Record €20K raised at RNLI gala dinner

Ladies and gents threw on their 1920s style glad rags for this year’s Ballycotton RNLI gala dinner.

The ‘Downton Abbey’ themed dinner recently took place at Ballymaloe House and raised a record €20,000 for the volunteer lifeboat crew and station.

During 2019, Ballycotton Lifeboat went to sea over 60 times and there was 12 shout-out rescues which assisted eight people in distress.

The Ballycotton Lifeboat crew is made up of 22 volunteers, and on average, each of the crew spent over 40 hours at sea between training and rescues.

Unusually, in 2019 the furthest rescue was only 12 miles from the station, however the Ballycotton Lifeboat crew have assisted at rescues over 90 miles away.

Rescues in 2019 involved many different situations and different types of vessels and activities including fishing vessels, sailing vessels, jet skis, kayakers and swimmers.

Mary Creedon, RNLI Community Manager for Munster said: “On behalf of the RNLI, I would like toexpress my sincere thanks to everyone who attended this fantastic long-standing fundraiser in Ballymaloe House. None of the rescues undertaken by Ballycotton RNLI would have been possible without the contribution of the funds given by the public and community of Ballycotton through fundraisers like this.”

She added: “Thanks to the gala committee, sponsors, the Allen Family and staff at Ballymaloe House, and Gala guests for their generous support, we will be able to continue saving lives at sea in 2020.”

The Allen family has hosted a Ballycotton RNLI fundraising event every year since opening Ballymaloe House to the public in 1964.