All-weather lifeboat to operate in Clifden

VITAL ASSET The all-weather lifeboat ‘Pride and Spirit’ will be on trial for 12 months in Clifden.

All-weather lifeboat goes operational for trial period at Clifden RNLI


Michael Duffy

An all-weather lifeboat has officially been put on service and become a declared search and rescue asset for a trial period at Clifden RNLI in county Galway.
The all-weather lifeboat ‘Pride and Spirit’ has come from the existing RNLI fleet and will be on trial for 12 months operating in conjunction with an existing inshore lifeboat service at the station. Following the trial the RNLI will make a decision on establishing a permanent all-weather lifeboat service.
A decision was made back in April 2012 by the charity’s trustees following a recommendation of its Operations Committee, that the volunteer crew at Clifden would take delivery of a carriage launched Mersey class lifeboat. It followed an in-depth review of lifeboat cover in the area.
Since the announcement, there has been an intensive period of preparation for the volunteer lifeboat crew, which has included months of training at Clifden and visits to the RNLI College in Poole.
There are currently four coxswains, four mechanics, four navigators and 16 all-weather lifeboat crew trained and ready to respond to call outs aboard the Pride and Spirit.

Proud
John Brittain, Clifden RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager is proud of the additional lifeboat service at the station. He said: “This is a great day for everyone involved with Clifden RNLI. The new lifeboat will allow us to provide lifesaving cover in all weathers up to 100 miles off the Connemara coast. We have received great support and encouragement from everyone involved with the RNLI at both Swords and Poole. To see this group of volunteers coming together and training with the all-weather lifeboat and now going on service is a proud day for us all.”
Last year, Clifden RNLI launched eight times bringing seven people to safety. Of those launches, two services were in the dark. In all, some 82 service hours were spent at sea.
A lifeboat station was established in Clifden in early 1988 and the station currently operates two inshore lifeboats.