Claddagh Watch is seeking to find families who have lost their loved ones to the water over the years, so that they can be remembered at a special remembrance ball which will be held in the Galway Bay Hotel, on the 28th of December 2019.
The night will have a ceremony for us to remember all those we have lost, followed by a formal sit down meal and entertainment.
The aim of the ball is to remember those who have lost their lives to water here, in Galway City and County and further afield.
The Remembrance Ball is the first of its kind, and it will be a very special night, with a wall to remember those who have tragically passed away to the waters of Galway. Whether a loved one has been lost through fishing, swimming or other tragic manner this Ball is to remember them all.
Three other worthy causes will be supported by this event; Pieta House, RNLI and GELS in Ballinasloe.
About Claddagh Watch:
Claddagh Watch, which came to fruition in the summer of this year, sees volunteers patrolling the most dangerous ‘black spot’ areas along the waterways at night time and into the early morning, in an attempt to notice dangerous or concerning behaviour in people and to help them to safety.
The Claddagh Watch volunteers, most of whom have mental health awareness programmes such as SafeTalk and ASIST training and/or First Responder skills lookout for vulnerable people who appear to be struggling due to alcohol or substance misuse or are showing signs of depression around the waterways, they approach them and provide assistance and support if necessary.
Members of Claddagh Watch never enter the river, even in emergency situations.The main aim of the patrols is to prevent an incident and to notify the emergency services as quickly as possible in the event of one.
Claddagh Watch provide vital information on the details of the incident and assist in any searches. Coldwater shock and the rough undercurrents mean that a casualty needs to be rescued within minutes and currently the organisation has around 70 volunteers who selflessly give up their free time to help ensure that the people of Galway get home safe at night.
In the first 10 weeks of the charity’s operation, Claddagh Watch volunteers have assisted in 25 incidents, including 5 water rescues. Claddagh Watch was founded in early 2019, and began patrolling the Galway Waterways in July.
Each year, Galway City is numbed by the too frequent news of yet another tragic death due to drowning in the River Corrib. The second fastest flowing city river in Europe can be mesmerising to look at as it pulses its way through the city, but sadly the sheer power and danger that lie beneath can sometimes be forgotten. This vibrant, culture-filled city with many pubs and nightclubs near the water’s edge has seen a chilling rise in the number of both accidental and suicidal deaths in the waterways over the past number of years, with five lives claimed in three days earlier this year alone.