Anton McNultyTHE dedicated service of the volunteers of the Achill Island Coastguard Unit received official recognition during the week when they were awarded a National Courage Award for their part in a rescue of an angler from the sea during the summer.
The award ceremony took place last Wednesday in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dublin when the Achill Coast Guard beat off over 50 other nominees to win the coveted prize, which was won last year by the Irish Defence Forces for their UN peace-keeping service. The awards are organised by the Irish Security Industry Association and were presented by the Garda Commissioner, Fachtna Murphy.
The unit was nominated for the award for their part in the rescue of an English tourist, Patrick Williamson who slipped into the Atlantic while fishing off the rocks on the north side of Achill on August 22 last. He was swept 300 yards out to sea by the current before being rescued by the Coast Guard lifeboat after nearly 90 minutes in the water. He was airlifted to Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar by the Coast Guard helicopter.
Patrick lost a stone and a half while in the water and spent five days in Intensive Care after suffering from hypothermia. He nominated the Achill Coast Guard for the award saying that without the swift response of the volunteers he would not have survived.
“I have no doubt whatever that without the quick response of the Achill Coast Guard team combined with the work of the helicopter crew, I would not have survived,” he said.
Twelve members of the unit travelled from Achill for the awards ceremony and Ray Hughes, Officer in Charge of the Achill Station and Noreen Sweeney, Deputy Officer in Charge accepted the award on behalf of the Unit.
Speaking after picking up the award, Noreen told The Mayo News that the rescue involved a land and sea effort by the Coast Guard and the Achill RNLI lifeboat was also called out. She explained that the Coast Guard helicopter could not see Patrick in the water from the air and they had to rely on the Coast Guard team on the land and water to direct them to him. She said they were delighted to receive the prize but were even more delighted to feel appreciated by the public for the work they do.
“We are absolutely thrilled, shocked and delighted to be given this award when you consider that last year’s winners were the Defence Force. We didn’t except to be nominated and we are grateful to the survivor, Patrick Williamson and others for nominating us. You don’t realise how important your work is to other people until they tell you and it was nice to hear what they said about us. We train in all sorts of weather to be ready for callouts and are available 24/7, 365 days a year to down whatever we are doing and to go where we are needed,” she said.
Local councillor Micheál McNamara congratulated the Achill Coast Guard on receiving the award and said it was recognition of all the good work they and the other emergency services do for the community.
“It is fantastic award for the Achill Coast Guard to get and is recognition for all the good work the Coast Guard do nationally and locally in Achill. They are all volunteers and I have seen at first hand in another rescue the commitment they put into their work. Along with the other emergency services, it is only when they are needed that you realise how dedicated and professional they are. I hope with this award they will go from strength to strength and they will be able to get facilities to upgrade,” he said.
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