It goes without aying that we are all filled with admiration for those heroes who risk their lives so we may live ours. Our minds do not have to go far back to remember those who have died in the service of rescue on this side of the country.
Every night as we settle down, an army of people are on watch, at the readiness to be called into action. In this category, I include all members of the rescue and emergency services whose job it is to save lives, but whose bravery goes beyond this, as they risk life and limb in the fulfilment of their goals.
Because of this, it is probably not possible to ever do too much to raise funds for the sustenance of these services, and this week, the west of Ireland, and Galway in particular played a role in the reception of a new boat funded by a legacy, but also carrying thousands of names in a unique way of raising much-needed funds for the RNLI.
Last weekend, Clifden got a new RNLI lifeboat, the St Christopher, but this is one with a difference, because emblazoned on its side are the names of 10,000 people, each of whom pledged, or had pledged on their behalf or in their memory, a minimum of £30, donated to the RNLI.
The lifeboat itself was funded through a legacy from the south-east of England and will be officially named in a ceremony to be held at a later date.
It arrived on Saturday afternoon in a flotilla made up of Achill Island lifeboat, Clifden’s inshore lifeboat and the station’s relief Shannon class lifeboat, along with a group of local vessels. Friends, families and supporters lined the quayside to get a glimpse of the new €2.4 million search and rescue asset which arrived bathed in sunshine.
People who had pledged travelled west, some from overseas to see the boat arrive on its maiden journey and to touch the name of their loved one, preserved forever in the smoothness of the vessel.
And so when the St Christopher takes to the seas in the pursuance of its duy; to save lives, to bring hope, to give relief to those who enjoy the sea and work in these, it will do so with the spirits of thousands of of people whose name are on its side.
I hope that the feeling that the crew will have is that they are being accompanied into battle with the forces of nature as they face the raging waters off our coast.
Well done to those who supported it and who will serve on it. You ahve all done us here on the west coast a duty for which we are grateful. I hope that the spirits of those whose names adorn it will help the St Christopher to a successful outcome on every journey it makes.
