Tony Kehoe pictured with Mayor Cllr Ger Carthy and the crew of the Rosslare Harbour lifeboat on the occasion of Mr Kehoe’e retirement from the RNLI. Pic: Jim Campbell
LIFEBOAT CREW, past and present, family, fundraisers and well-wishers galore all gathered at the weekend to wish one of Rosslare RNLI’s most well-known and respected lifeboat men, a long and happy retirement.
Tony Kehoe spent 42 years volunteering with the RNLI as well as working as a fleet mechanic for the charity for a decade. In a day filled with emotion, Tony was taken out on a final lifeboat exercise with his colleagues. The railings down to the lifeboat had been lined with banners and Tony’s family, including his wife Veronica, daughter Sonia, son Brian, son-in-law Kieran, daughter-in-law Louise and grandchildren Robyn, Hannah, Darragh, Joe and Harry were there to witness his final lifeboat exercise.
On returning to shore after the short trip, which brought them out past Tuskar Rock, members and supporters of Rosslare RNLI lined the walkway back to the lifeboat station and Tony shook everyone’s hand to receive congratulations and good wishes for a well-deserved retirement.
A reception was held later that evening at Culleton’s in Kilrane where family, friends and lifeboat people gathered to pay tribute. RNLI Divisional Operations Manager Owen Medland presented Tony with his RNLI Certificate of Service which detailed every position Tony had held in the charity, including the many years he acted as second mechanic.
Rosslare RNLI Deputy Launching Authority and Lifeboat Press Officer Jamie Ryan was the evening’s MC and speakers on the night included Rosslare RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager David Maloney, Coxswain Eamon O’Rourke and representatives from the flanking lifeboat stations Kilmore Quay and Wexford RNLI with both Lifeboat Operations Manager Joe Maddock and Lifeboat Helm David Maguire paying their own tributes to Tony.
Commenting on Tony’s retirement Rosslare Harbour RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager David Maloney said: “We wanted to mark this event properly as Tony has been such an important person in Rosslare RNLI. He is a lifeboat man through-and-through and while he was never afraid to tell it like it is, he always had the interests of the crew and the lifeboat at his heart. He is one of the first people you would want on the lifeboat on a bad night and we have all benefited from his advice and counsel over the years. I know we are not losing that and Tony will be a regular and welcome visitor to our door.”
