Displaying items by tag: Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

9th July 2023

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Offshore Fleet’s Checkmate XX Checks Out With Overall Win

In many ways, the competition on the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta offshore race series was the most interesting of all even with only three races, as the limited number of contests was more than offset by the variety in size and type of boats racing. And in the end with today's (Sunday’s) final three-hours-plus race, Nigel Biggs and Dave Cullen of Howth with the hefty First 50 Checkmate XX took it overall by clinching Race 3 by just 21 seconds from Jonathan Anderson’s J/122 El Gran Senor, which in turn was just 41 seconds ahead of Andrew Hall’s J/125 Jackknife which then was a mere 31 seconds ahead of the Pwllheli/Royal Dee J/109 Mojito (Vicky Cox & Peter Dunlop).

The J/109 Mojito (Vicky Cox & Peter Dunlop) Photo: Michael Chester

Overall, Checkmate XX has it in 6 points to the 8 of El Gran Senor, and the 10 of Mojito, which tied with John O’Gorman’s Sunfast 3600 Hot Cookie (NYC), but took the place using “The System”. Secret systems or not, the Offshore Class gave some of the best racing of all.

Jonathan Anderson’s J/122 El Gran Senor with Nobert Reilly's new J111 Ghost Raider following with red kite Photo: Michael Chester

In Saturday's 30-mile offshore race J125 Jackknife leads the Grand Soleil 44 Samatom back into Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

The final 2023 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta coastal race started in a rain squall in Scotsman's Bay and headed out from Sandycove Point (below) on a 22-mile course

Published in DL Regatta: Coastal

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9th July 2023

Royal Irish's Rockabill VI Has Closure On Class 0 Title at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2023

The final two-race day of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2023 went through with increasing speed as slowly brightening skies were matched by a steadily rising southerly - a sou’easter to seaward of the harbour, but distinct overtones of a sou’wester up the bay.

Paul O’Higgins’ JPK 10.80 Rockabill (RIYC) and a the VDLR Prizegiving below. Skipper Paul O'Higgins is pictured standing second from right with cap Photo: Michael Chester

Cruiser 0 was one of the classes to take it right to the wire for the final contests, but by winning the first of today's (Sunday’s) two races by 46 seconds from closest contender Pete Smyth with the Sunfast 36000 Searcher (NYC), Paul O’Higgins’ JPK 10.80 Rockabill (RIYC) could live with a discarded third in the final race, when Brian Dixon’s Corby 36 Gelert from Pwllheli was first across the line ahead of Searcher.

Pete Smyth with the Sunfast 36000 Searcher (NYC) Photo: Michael Chester

The Smyth boat corrected into the race lead with Gelert up in lights in second, but with Rockabill keeping strategic tabs in that dumped third, it was already settled.

Final points were Rockabill VI on 8, Searcher (NYC) on 10, Patrick Burke’s First 40 Prima Forte (RIYC) third on 23, and Johnny Treanor’s J112eGP ValenTina (NYC) fourth on 24.

Johnny Treanor’s J112eGP ValenTina Photo: Michael Chester

Published in DL Regatta: Cr 0

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Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

9th July 2023

Royal Cork's Swuzzlebubble Has It Almost Entirely Her Own Way In Cruisers 2 of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

The ultra-veteran Farr Classic Half-Tonner Swuzzlebubble from Crosshaven (James Dwyer, Royal Cork YC) had the turbo boost of Olympian and World Dragon Champion Andy Beadsworth in the cockpit to help continue a string of firsts into the final day of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta in IRC 2, and a points total of only 9 – less than half that of the scoring by the second-placed Lambay Rules. This was Stephen Quinn’s J/97 from Howth on 19, with clubmate and sister-ship Jeneral Lee (Colin Kavanagh) on third at 23.

Brendan Foley (RStGYC)with his First Class 8 ALLIG8TR Photo: Michael Chester

Local honour was maintained by Brendan Foley (RStGYC), taking fourth on 25 points with his First Class 8 ALLIG8TR, which confused those who read the “8” as a “B”, but then that’s Show Business.

