Book Reviews
Ballycotton Gallantry
Ballycotton Lifeboats:150 Years of Gallantry by Nicholas Leach and Brendan O'Driscoll
Landmark Publishing, The Oaks, Moor Farm Road West, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 1H, UK.ISBN 978-184306-472-5:Paperback, 144 pages, 16 colour and 128 monochrome photos.€14.99
Nicholas Leach is a well known author and photographer with a keen interest in the RNLI and is regular visitor to Ireland.
Brendan O'Driscoll lives and works in Youghal, Co Waterford and is on the Crew of the Youghal Lifeboat.
Ballycotton lifeboat is one of the most famous in Ireland and one of the best known of any in the lifeboat service. First established in 1858, this station has a long and proud history of rescuing those in peril off the coast of County Cork. The first lifeboat there was powered by oars and sail! Launched from a carriage and kept in a house between Edgar's shop and Duffin's. Following this first and un-named lifeboat, a number of pulling lifeboats were operated until September 1930 when the first motor lifeboat the Mary Stanford, was sent to the station. This powerful twin-engined lifeboat greatly improved the capabilities of the station and increased its scope for sea rescue. On 11 February 1936 the Mary Stanford was involved in the most outstanding event in the station's history-the rescue of the crew of the Daunt Rock Lightvessel. The lightvessel had broken from her moorings in gale force winds, very heavy seas, rain and snow. When the lifeboat put out to sea, she met seas so mountainous that spray was flying over the lantern of Ballycotton Lighthouse 196 feet high (56m). The lightvessel's crew of eight were rescued after the lifeboat went alongside the plunging vessel with seas sweeping over her more than a dozen times. The lifeboat was unable to return to her station for 63 hours during which time her crew had only 3 hours' sleep. For 25 hours they had no food and all came back suffering from cold and saltwater burns. This was one of the most exhausting and gallant services in the history of the RNLI and the Gold medal was awarded to Coxswain Patrick Sliney and Silver and Bronze medals to his crew.
Many other notable medal winning rescues have been performed by the Ballycotton lifeboat men, notably Bronze and Silver medal-winning services in 1941 and 1943. These saw Coxswain Sliney become one of the most decorated lifeboatmen of all time.
Most recently the Silver medal was awarded to crewmember Fergal Walsh who entered the sea to save a young man who had been swept off the rocks.
With such a rich and interesting history, this book gives a complete account of the station, from the early days to the present modern station. Its new Trent class lifeboat covers much ground and will appeal to many throughout Ireland.
For Irish Lights there is the added connection and interest in that many of the families associated with the RNLI throughout the ages have also been associated with the lighthouse Service-Walshes, Lane Walshes, O'Driscolls and many more.
The book is filled with chapters on the many rescues, the lifeboats, the crews and their activities all accompanied by a myriad of photographs. There is a wealth of detail and the immense pride of the crews and their supporters is evident. There are also good appendices covering the chronology of the lifeboats and their service, each boat's details, personnel details, fundraising, details of committees and present crews.
This book is a record of the Ballycotton lifeboat and its amazing unstinting service to the maritime community that would be of great interest not only to those whose interests are of a maritime nature but also to many who will find astonishing and inspirational the heroism of ordinary folk who volunteer for this hazardous service.
Ring of Kerry
The Iveragh Peninsula: A Cultural Atlas of the Ring of Kerry -edited by John Crowley and John Sheehan,
Cork University Press,Youngline Industrial Estate, Pouladuff Road, Togher, Cork. ISBN 978-185918-430-1Hardback, 512 pages, colour and monochrome photos and illustrations. €59.00
The Iveragh Peninsula - a Cultural Atlas of the Ring of Kerry tells the story of the peninsula from prehistoric times to the present day. Measuring about 60km by 30km the Iveragh peninsula is bounded on the south by the Kenmare River and on the north by Dingle Bay. Already renowned for its wonderful scenery this book points out that there are many other dimensions to this comparatively small region-the westernmost point of Europe. It gives a history of the area starting from the formation of the rocks over 350 million years ago, moving on to the evolution of the geography of the landscape through volcanic activity and the movement of glaciers, and finally tells the cultural, social, and political stories of the region-so it's certainly comprehensive!
It is very handsomely produced and includes hundreds of photographs, maps and diagrams. There are 55 distinguished contributors including historians, artists, and archaeologists and three editors-one with specific responsibility for cartography. After describing the evolution and formation of the landscape there are chapters on many subjects, for example, ecclesiastical sites-most notably Skellig Michael; the origin of place names; the famine, and the War of Independence. There is also a chapter on the story of the transatlantic telegraph cable that linked Valentia Island to Newfoundland in 1866-allowing rapid communication between Europe and North America for the first time. I could find no mention of the establishment of Valentia Radio in 1914-being Marconi's effort to compete with the transatlantic telegraph by using radio transmissions. Valentia Radio broadcast its last Morse message on 1 February 1999 and a few pages and photographs about this project would have been an interesting addition.
Chapters on flora and fauna, food, sport, music, folklore, railways, economic development, farming and tourism complete the book. These are all well-written, profusely illustrated, and informative. Indeed, such is the skill and quality of the presentation that even the chapter on County Development and Planning Policy is readable and interesting! This volume could act as a template, indeed a gold standard, for other accounts of the landscape, culture, and history of a region.