A Connemara community which witnessed the loss of four fishermen last September has united to raise €250,000 for a lifeboat station in the area.
Villagers in Carna, Co Galway, were involved in the extensive search for the four crew of the St Oliver, which hit rocks at Oileán Lachan, off the Muighinis coast, on September 17th. The vessel was en route from Leitir Ard to Rossaveal in heavy weather conditions when it ran aground.
The 19.81m (65ft) vessel's skipper-owner, John Dirrane, who was from Inishmore island and in his early 40s, died along with fellow Aran islander Michael Faherty (41), boatyard owner Josie Connolly (66) of Leitir Ard and Michael Mullin (18) of Moyard. The bodies of three of the four were recovered off the Carna coast within 24 hours of the sinking. Mr Dirrane's body was found near the wreckage a week later during a shore and coastal search carried out by hundreds of people from the Aran islands, Connemara and beyond.
The Carna community believes that a lifeboat station is essential to prevent further accidents at sea, and to support the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's offshore station on the Aran islands and inshore bases at Clifden, Costello Bay and in Galway city.
"This tragedy affected not just the village of Carna and its environs but also the communities of Aran and Cleggan," Neasa Ní Chualain of the Bád Tárrthála Charna agus na n-Oileán committee has said. "Such a loss has been experienced all too commonly in this small fishing community down through the years."
The series of fundraising events will include Connemara's first ever triathlon on July 2nd.
Details to the events were announced yesterday by Minister for Gaeltacht Affairs Eamon Ó Cuív.
They include a 750m swim at An Aird Mhóir, a 40km cycle from An Aird Mhóir along Bothár na Scrathóg to Óstán Chuan Charna, and an eight kilometre run from Carna to Moyrus, finishing at Óstán Chuan Charna.
Master of ceremonies will be TG4 presenter Hector Ó hEochagáin, who will also captain a celebrity seven-a-side soccer team.
Further details of the fundraising programme and details are available on the website www.triathlonchonamara.com