Published in DL Regatta: Cr 2

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Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

8th July 2023

J109 Mojito Sparkles Offshore at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

With thirty offshore miles to race and the finishers ranging in size from 30ft to 50ft, it was no surprise that the finish times between the Dun Laoghaire pierheads for the Offshore Class were spread over an hour in Saturday's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta race.

Line honours were taken by the First 50 Checkmate XX (Nigel Biggs & Dave Cullen, HYC) in race two of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Offshore class Photo: Michael Chester

Line honours were taken by the First 50 Checkmate XX (Nigel Biggs & Dave Cullen, HYC) close ahead of clubmate Robert Rendell's Grand Soleil 44 Samatom, but when the numbers were crunched, it was that hyper-keen J/109 Mojito (Vicky Cox & Peter Dunlop, Pwllheli SC) which emerged in front as to the manner born, and they did it by more than three minutes ahead of Checkmate.

Robert Rendell's Grand Soleil 44 Samatom (left) and Andrew Hall's J124 Jacckknife approach the pier head finish at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Photo: Michael Chester

John O'Gorman's Sunfast 3600 Hot Cookie (National YC) continued to have a good regatta with a third, and with one race to sail, she jointly leads overall level on 6 points with Checkmate, which shimmies in ahead on countback.

James Tyrrell's J112E Aquelina (left) and John O'Gorman's Sunfast 3200 Hot Cookie (red spinnaker leave Dalkey Island behind them as they approach the finish of the second race in the offshore class of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Photo: Afloat

Mojito has leapt into third OA on 6, but overnight leader El Gran Senor from Scotland (Jonathan Anderson, RIYC) found that today's fifth was not enough to keep her above fourth OA (again on countback), but with the tied leaders on 4 points and the fourth-placed on 6, there's all to race for on Sunday in an impressive turnout of 24 boats

Overnight VDLR offshore leader El Gran Senor from Scotland (Jonathan Anderson, RIYC) Photo: Michael Chester

The 22 mile course for the final race on Sunday is: Start at Omega, Muglins (S), Bray (P), Killiney (P), Bray (P), North Burford (P) and S90 (S) and Finish at Dun Laoghaire's pier heads.

Published in Volvo Regatta

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9th July 2023

Cruisers 1 Cools Down After Red-Hot Racing at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2023

With its formidable lineup of J/109s inter-mingled with the RC35 group, this IRC 1 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta class was Hotstown-plus. Yet the John Minnis team with the super-souped A35 Final Call II (RUYC) emerged out of sight ahead, on just 10 points to the 20 of second-placed J/99 Snapshot (Mike & Richie Evans, Howth).

The John Minnis team in the super-souped A35 Final Call II (RUYC) above and below at the VDLR prizegiving (Skipper John Minnis is standing second from right) Photo: Afloat

The John Minnis team in the super-souped A35 Final Call II (RUYC) above and below at the VDLR prizegiving

This suggests a total on-water dominance by the Gareth Flannigan-helmed Minnis boat, but some of the final race placings were very close, yet usually Final Call ended up on the right side of all the number crunching.

The J/99 Snapshot (Mike & Richie Evans, Howth) finished second in IRC One of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2023 Photo: Michael Chester

First of the J/109s is the Goodbody family’s White Mischief on 22pts, followed by sister ships Joker 2 (John Maybury, RIYC) on 25.5, and Blast on Chimaera (Barry Cunningham, RIYC) scoring 34.

The Goodbody family’s J109 White Mischief

Published in Volvo Regatta

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9th July 2023

Royal Irish's Bád/Kilcullen Crew are SB20 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Champions

Finishing on nine points overall, Jerry Dowling's Bád/Kilcullen from the Royal Irish Yacht Club kept a margin of two points after Sunday's seventh race to take the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta crown in the 12-boat SB20 fleet.

Colin Galavan added a final race win to his two wins scored on Saturday afternoon to finish on 11 points in second place overall.

James Gorman from the National Yacht Club took third with 25 points.

