Courtmacsherry RNLI rescues two dogs stranded as tide rapidly comes in
On Monday afternoon at 1.35pm, as Courtmacsherry RNLI paid tribute to Mary O'Mahony, wife of former crew member Richard, and sister-in-law of former Coxswain Diarmuid, the station crew and officers taking part in the guard of honour outside the station were alerted that two dogs were in difficulty.
The report was of the imminent danger to two dogs that had got stranded on the nearby sandbanks as the tide was rapidly coming in.
The inshore boathouse lifeboat under Coxswain Tadgh MacCarthy with crew members Stuart Russell and Dave Philips was launched immediately and proceeded at speed towards the last sightings of the dogs. Charting a tight course to the Burren Coastline, the lifeboat crew used all their local knowledge to get close to the two dogs in decreasing weather conditions.
The lifeboat was able to quickly reach the dogs who were now in the water and guide/steer both to the safety of the shoreline where locals who had seen the danger unfolding had gathered and they were also assisted by station officer Garry Barrett who was on the shore.
Both animals were in good condition when getting ashore and were lucky that they had not been swept away in a quick running sea.
Philip White, Courtmacsherry RNLI Deputy Launching Authority praised the quick action of the lifeboat crew: 'It was really great to see many members of the public reporting the incident and contacting the lifeboat station with their concerns as it would be vital that owners or locals did not attempt to rescue the dogs themselves in a fast incoming tide'.
Today is also a very special day for the station as four Station coxswains Sean O'Farrell, Mark Gannon, Ken Cashman and Peter Nunan departed in early morning to commence their week long training in Poole on the south Coast of England, for the new Shannon Class lifeboat which will arrive in Courtmacsherry in mid January.
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