Prince William has paid a special tribute to the four Irish Coast Guard air crew, including Blackrock man Mark Duffy, who died when Rescue 116 crashed off the Mayo coast last March.
The prince, who is a trained search and rescue pilot, said the the loss is “a tragedy that reaches far beyond the community” in which the four “so gallantly served”, and they “will never be forgotten”.
Captain Mark Duffy, from Blackrock in Co Louth, was one of four people who died in the tragic accident last March
His tribute has been written for a memorial concert for the four crew – Capt Dara Fitzpatrick, Capt Mark Duffy and winch team Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith – which is being held in Cootehill, Co Cavan on Friday.
The bodies of Captains Fitzpatrick and Duffy were discovered following the crash off Blackrock island on March 14th but the remains of Ormsby and Smith remain at large.
The prince’s tribute, which has been translated into Irish by the concert organisers, says that “the selfless actions of those who put their lives on the line, for the safety of others, will always draw admiration from an incredibly wide audience”.
“Consequently Ciarán, Dara, Mark and Paul will be mourned far beyond these shores and the lives they led will be an inspiration to many,” he said.
“I am proud to have served as a search and rescue pilot myself and I know how many of the sorties, even though they could be perceived as routine, always have an element of hidden danger,”he added.
“It is the acceptance of this risk, and the desire to carry out their duties in spite of it, which makes the search and rescue crews such a remarkable group of people”.
The prince, who met Paul Ormsby during a joint Irish-British rescue mission, describes lifeboat crews as “another group of selfless emergency responders”. The proceeds from a print being sold at the concert by artist John Blakey will be donated to the RNLI.
Musicians including Matt Molloy. Tríona Marshall of The Chieftains, Declan O’Rourke, Martin Tourish, Janice Igoe, the Clew Bay Pipe Band and the Roscommon Solstice Choir will perform for free. RTÉ broadcaster Ray D’Arcy is master of ceremonies.
The concert is sold out, but will be preceded by a free recital by the Roscommon Solstice Choir at 6pm in St Michael’s Church, Cootehill. An Irish Coast Guard helicopter is due to perform a fly-past before sunset.
Families of the four crew will be represented at the event, as will Irish Coast Guard crew and RNLI volunteers. President Michael D Higgins has also contributed to the programme.
A gala dinner and auction is also due to take place in Dublin’s Mansion House on September 5th.
Details on the Rescue 116 memorial print, sold in aid of the RNLI, are available from Mr Blakey on email corvuscorax5287@yahoo.es
