The loss of 15 lifeboat crew on Christmas Eve 1895 will be recalled tomorrow when the Dún Laoghaire lifeboat crew lays wreaths at sea. Lorna Siggins reports.
The annual ceremony and ecumenical blessing commemorates the entire crew of the Dún Laoghaire lifeboat who never returned from an attempted rescue of those on board a stricken vessel off Blackrock, Co Dublin. This week, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has issued a safety warning, and has asked people to remember the contribution made by voluntary lifeboat members over the holiday period.
During the period from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day, RNLI lifeboats based on the British and Irish coasts launched 107 times and rescued 60 people from bitterly cold seas, Mr Michael Vlasto, RNLI operations director in Britain, said yesterday. Throughout 2002, an average of 20 lives a day were saved by lifeboats on both islands - amounting to 7,365 people in total.
"Our volunteer lifeboat crews give up their time freely 365 days of the year and are always ready to risk their lives for others," Mr Vlasto said.
Mr Vlasto urged anyone thinking of setting sail over the holiday period to make sure their craft was in "tip-top" condition, with adequate spare fuel and safety equipment.