Two boatmen from the Claddagh were among three Galway men to receive awards from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) for their role in a successful rescue from the River Corrib.
The incident occurred last April when a man fell into the water at O'Brien's Bridge and was carried downstream by the current. A local man, Mr Kevin McDonnell jumped in, swam to reach him and held his head above water for 30 minutes until help arrived.
Two young men from the Claddagh, Patrick Oliver and Mike Mackey, witnessed the incident from their open fibreglass boat. By rowing, paddling, anchoring and motoring, they managed to reach the two in the water which was fast flowing but rocky at low tide. At this stage, the victim was unconscious and Mr McDonnell was beginning to suffer from exhaustion and hypothermia.
The Claddagh boatmen pulled them aboard and all four drifted downstream towards the Galway inshore lifeboat, which was unable to approach upriver due to the tide. First aid was administered by the lifeboat crew, and the boat was towed to Galway docks where an ambulance was waiting. The two who had been in the water made a full recovery.
Framed letters of thanks from the RNLI were presented to the three by Mr Owen Medland, deputy divisional officer of the RNLI. Since first going on station in 1996, Galway lifeboat has been launched over 125 times and has saved 51 lives in Galway Bay.
Tides, weather, charts, navigation, marine radio and sea survival are some of the subjects covered by Bow Waves, the only Galway-based maritime training organisation, which has just started its programme of winter courses.
These include a yachtmaster course in navigation and an introduction to navigation course. This latter course is aimed at second-level students, and runs over 12 hours at a cost of £45.
The venue is the Galway Bay Hotel in Salthill. For bookings, call (091) 591481. The e-mail address is info@bowwaves.com