Lough Ree RNLI called to assist 11 people over the last week

Lough Ree RNLI volunteers were on the water to assist four boats in difficulty over the last seven days.

Just before 4pm on Sunday, June 2, Lough Ree RNLI was requested by the Irish Coast Guard to go to the assistance of a cruiser which was taking on water at Quaker Island, off the Longford shore.

In very good weather conditions the lifeboat launched under volunteer helm Kieran Sloyan and volunteer crew Liam Sheringham, Stewart McMickan and Amy O'Connor.

On reaching the scene at the northern end of the lake at 4.35pm the crew examined the stricken vessel and, in the interests of safety, it was decided to take the boat under tow to a boatyard in Laneboro.

While on this call-out, the RNLI Lifeboat crew was advised of another craft with four people on board stranded north on Beam Island at the southern end of Lough Ree.

Last Friday afternoon, meanwhile, the vounteer-run service was called to assist two people on board a boat which had run aground on Green Island.

Under volunteer helm Kieran Sloyan the volunteer crew of Ruth Costello, her brother Billy Henshaw Jnr and Patrick Walsh, the RNLI launched at 2.35pm and reached the scene 15 minutes later to find both people on board safe and well.

Following an inspection of the boat and an assessment of the scene, the boat was safely recovered from the rocks and continued under its own power.

Earlier last week, on Tuesday, May 28, Lough Ree RNLI assisted two people on board a cruiser which had run aground at Fat Island. Volunteer helm Liam Sheringham, along with fellow crew Patrick Walsh and Billy Henshaw Jnr, decided to evacuate the boat, take the two casualties on board the lifeboat ‘Tara Scougall’ and transfer them to the lifeboat station at Coosan Point.

An interesting aspect of the weekend call-outs was that two new female crew, Ruth Costello and Amy O'Connor, both were on their first 'shouts' as crew members.

Lough Ree RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager Kevin Ganly said: "It is brilliant to see new crew members, especially women, taking their place on the lifeboat and making such an important contribution to our community. We look forward to having many more join them in the next 12 months".