Fallen from cliff AT 1620 ON APRIL 22 the Garda Siochana informed Dr O'Brien-Moran, deputy launching authority of Tramore ILB station, that a young man had fallen and was lying seriously injured at the base of the cliff just west of Newton Head. The DLA alerted the crew immediately and requested Garda John Lawton to go to the top of the cliff with his radio to act as guide. The ILB launched on service at 1640 crewed by Helmsman Noel Power and Crew Member John Palmer, embarking with them Dr O'Brien-Moran in his capacity as honorary medical adviser. The station's special stretcher was taken.

The weather was overcast with low cloud and intermittent rain; the wind was strong south westerly force 6 with squalls of force 7, and a moderate sea was running. Low water at Tramore was at 1530.

After clearing Tramore, Helmsman Power used the lee provided by Newton Head, but progress thereafter was slow and daunting. The ILB had to tack at reduced power to make headway through the 3 to 4 metre tide-race running off the headland. At 1700 the crew sighted Garda Lawton just above the beach in a small cove a quarter of a mile to the west of Newton Head. The sea was breaking across the entrance to this bay. Helmsman Power spent some time observing the run of the seas, and decided to run in during a lull on to a narrow shingle beach some 40 metres from the Garda.

After beaching, Dr O'Brien-Moran set off with John Palmer, carrying the stretcher, and crossed a series of rocks some 5 metres high between the ILB and the casualty. Helmsman Power tended the boat.

Regrettably, and despite mouth-tomouth resuscitation given by John Lawton, the casualty succumbed to his injuries. Dr O'Brien-Moran consultedthe crew and it was agreed that it would be pointless to risk trying to recover the body by sea in the prevailing conditions. The casualty was therefore placed on the stretcher and carried to a ledge ready for a cliff recovery.

The ILB was launched into the rough onshore sea, and once clear of the bay a route well clear of the headland and its tide-race was chosen for the return.

In appreciation of his service, a special certificate inscribed on vellum has been presented to Dr Hugh O'Brien-Moran.

The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded to Helmsman Noel I. Power and a vellum service certificate to Crew Member John D.

Palmer. A framed letter of thanks signed by Major-General Ralph Farrant, Chairman of the Institution, has been presented to Garda John Lawton..