The SB20s made great speeds on the downwind legs under asymmetric spinnakers in the strong wind 2023 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Photo: Michael Chester

There was praise for the organisers of Ireland's largest sailing event, who managed racing for a fleet of 400 boats on three of the four days of the regatta despite being in the full grip of the northern jetstream. Winds from a southerly quadrant blew hard again on Sunday to bring a blustery ninth edition of the biennial event to a successful close at lunchtime.

Below is footage from Thursday's first day of the regatta showing Colin Galavan's second overall 'Carpe Diem', 'sending it' before nearly all racing was cancelled due to the gale force winds.

Published in Volvo Regatta

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9th July 2023

Single Point Victory for Rush's Fox in ILCA 6 Battle at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

After three days of hectic racing, Rush Sailing Club's Tom Fox won by a single point in the ILCA 6 class of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta on Sunday, beating Afloat's pre-regatta tip of Darren Griffin as the Malahide sailor was top three at the Masters' Nationals in the last two years.

Fox got off to a great start with two race wins on Friday, but Griffin countered with wins in races five, six and seven on Sunday in the 17-boat fleet.

Racing took place on the relatively more sheltered Salthill course on Dublin Bay but there were severe gusts off the Blackrock shore.

Only a point separated the pair by Sunday's closing race eight, with Fox on 18 and Griffin 19.

Hugh Delap, who heads to the Master European Championships in September, took third.

The 2023 regatta, the ninth edition of Ireland's largest regatta, concluded on Sunday with final races for most classes and a great festival of sailing across the waterfront and Dun Laoghaire town as four sailing clubs come together for the biennial event; Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club and National Yacht Club.

Published in Volvo Regatta

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8th July 2023

Penultimate Day of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Brings Leaderboard Changes at Ireland’s Biggest Sailing Event

Perfect summer sailing conditions on Dublin Bay brought changes to the leaderboard in several classes on the penultimate day of Ireland's biggest sailing regatta, the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta on Saturday.

One contender for tomorrow's (Sunday) top prize of the 'Volvo Boat of the Regatta Trophy' is the Royal Ulster yacht 'Final Call II', which held on to her overnight lead this afternoon. After six races sailed, John Minnis's A35 stayed on top of IRC One.

A promising 15-knot southwesterly wind got racing for all 400 boats in 22 classes off to a solid start this morning after a one-hour postponement. The gusty offshore breeze held all day to keep the ambitious programme of more than 290 races on target for tomorrow's final rounds.

One or Two races tomorrow will decide the Class One title as well as 34 other class prizes and the overall regatta winner to boot, a result that can still come from several key classes.

Canny offshore exponents Nigel Biggs and Dave Cullen of Howth in the Beneteau 50 Checkmate XX have taken the overall lead in the offshore class. John O'Gorman's Sunfast 3200 Hot Cookie and the Welsh ISORA champion Mojito co-skippered by Vicky Cox and Peter Dunlop, share the same five points in second and third place, respectively, going into tomorrow's final offshore race.

Paul O'Higgins's Rockabill VI from the Royal Irish Yacht Club maintains the overall lead of the nine-boat Class Zero fleet and has a three-point cushion over the Sunfast 3600, Searcher skippered by Pete Smyth of the National Yacht Club.

Likewise, in class 2 IRC, overnight leader Dave Dwyer's Half-Tonner Checkmate XX continues to lead and is now nine points clear at the top of the 17-boat fleet. Howth's Lambay Rules (Stephen Quinn) is second, with Colin Kavanagh's sistership Jeneral Lee in third place.

The top of IRC three is the battle of the Quarter Tonners as Ian Southworth's Protis leads from Martin Mahon's Snoopy from Courtown Sailing Club.

In selected results from the one-design classes, only three points after seven races separate clubmates Jerry Dowling from Colin Galavan in the SB20 class

North Dublin GP14 pair Alan Blay and Hugh McNally have a three-point advantage over defending champions Ger Owens and Mel Morris of the Royal St. George Yacht Club in the 25–boat fleet racing for Leinster Championship honours.

