By Dan Walsh
Rosslare Harbour RNLI is one of the latest lifeboat stations to be part of ‘Connecting our Communities’ for the search and rescue charity’s 200th anniversary, an event where a specially commissioned scroll travelling through RNLI communities, to be signed by representatives at each location.
The scroll was signed by Jamie Ryan, Rosslare Harbour RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Trish Kavanagh, on behalf of the fundraisers and Keith Miller on behalf of the crew. Liam Griffin, signed on behalf of the Gaelic Athletic Association.
The Rosslare Harbour stop was a special one, as the RNLI choose to honour the charity’s life-saving partnership with the GAA, by having the legend, Liam Griffin, former Wexford GAA hurling manager who brought All-Ireland senior championship success to Wexford in 1996, sign the scroll on behalf of the GAA. The two organisations have been working together for several years to bring water safety messages to young people across Ireland and reduce drowning.
Liam Griffin told WexfordLocal.com; “I’m very proud that the GAA and the RNLI have come together to save lives. This is also the place where the GAA was first involved with the lifeboats, as our community received All-Ireland medals for a rescue in 1914 of the ship, Mexico, where 12 lives were saved and sadly 10 lives lost, including nine lifeboat crew from Fethard. The partnership reflects the community. The RNLI is all over Ireland and the GAA is all over Ireland and anything that would save people from drowning is a great initiative.
Mr Griffin continued; “Dickie Walsh, a very famous former Coxswain in Rosslare said to me when I was a young man, “If you don’t respect the sea, you won’t win’ and I never forgot that.”
Rosslare Harbour RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Jamie Ryan said; “We are delighted to be part of such a significant event for the RNLI’s 200th year saving lives at sea. This scroll is a snapshot in time where lifeboat crew and fundraisers came together to acknowledge the incredible contribution of all the generations that came before us and hopefully for all that will come after us, in saving lives and serving our community. To honour the work of drowning prevention and saving lives through education, Rosslare native and GAA legend Liam Griffin also added his name to the scroll, to recognise the charity partnership with the GAA.
The scroll carries the RNLI pledge, which reads; Whoever we are, wherever we are from, we are one crew, ready to save lives. We’re powered by passion, talent and kindness, like generations of selfless lifesavers before us. This is our watch, we lead the way, valuing each other, trusting each other, depending on one another, volunteering to face the storm together. Knowing that, with courage, nothing is impossible. That is what has always driven us to save everyone we can. It’s what makes every one of us a lifesaver.
Over the course of seven months, the five-metre-long scroll will pass through 240 RNLI locations around Ireland and the UK before finishing its journey on the Isle of Man, which was home to the RNLI’s founder, Sir William Hillary.
WexfordLocal.com 