On the evening of 1 April, Skerries lifeboat crew members were requested to search for two missing fishermen from the Co Dublin town

Along with RNLI lifeboat crews from Clogher Head and Howth, the volunteers searched for 7 days until David Gilsenan and Ronan Browne's bodies were found. Skerries volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Mary Courtney reflected on an emotional week:

'Pagers came to life all over Skerries town. The boathouse doors were cranked open, the tractor engine was revved into life. The volunteer crew members arrived and were told that the search was underway for Ronan and David. Many of the crew knew the lads and their families. Ronan or David had helped them fix engines, given advice and lent tools. It’s a small community, and the fishing community within it is even smaller.

'The volunteer crew put to sea in record time. Once the families started to arrive at the station, those crew members who had not gone to sea did what they could to reassure people. Kettles were boiled, sandwiches made and questions answered, where possible. The volunteers closed the boathall doors and stood guard, casually, around the building. Anyone who wasn’t known was gently asked to give the family space.

'As the hours wore on the search was called off for the night. The crew stayed with the family members all night.

'Before first light on Saturday 2 April, the lifeboat crew put to sea again. As I was land bound, I spent a lot of time hovering by the radios in the lifeboat station. I drew great comfort from the calm and assured tones coming from the RNLI Howth lifeboat as they took command of the search at sea. I also drew comfort from the fact that so many other craft, along with our flanking station lifeboats, were out there supporting the search. We waited and we hoped. The fishing boat was found. The men were not.

'The week wore on but the volunteer crew continued to search from first to last light. Those who could take time off work covered the day shifts and those who couldn’t came to the station after work to do the evening shifts – or assisted by getting gear ready for the next day. The crew's families supported them and understood. 'The news came on Saturday 9 April, in the quiet stillness, well before first light. Ronan and David had been found. Clogher Head lifeboat went to assist The Guiding Light fishing trawler, which had discovered the two lads. Clogher Head volunteers carried Ronan and David back to land and to their families.

'Now is a very sad time. The Skerries volunteer crew will go about their daily business, they’ll keep their thoughts to themselves and only their families will know how it affects them. Every crew member will, however, always be ready to put to sea again as soon as their pagers go off.'