Featured Images by John Hennessy

The start of the JSAR competition as seen from Rescue 117 at the Quality Hotel, Redbarn, on Friday evening.

More pics from the event can be seen in The Gallery

Coast Guard announce Joint Search and Rescue Games 2012
(JSAR12)

The seventh Joint Search and Rescue (JSAR) competition between the Irish Coast Guard and HM Coastguard Northern Ireland will take place in Youghal, Co. Cork over the weekend of 11-13 May 2012. The competition is organised by the volunteer members of the Youghal Coast Guard unit under their volunteer leader Mike Lee. The unit has worked closely with the Town Council in profiling the event and the town itself.

The purpose of the games is to increase the level of professionalism of all Coast Guard members on the island and to enhance cooperation between the Divisions through friendly competition. The Games normally have a theme and this year’s theme is “Walter Raleigh”.

Twelve team members from each of the Divisions – Dublin, Malin, Valentia and HM Coastguard Northern Ireland will compete in JSAR12. Two four-man teams from each Division will be drawn and the remaining members will be entered as combined teams. A wide range of Coast Guard skills will be tested throughout the competition. Members will be tested on the following skills – leadership, search planning and coordination (afloat and ashore), rescue throw-bag, chart work, knots, communications, silva compass work and pacing, and salvage pump.

There has been a tradition of cooperation and joint training between many of this weekend’s participants going back to the 1980s. Indeed the modern Irish Coast Guard began to develop its cliff rescue capability from that time when personnel from Belfast Coastguard District provided training and external assessment to Coast Guard Units. The joint Search and Rescue games are another step in the initiative of developing joint training programmes between the Irish Coast Guard and the Northern Ireland Coast Guard.

The Games provide a forum for the national Maritime SAR Management to discuss policy in an informal and friendly environment and for volunteers from both jurisdictions to exchange their experiences.
The teams will compete for a number of awards with the winning team being presented with the Kirwan Cup.

A stormy Sunday morning during April in Youghal.

South and East Cork Development (SECAD) are inviting budding photographers from all over the South and East Cork area to participate in an EU-wide photography competition, which captures the beauty of Rural Europe.

The competition is organised by the European Network for Rural Development (ENRD), the ‘Images of Rural Europe’ competition is open to all professional and amateur photographers who are resident in one of the 27 EU Member States. All photos submitted will be considered for inclusion in a major EU ‘Travelling’ Exhibition’ during 2012/2013.

The six categories featured in the completion include Rural Environment, Rural Employment, Rural Youth, Rural People, Rural Diversity and The Spirit of LEADER.

Competition entries can feature any aspect of rural life in South and East Cork, from a setting sun over Youghal Bay or the ploughing of fields in Carrigtwohill.

The options within the structure of this competition are endless and with so many wonderful locations, people and rural areas within the region of South and East Cork it should be a fantastic entry.

All photographs submitted from the South and East Cork region must be done so via email to SECAD at secadcompetitions@gmail.com.

All photos should have a minimum size 5MB, 300 dpi resolution. The closing date for receipt of entries is Wednesday the 16th of May 2012. Further information is available at www.ruralimages.eu and it is highly recommended and it is essential that all photographers visit this site to get all the details to this competition.

Some of the large crowd watching a special search and rescue display by the Irish Coast Guard in Cobh to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of The Titanic.

Waterford rescue helicopter, S61, winching Mike Ahern, Cork Harbour Kayaks, from Crosshaven RNLI.

The cruise liner, MS Balmoral, passing Roches Point as it heads into Cobh to mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. The Balmoral is carrying the same number of passengers as the Titanic did and cast off from Southampton port in England. Those on board are to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the White Star liner at the location in the Atlantic Ocean where it hit an iceberg and sank on 15 April 1912.

Micheál Walsh, Finn Coleman, Sorcha Kilgannon and Conor Clohessy showing off the ‘Cool for Kids, Fun for Families’ brochure on Youghal beach.

A collaborative project between Fáilte Ireland and local tourism providers, this guide is part of of a wider initiative designed to put these designated areas and the wider South West region at the very top of the agenda of the family holiday market. It is hoped that the development of this new family friendly guide will develop Youghal as a key holiday destination for family holidays in the South West of Ireland and ensure visitors to the area of a memorable family experience.

Jockeys Martin Ferris, representing The Nook, and Davy Russell, representing The Quays Bar, battle it out at the finish line in front of a large crowd during Youghal’s inaugural Donkey Derby held on the streets of Youghal in aid of the ‘Queen Of The Sea’ Festival which will be held during the summer for Child Line and the RNLI.

More Pics now in The Gallery.

Kevin Linehan on the quays of Youghal during the Moby Dick Literary Festival over St. Patricks weekend.

More pics from the festival can be seen in The Gallery.

Top Irish and Youghal jockey Davy Russell’s niece, five year old Ciara Wood, reminding people that the inaugural ‘Paddy Power Celebrity Donkey Derby’ featuring Davy Russell, Paul Carberry, Paul Townend, Nina Carberry, Andrew McNamara and Davy Condon, will be held on Friday 23rd March 2012 at 7.00 p.m in the Main Street of Youghal, Co. Cork.

Further info can be found at Youghal.ie.