Over 300 children were given a day to remember yesterday when a rescue helicopter landed at their school. Four children who attend Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin were given a special guided tour of the aircraft.
Over 160 pupils at Goggin's Hill National School in Co Cork were joined by over 150 children from two other schools in the parish, Ballyheada and Ballygarvan, as well as children from the Church of Ireland Primary School in Kinsale and Turners Cross Boys Primary School for the visit of the Royal Naval Air Squadron Sea King rescue helicopter.
The schoolchildren had collected €2 each and they presented a cheque for €1,000 to the children's hospital.
The donations were part of a fundraising weekend which will include a concert by the McElhinney twins of You're a Star fame and their band, Jumelle, at Ballinhassig Community Hall tonight.
But the highlight of the day was the visit of the RNAS Sea King and its 10-strong crew from the 771 Naval Air Squadron, based at RNAS Coldrose in Cornwall. The crew are frequently involved in long-range search and rescue missions off the Irish coast.
Goggin's Hill National School principal, Ms Sheila O'Sullivan, said: "The children were all excited for the past few days, looking forward to the helicopter landing at their school and they weren't disappointed. They all had a great day - the Royal Naval Air Squadron, the Garda, the fire service and the ambulance service all helped make it a day to remember for the children."
Gardaí and emergency staff from the Southern Health Board Ambulance Service, as well as firefighters from Cork City Fire Brigade, also visited the school and spoke to the pupils about safety and emergency procedures.
The crew of the RNAS Sea King - who are participating in sea safety weekend in Kinsale - later paid a courtesy visit to the children's unit at Cork University Hospital where they were introduced to some of the patients.