Day 110, Tues 18 April

From the end of the long Mizen peninsula, back eastwards along the northern edge, with views of the other side of Mount Gabriel, around Dunmanus and Bantry Bays, via Bantry Town and Glengarriff, then west again along the Ring of Beara to Castletownbere.  The geography is becoming more like the north west of Scotland. Dramatic views ahead and to the right, with the dark and rugged Slieve Miskish mountain tops slowly disappearing into thickening cloud. My climbing statistics are increasing impressively, along with a slight drop in average speed! The reward of each climb seems to improve in proportion to the height gained and effort needed to crest each brow. Thankfully, the cloud-base is still too high to obscure the stunning views back across Bantry Bay towards Sheep’s Head.

Castletownbere Lifeboat Station is relatively new to the RNLI, established in the late 1990s with on old but well loved Arun Class Lifeboat. This was then replaced in 2004 by a brand new Severn Class, the Annette Hutton and a fine new Shore Facility was built in 2014.

Many thanks to Brian (Cox’n), Marney (Mech) and Michael (RNLI Area Lifesaving Manager for Cork) for a great welcome.

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Thanks again Brian and all at the Castletownbere Lifeboat Station for the extremely kind and generous insistence in arranging my accommodation at a fine local hotel.  Thanks also to Michael, Brian, Marney, Tony, Paul, Felix, Martin and Dave for the invitation to sit in on the ALM’s evening meeting. More later, on this unique opportunity to understand the many elements of running a modern Lifeboat Station.

But for now, I’ll end with one of the local tales from Brian & Marney’s repertoire:

An American tourist sitting in a Castletownbere bar, sipping his first pint of Guinness, watches a couple of local fishermen approach the bar after a long day at sea. They pick up their beers and knock them back in just a few seconds. Down in one. “Gee!” says the American. After a brief chat about the beer and their thirst, the visitor lays down a challenge. “If you guys can drink 10 of those in 30 minutes, I’ll pay for the beers and give you €100 each.”    The two local lads have a quiet consultation and reply “Ok. We just have to nip out for half an hour first”

Half an hour passes, they return in good spirit, ready for the challenge. The beers are lined up. Ten pints each, knocked back well within the time. The American, in awe, pays up. “Gee fellas, I’m impressed. But tell me, where did you go for the half hour before you returned?”

“Well,” one of them replied “we just went to the pub away down the road to be sure we could do it.”

Day 109, Mon 17 April

No Lifeboats to visit today. Just a 50 mile scenic detour via a significant land mark. Mizen Head, the most southerly point of the Irish mainland. The often used description as the most south-westerly point is a curious one. It is not the most westerly.  Land’s End in Cornwall and John O’Groats in Scotland are on none of the south, west, north or east Cardinal points of GB, but at least the Mizen IS a true Irish Cardinal. My next one will be the most westerly at Dunmore Head. Not quite as well known but an equally important one to tick off a few days up the road.

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Meanwhile, back to Lifeboat Station visits tomorrow. The planned routes for the first few days along the southern Irish Coast was based on how many I could manage to visit each day.  As found in parts of Scotland last year, as I begin to turn north, the distances between RNLI Stations has now increased to the point where I have to count how many days between each Lifeboat Station.

Day 108, Sunday 16 April 

So much to say about the great number of lovely people I’ve met today at Courtmac, Union Hall and Baltimore; the stunning scenery and killer coastal climbs; incidents en route (some scary, some very funny) … but right now, my head is as tired as my legs, so for now I’ll just let some pictures do the talking ….

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Today’s credits go to:

Brendan and Richard at Travara Lodge in Courtmacsherry for their excellent bed & breakfast and very generous support of the RNLI. Top quality breakfast. Highly recommended. I only wish I’d had time to stay for the day to sample those delicious cakes above.

Garry/Elvis, Courtmacsherry Harbour Lifeboat crew, for taking time out to meet me and sign my chart. A flat calm, tranquil setting this Easter Sunday morning, for the photos taken by Elvis (and me). Not like the typical conditions expected off the wild Irish south-west Atlantic coast when this All-weather Lifeboat is called to service.

Pamela at Union Hall Lifeboat Station, for arranging such a big welcoming committee and preparing an excellent lunch hamper! Thanks also to Peter (DLA), Michael (Helm), Anthony & Johnny (crew), Mick & Carmel (Fundraisers’ and very kind heavy bag carriers) for making my visit to your quite new ILB Station so enjoyable. An extra thank you to Mick & Carmel for lightening my load and easing the climbs on the last leg of the day to Baltimore.

