€8,000 for Castletownbere  Lifeboat

Castletownbere Lifeboat Station received an enormous boost to its fundraising efforts this week when the family of a man lost at sea a year ago presented a cheque for €8,000 to the station on Wednesday last.

Mr Aidan Ross, of Rossmore, Clonakilty, was fishing off the rocks last October when he was tragically lost. Castletownbere Lifeboat recovered Mr Ross, and his family organised a number of fundraising ventures as a token of its gratitude to the lifeboat. The main fundraiser was the launch of a CD entitled “Our Heroes” to coincide with last summer’s World Cup.  Charlie McCarthy and friends played in a number of venues throughout West Cork and the sales of the CD netted over €8,000, some of which was collected in the United States.

There was a large gathering at the lifeboat station on Wednesday evening last to welcome the Ross family back to Castletownbere.  Mrs Jane Ross, and her daughters Fiona and Emma, and the late Mr Ross’s sisters Marty &  Maura  and brother-in-law Charlie McCarthy, and  his nieces were welcomed to the station by the Honorary Secretary, Mr Donal O’Driscoll.  Sgt. Fachtna O’Donovan, Tony O’Sullivan, and John Nolan represented the Management Committee while the Fundraising Committee members Mrs Sheila O’Driscoll, Fr Sean O’Shea and Mr Joe Turner were also present. In attendance  also was the Coxswain Brian O’Driscoll and crew Brendan Gonnelly, Jimmy Murphy, Michael Murphy, Dan Murphy, Edwin Moriarity, Paul Stevens, and Adrian Sparrow.

In making the presentation to the fundraising secretary, Mr Charlie McCarthy said that the cheque was but a small token as a gesture of thanks to the lifeboat. He also complimented the Coxswain and crew on their work and said that the family would never forget them.

Light refreshments were served, and after leaving the station, the Ross family joined the crew and committee members in the Millbrook Bar for the weekly LOTTO, which is run in aid of the lifeboat, and CoAction Beara.