shallower water. It is one the fastest lifeboats in the fleet with a top speed of 35 knots. Inshore lifeboats like the Atlantic 85 are ideal for rescues close to shore or cliffs, among rocks, or even in caves.

They can handle challenging open sea too and operate in a force seven in daylight and at night up to force six winds.

The RNLI charity’s volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around Britain and Ireland where it operates 230 lifeboat stations.

It has more than 100 lifeguard units on beaches. Since founded in 1824 its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved more than 137,000 lives.