Busy bank holiday weekend for Coast Guard
Busy bank holiday weekend - at 3.10pm on August 1, the unit was tasked to assist a 40-foot cruiser, with five people on board, in difficulty 1km north of Killaloe. Having reached the casualty vessel, a crew member was transferred on board. A tow line was set up and the vessel was towed back to Killaloe where it was safely moored with the assistance of a shore team.
An hour later, at 6.10pm, the unit was tasked to assist a 14-foot power boat with engine difficulty north of Killaloe, in the Ballyvalley area. The vessel with three persons on board was located and all were safe and well and wearing life jackets. They were then taken on board the Coast Guard boat, and the casualty vessel was taken on tow back to Ballina slipway where it was recovered from the water with the assistance of a shore team.
At 5.35pm on Friday, July 31, Killaloe Coast Guard was requested to assist the National Ambulance Service with a patient who had fallen from a horse in a remote area north of Whitegate. The crews responded with 4x4s and the unit’s all-terrain vehicle, and made their way to the patient’s location. Once on scene, Coast Guard members worked alongside Paramedics to safely transport the patient to the awaiting ambulance. The patient was transferred to University Hospital Limerick for assessment and treatment.
National Blue Light Awards
Well done to the members of Killaloe Coast Guard unit who have been shortlisted as finalists in the Contribution to Diversity category at the National Blue Light Awards 2026.
This recognition reflects a truly special collaboration between the Irish Coast Guard and the Midwest School for the Deaf, where our local, dedicated volunteers delivered an interactive water safety and lifesaving workshop through Irish Sign Language (ISL), delivering accessible content using subtitled videos and direct engagement with pupils using ISL through qualified ISL/English interpreters.
Killaloe Coast Guard is honoured to stand alongside so many inspiring finalists and is grateful for the opportunity to promote inclusion, accessibility, and water safety within our community.