The 2023 regatta concludes tomorrow (Sunday) with two final races for most classes and a great festival of sailing across the waterfront and Dun Laoghaire town as four sailing clubs come together for the biennial event; Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club and National Yacht Club.

Results are provisional and subject to protest.

Published in Volvo Regatta

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Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

8th July 2023

Masterson's Curraglas is Shipman Leader at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

John Masterson's Curraglas of the National Yacht Club leads the Shipman 28 class of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta after six races sailed on Dublin Bay.

The Masterson family count six results in the top three of the seven-boat fleet, including three race wins to be a comfortable six points ahead of John Clarke's Jo-Slim.

Lying third is RStGYC's Viking (Fergus Mason and Colm Duggan).

Racing was postponed for one hour on the penultimate day to allow strong winds to abate, a decision that proved correct as Dublin Bay yielded perfect summer sailing conditions in the afternoon.

The breeze was south-westerly at 15 knots, with some strong gusts and big wind shifts off the Blackrock shoreline to make for some exciting racing.

The 2023 regatta, the ninth edition of Ireland's largest regatta, concludes on Sunday with two final races for most classes and a great festival of sailing across the waterfront and Dun Laoghaire town as four sailing clubs come together for the biennial event; Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club and National Yacht Club.

Published in Volvo Regatta

Tagged under

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

8th July 2023

Bád/Kilcullen Crew Keep the Advantage in the SB20 Class of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

Despite Jerry Dowling's Bád/Kilcullen having four race wins from seven races sailed, the Royal Irish crew can't quite shake off the opposition in the 12-boat SB20 fleet of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

Colin Galavan used his recent World Championship exposure in the Netherlands last month by taking two Saturday afternoon wins to ruin his clubmates' perfect score and close the gap to three points with two races left to sail on Sunday.

Moving up into third place is James Gorman from the National Yacht Club.

Racing was postponed for one hour on the penultimate day to allow strong winds to abate, a decision that proved correct as Dublin Bay yielded perfect summer sailing conditions in the afternoon.

The breeze was south-westerly at 15 knots, with some strong gusts and big wind shifts off the Blackrock shoreline to make for some exciting racing.

Published in Volvo Regatta

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Page 2 of 17

The Irish Coast Guard

The Irish Coast Guard is Ireland's fourth 'Blue Light' service (along with An Garda Síochána, the Ambulance Service and the Fire Service). It provides a nationwide maritime emergency organisation as well as a variety of services to shipping and other government agencies.

The purpose of the Irish Coast Guard is to promote safety and security standards, and by doing so, prevent as far as possible, the loss of life at sea, and on inland waters, mountains and caves, and to provide effective emergency response services and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The Irish Coast Guard has responsibility for Ireland's system of marine communications, surveillance and emergency management in Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and certain inland waterways.

It is responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue and counter-pollution and ship casualty operations. It also has responsibility for vessel traffic monitoring.

Operations in respect of maritime security, illegal drug trafficking, illegal migration and fisheries enforcement are co-ordinated by other bodies within the Irish Government.

On average, each year, the Irish Coast Guard is expected to:

handle 3,000 marine emergencies

assist 4,500 people and save about 200 lives

task Coast Guard helicopters on missions

The Coast Guard has been around in some form in Ireland since 1908.

Coast Guard helicopters

The Irish Coast Guard has contracted five medium-lift Sikorsky Search and Rescue helicopters deployed at bases in Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo.

The helicopters are designated wheels up from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours and 45 minutes at night. One aircraft is fitted and its crew trained for under slung cargo operations up to 3000kgs and is available on short notice based at Waterford.

These aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains of Ireland (32 counties).

They can also be used for assistance in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and aerial surveillance during daylight hours, lifting and passenger operations and other operations as authorised by the Coast Guard within appropriate regulations.

Irish Coastguard FAQs

What is The Irish Coast Guard?

The Irish Coast Guard provides nationwide maritime emergency response, while also promoting safety and security standards. It aims to prevent the loss of life at sea, on inland waters, on mountains and in caves; and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

What is its main role of the Irish Coast Guard?

