Carrick-on-Shannon Rapid River Responders purchase throw-bags and a defibrillator for An Garda Síochána

Carrick-on-Shannon Rapid River Responders was formed just over a year ago in 2023. The aim of the group is to improve the survival rate for people who enter the water in the Carrick-on-Shannon area, to train responders to assist a rescue from the shore and provide suitable training and equipment so that a rescue can be carried out from the shore and dramatically reducing the need for anybody else to enter the water or put themselves in danger.

Inspector Carla Curry, Student Garda Peter Connellan, Garda Fran Gilmurray, Grainne Moran, Sergeant Clement Cunniffe and Sharon Garland with some of the throw bags. Pictures: Keith Nolan.

To date, many different fundraising events have taken place and the group has received some generous donations from different sources, which has allowed them to purchase necessary equipment. This equipment is now stored in the shower block at Moon River.

If anyone in the general public would like to know how to safely use this equipment, the group would encourage you to contact them via email or their Facebook page and to attend some of the training sessions.

John O'Callaghan, Sharon Garland and Inspector Carla Curry pictured with the defibrillator at Carrick-on-Shannon Garda Station.

This training can also be brought out to the community and to date, a number of schools from pre-school up to transition year students, members of the rowing club in Carrick-on-Shannon and Jamestown Heritage Festival have availed of the water safety training. The group have donated eight throw-bags to the Rowing Club to add to their safety equipment.

Last year the Chairperson of the Carrick River Responders, Sharon Garland, approached the Inland Waterways Association Shannon Boat Rally who hold a fundraising event during their annual 10-day rally to raise money for local groups, and they agreed that it was a very worthy cause and raised over €2,500 for the River Responders.

Patsy Garland, Chairperson of the Shannon Boat Rally, Inspector Carla Curry and Nuala Morgan, Commodore of Shannon Boat Rally 2023.

Just after the boat rally last year, a tragic fire took place on a boat in Carrick-on-Shannon and Detective Garda Deirdre Finn lost her life. She was a Garda for almost 30 years and a dear friend to the boating community.

With this in mind and having spoken to her family, the Shannon Boat Rally donated the money in Deirdre’s memory to the Carrick-on-Shannon Rapid River Responders who have purchased 30 throw-bags and a defibrillator for An Garda Siochana, Carrick-on-Shannon, which will hopefully help them in their endeavours to assist the rescue of someone from the water, without putting themselves at risk.

If you would like to get involved with the Carrick-on-Shannon River Responders or have a group of any age that you feel could benefit from the water safety training, please look them up on Facebook or email carrickrrr@outlook.com

Clive Ferguson, Sergeant Clement Cunniffe, John O'Callaghan, Patsy Garland, Grainne Moran, Sharon Garland, Garda Fran Gilmurray, Patrick McGreevy, Inspector Carla Curry, Michael Tymon, Nuala Morgan and Student Garda Peter Connellan.