Courtmac Lifeboat’s ‘beacon’ is honoured

By Martin Walsh

MENTION the Courtmacsherry Lifeboat and the name ‘Diarmuid O’Mahony’ stands out like a shining beacon.

At the official opening of last year’s Courtmacsherry Harbour Festival, Mr O’Mahony was honoured for his voluntary contribution to the scenic village and was a proud, albeit shy, recipient of its recognition award.

In a well-documented citation lifeboat PRO Vincent O’Donovan charted Diarmuid’s involvement with the village where, long before faxes or email, he helped deliver telegrams from the post office, run by his late mother.

He joined Irish Shipping in 1964 for a five-year tenure that took him all over the world.

Yet Courtmacsherry remained very much in his heart.

He moved closer to home in 1969 with Bantry Bay Towing Company. Stints with Irish Tugs and Celtic Tugs (Foynes) followed, prior to his retirement in 2018.

Diarmuid joined the Courtmac Lifeboat Station in 1962 and served on no fewer than 24 different lifeboats, including the current Trent Class boat, the Frederick Storey Cockburn that arrived in Courtmacsherry in 1995.

He was also central to the construction of the pier, jetty and pontoon (1997), the dredging of the harbour (1992) and the opening of the new station house (1988).