Sir, - Kevin Myers's Irishman's Diary (November 1st) about the tragic death of the diver Michael Heffernan came as very welcome support to his wife Anna Marie, his extended family, and the members of Grainne Uaile Sub Aqua Club.
The media reports at the time of these dramatic events had dismissed Michael's contribution in the rescue attempts of the Murphy family as that of an "amateur" diver who attempted a rescue himself, and perished. His family and diving friends therefore rejoiced when, at last, somebody recognised a hero, especially at the distance from which Mr Myers was writing. Those involved in the rescue operation that night are all agreed that what Michael Heffernan attempted to do was indeed a truly brave deed.
I would like to add to Kevin Myers's article by giving some of the details of which he was unaware at the time of his writing.
Michael Heffernan and the other divers from the Grainne Uaile Sub Aqua Club were called out by the Irish Marine Emergency Service in Dublin to assist in the rescue. The Ballyglass Lifeboat and the Shannon Rescue Helicopter were already at the scene and had requested that divers be sent to help. Four Grainne Uaile divers immediately responded.
The name of the equally brave and courageous diver who volunteered to accompany Michael Heffernan into the pitch-dark, 1,000-foot long cave was Josie Barrett. The other two Grainne Uaile divers at the scene were Michael Kelly and Noreen Ralston.
Michael did personally know the family whom he was attempting to rescue from the cave, as they worked with him in the Asahi Fibre Plant in Killala.
Michael and Josie knew that the people were alive at the back of the cave, as locals and the lifeboat crew could hear a Klaxon alarm and could see reflective strips from the family's lifejackets with their searchlights.
There were two things that Michael and Josie did not know: firstly, how long the family had left before they would perish; and secondly, the savage conditions at the end of that long, funnelling, dark cave.
Garda Superintendent Tony McNamara is indeed one of the coxes of the Ballyglass Lifeboat, but on the night in question he commanded the operation from the pier at Belderrig. The Arun Class lifeboat from Ballyglass was coxed by Gerry Reilly.
The Garda Sub Aqua Unit divers, Sean O'Connell, Ciaran Doyle and Dave Mulhall were taken into the cave on the inflatable of the Killala Unit of the Irish Marine Emergency Service crewed by locals Sean McHale and Martin Kavanagh, also brave men. This inflatable and all on board were stranded at the back of the cave until Garda Kieran Doyle attempted to swim to the outside with a line attached.
The local trawlermen also showed tremendous courage in bringing their boats under the cliff face at the cave entrance in order to take the tow for the daring pull to safety. The skippers of these boats were Patrick O'Donnell, Martin O'Donnell and Tony O'Donnell.
The North Western Fisheries Board crews launched their boats in order to provide an inflatable for Garda divers Joe Finnergan and Kieran Flynn to enter the cave and recover the bodies of Michael Heffernan and Wil Von Below. The Fisheries inflatable was skilfully and courageously kept on station inside the mouth of the cave by Fisheries Inspector Michael Hughes, while the two Garda divers swam to the end of the cave and completed the recovery.
Yes, there were many heroes at the scene of the tragedy, and Michael is the only one who lost his life. Kevin Myers is correct in saying that he should be remembered in a very special way. Since Michael was involved in the rescue at the request of a State agency, namely The Irish Marine Emergency Service, the State has a responsibility and should indeed take action to have his name honoured and remembered.
Whether this happens or not, Michael's friends in the Grainne Uaile Sub Aqua Club are determined that his name will not be forgotten. In time we will commission a suitable monument to the memory of his brave deed. Kevin Myers can be sure of an invitation to its unveiling. - Yours, etc.,
From Pat O'Malley
Chairman, Grainne Uaile Sub Aqua Club, Ballina, Co Mayo.