The main role of the Irish Coast Guard is to rescue people from danger at sea or on land, to organise immediate medical transport and to assist boats and ships within the country's jurisdiction. It has three marine rescue centres in Dublin, Malin Head, Co Donegal, and Valentia Island, Co Kerry. The Dublin National Maritime Operations centre provides marine search and rescue responses and coordinates the response to marine casualty incidents with the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Is the Irish Coast Guard service 24/7?

Yes, effectively, it is the fourth "blue light" service. The Marine Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) Valentia is the contact point for the coastal area between Ballycotton, Co Cork and Clifden, Co Galway. At the same time, the MRSC Malin Head covers the area between Clifden and Lough Foyle. Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Dublin covers Carlingford Lough, Co Louth to Ballycotton, Co Cork. Each MRCC/MRSC also broadcasts maritime safety information on VHF and MF radio, including navigational and gale warnings, shipping forecasts, local inshore forecasts, strong wind warnings and small craft warnings.

How many emergencies does the Irish Coast respond to each year?

The Irish Coast Guard handles about 3,000 marine emergencies annually, and assists 4,500 people - saving an estimated 200 lives, according to the Department of Transport. In 2016, Irish Coast Guard helicopters completed 1,000 missions in a single year for the first time.

Does it also handle medical emergencies?

Yes, Irish Coast Guard helicopters evacuate medical patients from offshore islands to hospital on average about 100 times a year. In September 2017, the Department of Health announced that search and rescue pilots who work 24-hour duties would not be expected to perform any inter-hospital patient transfers. The Air Corps flies the Emergency Aeromedical Service, established in 2012 and using an AW139 twin-engine helicopter. Known by its call sign "Air Corps 112", it airlifted its 3,000th patient in autumn 2020.

Is the Irish Coast Guard an all-island body?

The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is responsible for the Northern Irish coast.

How much does the Irish Coast Guard cost?

The Irish Coast Guard is a State-funded service, with both paid management personnel and volunteers, and is under the auspices of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. It is allocated approximately 74 million euro annually in funding, some 85 per cent of which pays for a helicopter contract that costs 60 million euro annually. The overall funding figure is "variable", an Oireachtas committee was told in 2019. Other significant expenditure items include volunteer training exercises, equipment, maintenance, renewal, and information technology.

What resources does the Irish Coast Guard have?

The Irish Coast Guard has four search and rescue helicopter bases at Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo, run on a contract worth 50 million euro annually with an additional 10 million euro in costs by CHC Ireland. It provides five medium-lift Sikorsky S-92 helicopters and trained crew. The 44 Irish Coast Guard coastal units with 1,000 volunteers are classed as onshore search units, with 23 of the 44 units having rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and 17 units having cliff rescue capability. The Irish Coast Guard has 60 buildings in total around the coast, and units have search vehicles fitted with blue lights, all-terrain vehicles or quads, first aid equipment, generators and area lighting, search equipment, marine radios, pyrotechnics and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Community Rescue Boats Ireland also provide lifeboats and crews to assist in search and rescue. The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the Garda Siochána, National Ambulance Service, Naval Service and Air Corps, Civil Defence, while fishing vessels, ships and other craft at sea offer assistance in search operations.

How quickly can Irish Coast Guard assets respond?

The helicopters are designated as airborne from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours, and 45 minutes at night. The aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, on inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains and cover the 32 counties. They can also assist in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and can transport offshore firefighters and ambulance teams. The Irish Coast Guard volunteers units are expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time of departing from the station house in ten minutes from notification during daylight and 20 minutes at night. They are also expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time to the scene of the incident in less than 60 minutes from notification by day and 75 minutes at night, subject to geographical limitations.

How are Irish Coast Guard units managed?

Units are managed by an officer-in-charge (three stripes on the uniform) and a deputy officer in charge (two stripes). Each team is trained in search skills, first aid, setting up helicopter landing sites and a range of maritime skills, while certain units are also trained in cliff rescue.

Are Irish Coast Guard volunteers paid?

