The GAA and the search and rescue charity, the RNLI, have been working together in communities throughout Ireland to share water safety advice with GAA players and to deliver water safety talks to GAA clubs around the country. As the country enters Phase 2 of Lockdown Exit the RNLI is concerned that lives may be lost as people visit the coast for recreation following the easing of restrictions. Working together, the RNLI and the GAA are sharing important water safety advice and asking people to share the message and know what to do in an emergency. Lifeguards can’t be everywhere, so protect your family, never use inflatables in the sea and dial 112 or 999 for the Coast Guard in an emergency. The key water safety messages from the RNLI and the GAA are:
- Protect your family – we must all take great care on the water this summer and look out for our family and our community
- Do not use inflatables
- In an emergency dial 112 or 999 and ask for Coast Guard
RNLI Head of Water Safety Gareth Morrison said, ‘This partnership between the GAA and the RNLI is literally a lifesaver. As the coronavirus restrictions … ease under the Government’s plan … increasing numbers of people visit our beautiful coast and take to the water.’
GAA President John Horan added: ‘It has been a pleasure to work with the RNLI on our lifesaving partnership for the past three years. With our shared volunteer ethos and our roots in the community, we know that we can continue to help the charity with their vital lifesaving work. The GAA has not been untouched by drowning tragedies. Many of our players and members have suffered because of drowning. It would be unbearable if, as we start to emerge from the coronavirus lockdown and start to spend time with loved ones outside and on the coast, that we might lose a loved one to drowning.’
Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
‘I look forward to seeing this partnership flourish over the coming months and I hope everyone has a safe bank holiday weekend.’
RNLI water safety advice can be found at www.rnli.org/safety
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Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is a proud partner of the GAA in Ireland. The two organisations are working together to improve the health and well-being of local communities with the aim to reduce drowning and to share life-saving advice. To learn more about this work click here
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around Ireland and the UK. The RNLI operates 46 lifeboat stations in Ireland. The RNLI is independent of government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, the charity has saved over 142,200 lives.
Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