Tom the Baltimore LOM, who also runs the very busy and popular Bushe’s Bar, for providing a room for the night on one of the busiest days of the year and introducing me to several crew members. This included Kieran Cotter, one of the most distinguished, decorated and respected Coxswains still serving, who gave me the most interesting, informative and thorough guided tour of his Lifeboat Station. Modest Kieran did not tell me himself, but he has been involved in several rescues in the Fastnet Rock area, including the famous Fastnet Yacht Race drama in 1991. Read the brief history of this Lifeboat Station  here!  Later, after a major carbohydrate refuelling session, I was introduced to other crew members, past and present, back at Bushe’s. This included the senior Mr Richard Bushe, former long-term Cox’n and father of Tom the LOM, Cathal (Station mechanic), Thorsten(ex-crew) and Pat Collins, son of the 1960s-’80s Cox’n, Christy Collins. I’m still not sure how much a pint of Guinness costs in this country, thanks to the aforementioned characters, who forbade me from opening my wallet. How humbling is that?

Day 107, Sat 15 April 

Looking out over the harbour towards Ballycotton Island Lighthouse at high tide this morning before departure, the glassy sheen of the sea and the deep green of the island backdrop reminded me of last night’s words of wisdom from young Saoirse. When I asked her what she could tell me about Cork, her home  county. “Well,” she said, “Ireland is like a beautiful bottle floating in the sea. But without Cork, it would soon sink.”

From here, towards Cork City, Cobh Island ferry, then the first port of call: Crosshaven Lifeboat Station. The crew had just finished a training exercise on their B-Class Atlantic lifeboat. Thanks Patsy (LOM), JP(DLA), Ian (Helm), James, Warrren, & Chartai (crew) and Philomena (SHELL).

Across the road to The Oar, a great pub run by the Lifeboat DLA, JP English. Thanks JP, for the home made soup & bread lunch, just what I needed to help me up the climb out of Crosshaven. Good luck and best wishes to all the crew here for a safe season ahead in this busy leisure boating harbour.

Next stop, Kinsale. A relatively young Lifeboat Station by RNLI standards, in the scenic and rich historic setting of Kinsale’s natural harbour. Thanks so much to two long serving, senior Lifeboat men, Robert Acton and Kevin Gould (both DLAs), for turning out on a Saturday afternoon, plying me with gallons of tea, several thick chunks of coffee & walnut cake and a good hour of fascinating and sometimes hilarious debate.

One more leg on this long day to make it a total of 65 miles/ 108Km to Courtmacsherry. After another hour and a half of heavy going and a fast, winding descent, the beautiful Courtmacsherry Harbour was reached. The bright orange lifeboat was tantalisingly close, just a few hundred metres across another long, narrow natural harbour. But there were a few more miles still to pedal… up, across and back down to Travara Lodge, my bed for the night. But first, refuelling time in the busy Lifeboat Inn, just two doors down. After so much good meat, fish and potatoes over recent days, I thought a more balanced diet is needed this evening. So I went for a salad starter. Warm Clonakilty black pudding and bacon salad, washed down with a pint of something cold and black, followed by code & prawn buttered crumble with chips and more salad on the side. Enough to replace some of the 3,800Kcals that Garmin tells me I burned off today.

And so to sleep.

Day 106, Friday 14 April 

Having already been down to the remote Helvick Head and back last night, this morning’s departure was from Dungarvan, where I had spent the night in the Park Hotel. Many thanks to the management and staff for their kind support of the RNLI. A great place to stay, with great food and almost every conceivable leisure facility. Alas, no time to indulge.

Today’s first rendesvous was with a few keen cyclists from Youghal Lifeboat Station. John (LTO) had already insisted on arranging for all my baggage to be picked up, so that unladen Fondo and I could breeze through Dungarvan and up the long climb out…   8 miles later, we were still climbing, into a gentle but cold headwind! Thanks be to Laura, on this Good Friday, that I was travelling light today. John(crew training co-ord), ‘Tuck’ (Helm), Liam (ILB crew) and young Jason (future crew) met me, as planned, about half way to Youghal, turned back into wind and set a cracking pace, like a mini peloton, all the way down & around the coast to Youghal.

An unexpected and impressive reception had been arranged for our arrival at their ILB Station, where lunch had been prepared. And that’s not where the Youghal hospitality and support ended. A very generous contribution to the fund plus continued company on the road all the way to Ballycotton ALB Station. If I had cycled solo, as normal, fully laden, into wind, I might have arrived just about on schedule. But with the Youghal effect, we were there about an hour ahead of time.

Many, many thanks this time, to Derry (LOM), Mark(DLA), Brendan (DLA), Seamus (mech) and Laura (catering & transport) plus the aforementioned intrepid cyclists. On arrival, it was immediately clear that the crews of today’s two flanking stations get on very well, sometimes meeting out at sea on a joint exercise or combined call to service.

Ballycotton Lifeboat Station overlooks the harbour, with a good range of small fishing boats and the tall Trent Class all-weather Lifeboat proudly taking centre stage on it’s mooring at the harbour entrance. More crew to meet here, including Eolan (Cox’n), Peter (Mech), Sìla, Clare, Stephen & Barry (crew). The early arrival allowed more time for shared refreshments and Lifeboat banter. Where does the time go? Many thanks Eolan, Nessa and Saoirse for the warm welcome and invitation to join you at your family table for a very Good Friday fish supper.

