The year just ended was a significant one for Lough Ree RNLI both on and off the water, 2022 witnessing the opening of the charity’s ‘state of the art’ lifeboat station, while on the water the volunteer crew responded to 47 call outs during the year.
Launching in all types of weather, in daylight and darkness, the crew assisted 153 people in 2022 on board 45 boats. In two cases assistance was given to members of the public who encountered difficulties in the waters of Lough Ree.
“The good news is that all of the calls to assistance had a positive outcome with all members of the public and the volunteer crews coming home safely.’ He concluded that: ‘the charity is entirely dependant on the public to support the operation on Lough Ree,” Lough Ree RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Kevin Ganly, said.
Lough Ree RNLI welcomed 16 new volunteers in the past year and now has almost 50 people giving their time and skills to the charity’s operation at Coosan Point.
With 19 volunteers on the boat crew the cost of equipment and training is a significant annual expense. While the initial cost of the charity’s lifeboat ‘Tara Scougall’ was €339k, to keep the boat in service for its lifetime will incur a total cost of €797k. The cost of kitting out a crew member is €4,167 while annual training for each volunteer on the crew is €1,667.
“The charity is most grateful to the members of the public who made donations and organised fund-raising events for Lough Ree RNLI in 2022 especially the €100k raised locally for the new lifeboat station. The continued support of the community around the lake, visitors to the midlands and annual donors to the RNLI in 2023 remained critical to the provision of the lifesaving service,” Lough Ree RNLI Treasurer, Vincent Rafter, added.
Meanwhile, this evening, Thursday, January 5, Lough Ree RNLI hosts a fund-raising table quiz in The Bounty at Buccaneers RFC, Athlone at 7.30pm. Tables of four cost €40 and the charity looks forward to welcoming back friends and supporters after the hiatus caused by the pandemic.
