THE Republic of Ireland's river Shannon, longest in these off-Europe islands, and, with its many lakes and tributary Grand Canal and river Barrow making it probably one of the largest single connected waterways in Europe, is becoming increasingly life-saving conscious.

Situated at the very edge of Europe on the western side of Ireland, it subdivides into two parts.

The first, the tidal estuary, extends its steadily broadening, 50-odd mile stretch from Limerick to the Atlantic in an almost directly westwards direction.

This tidal sector is noteworthy for its permanently fast-running tides, deepmud shores and frequent gale-force winds because of its nearness to the Atlantic. Pilotage for visiting craft is, therefore, almost a necessity: also for Shannon Airport and the adjacent Shannon Industrial Estate being situated on the northern bank of its upper reaches.

The second, the non-tidal sector, also begins at Limerick but runs inland, in a roughly northerly direction, for about 180 miles. Along this stretch it broadens out into more than a dozen different lakes, some big enough to be regarded as inland seas. Many have, literally, hundreds of islands and islets, practically all uninhabited. Winds of considerable strength and highly variable direction are also a feature of this sector.

Tidal Sector Life-saving facilities at Shannon Airport, on the tidal sector, were lately extended by the acquisition of the Amfirol. This is a craft specially built in Holland by Machinefabriek de Bakker, of Hulst, in consultation with the fire and rescue personnel of the Irish Airport authorities. It can travel over mud, silt, sand and water and any type of ground not containing jagged rocks protruding more than 2 inches above the ground. The power unit is a NSU Marine RO 135 Wankel engine with a Sunstrand hydraulic system. The type used at Shannon can carry 60 people or life rafts capable of holding, after inflation at the scene, 350 survivors which can be towed behind.

It is also equipped with a crane arm, which can lift up to two tons, and which has been designed to clear wreckage, recover engines, containers, baggage, etc. The boat's stainless and manganese steel construction makes for lightness and a long lifetime without upkeep.

Other life-saving arrangements at Shannon Airport, of longer-standing, consist of two launches. The first is a twin-screw craft of 45-foot length by about 12 beam, enclosed, and drawing 3 feet, with two Thorneycroft 125 h.p.

diesel engines. Crew consists of six, including coxswain.

The second is a 30 by 8-foot single screw boat with a 25 h.p. Thorneycroft carrying a coxswain and three men.

These two last-named boats were usedin September, 1962, when a Super- Constellation crashed into the Atlantic several hundred miles off the western coast of Ireland. A similar operation took place in September, 1961, when a President Airlines aircraft crashed in the small hours of the morning shortly after take-off for Canada. Conditions during this incident were exceptionally difficult as fog prevailed. Additionally, the tide was full and there was about 20 feet of water where the aircraft had crashed.

The only part of it visible in the larger launch's searchlight was the tip of thetailplane. When the tide fell it was seen that the main section of the fuselage and the wings had disintegrated, that jagged bits of metal and other debris were strewn in the deep mud. Sixty-three bodies were recovered before the tide came in again..