Volunteers receive an allowance for time spent on exercises and call-outs. What is the difference between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI? The RNLI is a registered charity which has been saving lives at sea since 1824, and runs a 24/7 volunteer lifeboat service around the British and Irish coasts. It is a declared asset of the British Maritime and Coast Guard Agency and the Irish Coast Guard. Community Rescue Boats Ireland is a community rescue network of volunteers under the auspices of Water Safety Ireland.

Does the Irish Coast Guard charge for rescue?

No, it does not charge for rescue and nor do the RNLI or Community Rescue Boats Ireland.

What communications systems do the Irish Coast Guard use?

The marine rescue centres maintain 19 VHF voice and DSC radio sites around the Irish coastline and a digital paging system. There are two VHF repeater test sites, four MF radio sites and two NAVTEX transmitter sites. Does Ireland have a national search and rescue plan? The first national search and rescue plan was published in July, 2019. It establishes the national framework for the overall development, deployment and improvement of search and rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region and to meet domestic and international commitments. The purpose of the national search and rescue plan is to promote a planned and nationally coordinated search and rescue response to persons in distress at sea, in the air or on land.

Is the Irish Coast Guard responsible for pollution response?

Yes, the Irish Coast Guard is responsible for responding to spills of oil and other hazardous substances with the Irish pollution responsibility zone, along with providing an effective response to marine casualties and monitoring or intervening in marine salvage operations. It provides and maintains a 24-hour marine pollution notification at the three marine rescue centres. It coordinates exercises and tests of national and local pollution response plans.

What is the Irish Coast Guard's safety record?

The first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to die on duty was Caitriona Lucas, a highly trained member of the Doolin Coast Guard unit, while assisting in a search for a missing man by the Kilkee unit in September 2016. Six months later, four Irish Coast Guard helicopter crew – Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith -died when their Sikorsky S-92 struck Blackrock island off the Mayo coast on March 14, 2017. The Dublin-based Rescue 116 crew were providing "top cover" or communications for a medical emergency off the west coast and had been approaching Blacksod to refuel. Up until the five fatalities, the Irish Coast Guard recorded that more than a million "man hours" had been spent on more than 30,000 rescue missions since 1991.

What was the Government response to the Coast Guard fatalities?

Several investigations were initiated into each incident. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board was critical of the Irish Coast Guard in its final report into the death of Caitriona Lucas, while a separate Health and Safety Authority investigation has been completed, but not published. The Air Accident Investigation Unit final report into the Rescue 116 helicopter crash has not yet been published.

When was The Irish Coast Guard formed?

The Irish Coast Guard in its present form dates back to 1991, when the Irish Marine Emergency Service was formed after a campaign initiated by Dr Joan McGinley to improve air/sea rescue services on the west Irish coast. Before Irish independence, the British Admiralty was responsible for a Coast Guard (formerly the Water Guard or Preventative Boat Service) dating back to 1809. The West Coast Search and Rescue Action Committee was initiated with a public meeting in Killybegs, Co Donegal, in 1988 and the group was so effective that a Government report was commissioned, which recommended setting up a new division of the Department of the Marine to run the Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC), then based at Shannon, along with the existing coast radio service, and coast and cliff rescue. A medium-range helicopter base was established at Shannon within two years. Initially, the base was served by the Air Corps.

Who was The Irish Coast Guard's first director?

The first director of what was then IMES was Capt Liam Kirwan, who had spent 20 years at sea and latterly worked with the Marine Survey Office. Capt Kirwan transformed a poorly funded voluntary coast and cliff rescue service into a trained network of cliff and sea rescue units – largely voluntary, but with paid management. The MRCC was relocated from Shannon to an IMES headquarters at the then Department of the Marine (now Department of Transport) in Leeson Lane, Dublin. The coast radio stations at Valentia, Co Kerry, and Malin Head, Co Donegal, became marine rescue-sub-centres.

Who is The Irish Coast Guard's current director?

The current director is Chris Reynolds, who has been in place since August 2007 and was formerly with the Naval Service. He has been seconded to the head of mission with the EUCAP Somalia - which has a mandate to enhance Somalia's maritime civilian law enforcement capacity – since January 2019.