AT 6.55 on the evening of Monday, 2nd September, 1963, the mechanic of the Valentia, County Kerry, life-boat station, Joseph Houlihan, saw a small dinghy capsize about 600 yards from the Life-boat storehouse, where he was working at the time.

A near gale was blowing from the north and the sea was rough, but the weather was fine and clear. It was an hour and a half after high water on an exceptionally high spring tide, which was ebbing at two knots.

Rowed to Capsized Dinghy Mechanic Houlihan immediately launched the station boarding boat, which is 12 feet 6 inches in length, and rowed towards the capsized dinghy.

The dinghy was already about 200 yards north-north-east of Reenagiveen Point.

When he reached the scene he found two men in the water. One of them had virtually collapsed and he succeeded in dragging him into the boarding boat.

The other survivor, who was a clergy- man, was too heavy for the mechanic to pull on board the boat. He therefore told the clergyman to hang on to the transom.

Hanging on to Transom The return trip was particularly difficult. The man who had been taken on board was unable to give any help; there was a rough following sea; and the man hanging on to the tran- som caused the boat to trim by the stern.

Mechanic Houlihan became nearly exhausted himself, but he managed to beach the boat and land the two survi- vors near Reenagiveen Point. He later returned to the scene of the casualty and recovered the capsized dinghy.

For this rescue the Institution's bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Mechanic Joseph Houli- han..