Wreath layers and dignatories pictured at the memorial service at the momument in memory of those lost at sea in Kilmore Quay. Pic: Jim Campbell
A LARGE crowd attended the recent Memorial Ceremony at Kilmore Quay Memorial Garden, which is in its 15th year and this year, focused in a special way on those lost on passenger ships.
The event has taken place every year since 2000 on Father’s Day but this year, due to the centenary of the sinking of the Lusitania, there was special tribute to those lost on passenger ships as 1,100 people lost their lives on that historic voyage.
The event was attended by government ministers Paul Kehoe and Brendan Howlin as well as local councillors and officials.
Cllr. Jim Moore explained that during the year, the group had also been lucky enough to acquire the anchor of an old sailing ship called ‘The Pomona’. The anchor was found in 1972 by a local fisherman Jack ‘Lack’ Bates after it got caught in his fishing gear off the Blackwater bank.
He added: “To mark the occasion, we added another new feature this year which was the placing of a lantern in the garden which will remain lighting constantly and we asked Jack to do us the honour of lighting it on the day.”
This year’s speaker was local Fine Gael councillor Larry O’Brien who was a passenger on the Herald of Free Enterprise Ship which capsized moments after leaving the Belgian port of Zeebrugge on March 6, 1987.
Cllr. O’Brien was a survivor of that disaster but also was very much involved in the rescue operation. Approximately 200 lives were lost.
[Full story in this week’s Echo]
