Displaying items by tag: Bundoran

31st August 2010

Bundoran RNLI Pushes the Boat Out

This Saturday (4 September 2010) Bundoran RNLI lifeboat crew will literally be pushing the boat out to raise funds for the life saving charity. They will be holding a boat push from Ballyshannon to Bundoran in Donegal and want people to turn out and cheer them on during their 9.5km push.

The boat push will start on Donegal Road in Ballyshannon at noon and members of the lifeboat crew will have buckets with them on the route for people to make a donation.

The fundraising drive comes as Bundoran RNLI recently received a new state of the art Atlantic 85 lifeboat. The new lifeboat can carry a fourth crewmember and has more room for casualties. It can also reach speeds of up to 35 knots in responding to an emergency.

Commenting on the fundraiser, lifeboat press officer Colm Hamrogue said, "The lifeboat crew wanted to do something a bit different to raise funds for the station. Many people have done a bed push but not too many people have done a boat push, which makes sense for a lifeboat station. Our volunteer crew count on the generous support of the public to ensure that the RNLI can continue to provide all year search and rescue coverage and we hope to get lots of support on Saturday."

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat Has a Busy Day with Two Callouts.

Bundoran RNLI lifeboat was called out twice yesterday (Tuesday, 27 July) to two individual callouts in Bundoran, Co. Donegal. The first call out was to three children off the main beach in Bundoran. Two of the children had been taken to shore by local beach lifeguards and the lifeboat brought the third child to shore safety. The three children received first aid and oxygen and then were taken to Sligo General Hospital by ambulance. They were three children from the one family on holiday in Bundoran from Co. Down.

The second callout was to two adults in their mid twenties who were walking on the famous “Rougey Walk” and stepped off the walk, on to the rocks at the Fairy Bridges and with the large swell in the waves, the two persons got into difficulties with their dog. The lifeboat crew assisted the two persons to get back to safe ground on the shore.

Commenting after the callouts, Colm Hamrogue, Press Officer, Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat said, “Thankfully everyone was rescued safely today. It is very important to be fully aware of your surrounding when enjoying sea for the rest of the summer. When you are on the shore and you see something you are not sure of, please do not hesitating in calling the RNLI Lifeboat on 112. It is better to be safe than sorry as we want everyone to have a safe and happy summer.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour