Rescue drama at Regatta

July 1991

A MAJOR tragedy was averted at Mahony’s Point in Killarney during the annual regatta when an all-women crew had to be winched to safety -after their boat capsized before the start of a race.

The accident happened at 2.15pm at the start of the Senior Ladies Sixes when the boat the Flesk Valley Ladies were rowing was caught by a wave and overturned in blustery weather conditions.

Crew member Noreen O Donoghue told the Kerryman that they were rowing up to the start of the race when water started coming into the boat. “One of the crew members informed the cox, but the amount of water was so small it would not have caused too much trouble,” she said.

“Another large wave hit the boat and we started to get concerned at this stage as too much water was coming into the boat. It filled up very quickly and we started shouting for help,” she said.

She said that within seconds the members of the local sub-aqua club’, who were on duty during the regatta, came on the scene in two rescue dinghies. “We started to climb into the rescue boats and the girl at the bow had to be dragged on as the waves were so rough,” she said.

The six girls were: Bridget O’Sullivan-Tangney, Noreen O’Donoghue, Ella Murphy, Aileen O’Callaghan, Noreen Moriarty and Noreen Moriarty.

The incident occurred about 50 yards from the shore in 30 ft of water.

The remaining events on the programme were postponed as blustery weather made it impossible for races to be continued.

This is the first time in history that the annual regatta in Killarney had to be postponed.

In 1932, the event was cancelled when boats came into difficulty prior to the start of the race and in the 1960 the event was postponed when the St. Finan’s boat got into difficulties as the race was in progress.