New base for Tipp mountain rescue team
On Saturday, September 24, SEMRA officially opened their new mountain rescue base in Clonmel. The event was attended by local dignitaries including Cllr Roger Kennedy, Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council, John O’Leary, the Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Mattie McGrath TD, Cllr Marie Murphy, Garda Inspector Paul Gray (Thurles), Sergeant Jacinta Phelan (Clonmel), Sergeant Mick Barry (Tramore), Army Lt. Dylan Cadogan and Ivan Longmore (Irish Coast Guard).
Also, in attendance were families and friends of past and present SEMRA members and families and relatives of casualties that lost their lives on the hills including relatives of victims of the 1976 aeroplane crash in the Galtee Mountains that led to the formation of SEMRA. There were representatives from walking clubs and groups, retired team members, local Civil Defence (Kilkenny, Laois and Tipperary), Irish Coast Guard (Bonmahon and Killaloe), Mountain Rescue Ireland chair Gerry Christie, Carrick on Suir River Rescue, Waterford Marine Search and Rescue, Tipperary Search and Rescue, Jimmy Taffe of Waterford Leader, Sara Bourke of South Tipperary Development Company, building contractors Mulcahy Construction and Corwun O’Brien of design consultants Malone O’Regan.
The base was officially opened by Cllr Roger Kennedy, Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council. A blessing of the base was provided by Fr Hegarty of St Oliver’s church and COI minister Rev Mike O’Meara.
An introduction was provided by SEMRA Chairman Gerry Tobin and speeches were made by Ivan Longmore (Irish Coast Guard), Sara Bourke (South Tipperary Development Company), SEMRA Team Leader Pat Murphy and Cllr Roger Kennedy (Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council). SEMRA’s Mike Power officially launched SEMRA’s annual fundraiser the Long Way Round.
It was a great opportunity for family, friends, invited guests from the community, public representatives, funders and members of both state and voluntary agencies to view our facilities and meet the team members. SEMRA members were very proud to show off the base, welcome people in and show what the team have done with their support.
The new build included an extension to the existing vehicle storage building to include an operations room, a training room, and welfare and kitchen facilities. The base now has the capacity to be used as a state-of-the-art facility from which large-scale search and rescue operations can be coordinated. This project was funded primarily by South Tipperary LEADER funding provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development, ongoing contributions from mountaineering clubs and the general public in the southeast region and beyond. Community Finance Ireland assisted with financing the project. Thanks also to the Chief Fire Officer of Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service for their support over the years and throughout the new build.
SEMRA is a 24/7 365 voluntary mountain rescue service that has been providing an emergency search and rescue service in the mountains and remote areas of southeast of Ireland since 1977. Mountains ranges covered include the Galtees, Comeraghs, Knockmealdowns, Ballyhouras, Blackstairs, Nagles, Slieve Blooms and Slievenamon. SEMRA responded to 51 callouts in 2021.