A tribute to the seamen who lost their lives in the Honeydew IIand the Pere Charlesin January is to take place next month during a cross channel fundraiser for the families of the fishermen who perished in the trawler tragedies.
Fleets of vessels are due to take part in the Kinsale to Wales Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIB) Run from Kinsale to Aberystwyth on April 26th next. RNLI members are planning to lay wreaths at sea during the 400 mile round trip in memory of Kinsale-based Honeydew IIskipper Ger Bohan and his crewman Tomasz Jagla, and Pere Charlesfishermen Pat Hennessy, Tom Hennessy, Pat Coady, Billy O'Connor and Andriy Dyrin. All seven men were lost at sea in two separate incidents on January 10th/11th last.
Organisers are hoping to raise €75,000 from the fourth annual Kinsale to Wales round trip with all monies collected being donated to the South Coast Trawler Tragedies Fund.
The event is being sponsored by Property Partners, Excalibur RIBS of Carrigaline and the Kinsale and District Lions Club. Donations can be made by e-mailing ribrun@eircom.net.
Fund-raising events for the families have already taken place, with several more to come.
Vintage car owners raised €12,000 earlier this month for the families when they took part in a 166km run from Kinsale to Dunmore East. At the finish of the route in Dunmore East prayers of remembrance for the lost fishermen were held and a wreath was also laid.
The event was organised by the Kinsale Vintage and Classic Motor Club.
Meanwhile, the life of Ger Bohan, skipper of the Honeydew IIwho was lost at sea with his Polish crew member Tomasz Jagla, was celebrated at a ceremony in Kinsale on February 10th last. The occasion was particularly poignant as it marked Mr Bohan's 39th birthday.
The Mass concluded with a rendition of the lifeboat song, Home from the Sea, by Michael Hurley and members of the Courtmacsherry lifeboat crew.