Day 105,  Thurs 13 April 

Today’s thank yous go to:

• The many committee and crew members of Dunmore East Lifeboat for such a great reception, organising my overnight stay for me at The Haven and fixing Fondo’s wobbly pannier rack.
• George Pepper, the Waterford cyclist who joined me for a few miles on the road to Tramore, shared very useful local knowledge and bought me a coffee.
• Frank N, Eamon M and Damian for meeting me at the bottom of the steep approach to their ILB Station at Tramore and the kind donation, via me, to the institution they have already given many years of voluntary service.
• Sean at Helvick Head for the full tour and history of the ILB Station.
• The Park Hotel in Dungarvan for the gratis accommodation and dinner in support of the RNLI

Another good day’s cycling. The rugged and scenic Copper Coast of County Waterford could easily be mistaken for the old tin mining bits of the West Cornwall coast. Some short, sharp climbs!

Tuesday 11 April.  Docking alongside a Severn Class Lifeboat confirmed that my first bike ride on Irish tera-firma was likely to be my shortest. Less than 50 metres to Rosslare Harbour Lifeboat Station, where Fondo was unloaded and tucked up for the night. Many thanks to Jamie Ryan,DLA/ LPO, for such kind hospitality and a bed for the night at his huge old farmhouse overlooking the sea.
Weds 12 April, Day 104.
Back to Rosslare Harbour Lifeboat. Thanks to Michael (RNLI mechanic) for adding the 194th signature to the well-worn/well travelled chart. A long day ahead. First stop,  Kilmore-Quay Lifeboat, 25Km along the coast into a brisk, cool, westerly headwind. Met a local legend en route.

Bobby O’Dowd, now 83, still riding his racing bike daily. He cycled with the famous Roches and Kellys and bought one of Eddie Mercx’s bikes from him when they met many years ago.
The Kilmore Quay Tamar ALB is moored in the still busy, sheltered harbour. (A quick reminder that most Lifeboat Stations here pre-date the 100 year old Republic of Ireland and they remain part of the RNLI, usually with a long, distinguished history of saving lives at sea. You can read their brief history notes by clicking on each named Lifeboat Station link as you read. Almost all of them also have a Facebook page with regular postings of recent activity.)

Another 34Km to the very contrasting setting of Fethard ILB Station. As usual, all unpaid volunteers. Many thanks to Walter(LOM), Eoin(Helm) and Kevin(Crew) for turning out to welcome me. Three of Eoin’s great uncles were lost in the attempted rescue of the crew of the stricken Schooner “Mexico”.
From Fethard, the direct route to today’s final destination would be just another 27Km. But Hook Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in THE WORLD still operating, is just a 16km detour down to the end of The Hook peninsula and back. Not to be missed.
Needless to say, by the time I reached Dunmore East I was well behind schedule.
But what a welcome from so many members of the local RNLI committee (mostly stalwart ladies plus a couple of crew)! Thank you so much Margaret, Carol, Liz, Carmel McAllister, Shirley and Eddie, for being there AND arranging accommodation at the very grand Haven Hotel, in such a beautiful setting above the harbour.
Today I have learned a lesson. You can’t rush through Ireland. The country is far too beautiful and the people much too friendly, interesting and interested. I might have to reassess my estimation of times of arrival and departure.

It’s a hard life, out on the Irish Sea, eating a Jack Daniels glazed burger with sweet potato fries (courtesy of Stena Line), trying not to spill red wine on my bright new RNLI fundraising cycling Jersey.
But not as hard as it must be in a Lifeboat, trying to rescue the crew of a stricken trawler or leisure craft. Hats off to the 237 crews around the entire coastline of the UK and ROI. The vast majority are volunteers, totally dependant upon voluntary contributions to fund their training and all their kit, from yellow wellies to a state-of-the-art all-weather Lifeboat.
I now look forward to meeting more of these crew members from the 45 Lifeboat Stations around the beautiful Emerald Isle, now on my horizon.

Loaded up, with somewhere to go.  Ireland.

The last 2,000 miles beckon, around the entire coast of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, via the remaining 45 RNLI Lifeboat Stations.
Fondo is clean, oiled, fine tuned and ready to roll. Note the new orange T-shirt!

Since last year’s completion of the 5,300 mile circuit of all the non Irish bits of the British Isles, the legs have wintered well, thanks to fairly regular training rides. Some solo, some in the good company of my old friend and serious cycling buddy, Keith Graham.
Off to Fishguard next Tuesday, 11 April, for the Rosslare ferry. Many thanks to Carl, Fishguard Lifeboat crew and Port Manager, for arranging my passage with Stena.
Fundraising cycling resumes in earnest on Wednesday, with a 64 mile (that’s 103 km in Ireland) ride from Rosslare Harbour to Dunmore East, via Kilmore Quay, Fethard and Hook Lighthouse).
Just need to clear these last few timbers (brought down by storm Doris) from the garden and re-stock the log shed before I go.