SOLEMN AFFAIR FOR ROSSLARE MEMORIAL WREATH LAYING
THE annual wreath-laying ceremony at Rosslare Lifeboat Memorial was a quiet and solemn affair this year as all the visitors who usually attend had to stay away due to Covid lockdown restrictions.
The wreath which was sponsored by Christine Murphy, was laid by committee chairperson Billy Doyle after it was blessed during Mass by Fr. James Murphy, parish priest of Rosslare/Tagoat.
Fr. Murphy offered prayers of blessing and remembrance during the ceremony for all members of the marine life-saving services, past and present.
The national flag was raised to half mast by committee members Des Peare and Fergus Wickham to honour the crews and also the people who have died and suffered as a result of the current pandemic.
The committee say they are determined to ‘push the boat out’ for next year’s ceremony which will mark the 40th anniversary of the unveiling of the now famous Lifeboat Monument in February, 1982.
The monument itself stands in silent tribute to Coxswain Edward Wickham and the crew of the Wexford/Rosslare Fort Lifeboat ‘James Stevens’ and to Captain Lawrence Busher and the crew of the Paddle Tug ‘Wexford’.
The brave crews participated in the heroic rescue of the marooned survivors of two wrecked vessels, the Norwegian Schooner ‘Mexico’ and Fethard Lifeboat ‘Helen Blake’ at the Keeragh rocks in February, 1914.
The loss of the crew members of the ‘Helen Blake’ during the operation was also remembered for the tragedy that it was to the village of Fethard community.
Two crew members of the ‘James Stevens’, Bowman Bill Duggan and 2nd Coxswain James Wickham received special honours for taking the survivors directly off the rocks in a small punt during the horrendous gale that raged at the time.
They were also honoured by the GAA with the award of All Ireland hurling medals to mark their heroism. To this day these are the only two All Ireland medals ever awarded outside of the field of play, which is a high distinction indeed.
The lifeboat station at the Fort along with the nearby village were lost to the hungry sea in 1925 and now lie beneath the waves.
The memorial is sited in the Burrow of Rosslare and is a special place where visitors experience the kind of peace and solitude found in contemplation of the sea and its ever-present dangers.