Fish supper for photographic RNLI crew

AS seaside restaurants go, the Valentia Lifeboat Station would be as good as it gets in terms of scenery and closeness to the sea. Derry Clarke - owner and chef at the famous L’Ecrivain Restaurant, and star of RTE’s ‘Lords and Ladles’ - recently turned the station into a temporary top-class dining destination as he treated the volunteer lifeboat crew to a delicious fish supper to help promote the charity’s latest fundraising initiative.

“It’s an absolute pleasure to cook for the Valentia lifeboat crew and seafood dishes are always a crowd pleaser,” said Derry.

The menu was made up of a number of mouth-watering seafood dishes including cured salmon with cucumber, apple and dill, seafood chowder, ‘Flaggy Shore’ oysters and Lambay Island scallops with cauliflower and raisins. Local hotel and restaurant ‘The Royal’ also got involved when chef Ryan Walsh added a surprise extra course of fish gratin.

Derry is supporting the RNLI’s Fish Supper campaign due to take place from October 13-15 and is calling on people across Ireland to sink their teeth into a delicious fish dish to raise vital funds for the lifesaving charity.

Speaking while cooking Al Fresco, Derry said: “I do an annual BBQ for the RNLI with my wife Sallyanne on Sherkin Island and at Courtown in Wexford so it’s about time I got out to the West coast. The only issue is that you never know if you have enough food as lifeboat crews are always hungry.”

He added: “I urge anyone who hasn’t tried cooking fish before to give it a try, and impress your friends and family while raising vital funds for the RNLI’s brave lifeboat crews. We are lucky enough to live on an island with a beautiful array of fish on our doorstep. It’s a wonderful idea for a fundraiser.”

The rare dining experience was made all the more significant by the fact that Valentia Island RNLI Lifeboat Station marked the 100th station for photographer Jack Lowe. Jack is currently travelling around the UK and Ireland photographing RNLI lifeboat volunteers through a Victorian process that captures the stunning images on glass. Accompanying Jack is Duncan Davis, also a photographer.

Derry Clarke, owner and chef at the famous L’Ecrivain restaurant, is supporting the RNLI’s Fish Supper campaign between October 13-15. He is pictured with crew members (from left), Brian Curtin, Sean Curtin, Conn O’Shea, Declan Smyth, Liam O’Shea,...

Photos by Valerie O’Sullivan Valentia Island RNLI Lifeboat Station marked the 100th station for photographer Jack Lowe, who is travelling around the UK and Ireland photographing RNLI lifeboat volunteers through a Victorian process that captures the stunning images on glass. With...