Episode one: Belderrig Cave Rescue

Sunday 5th April 2009

On October 26th 1997 in Co Mayo, Tony Murphy, his wife Carmel and their 11'-year-old daughter, Emma, went on a boat trip with their German neighbour, Will Von Below. But soon the currach was hit by a dramatic freak wave and capsized. Will Von Below was tragically killed as the Murphy family was washed into a 1000 ft sea cave. Hours went by before the survivors were finally spotted by local fishermen. It was the beginning of one of Irelands most arduous rescue operations.

The rescue itself would last 24 hours, involve more than 11 agencies and over 60 people. An RTÉ camera man filmed the heroic operation. Most of the footage has never been seen before. The Irish Coast Guard, Grainne Uaile Sub Aqua Club, the Garda Water Unit and the RNLI were just some of the agencies involved. Michael Heffernan, a member of the local diving club sadly lost his life in the rescue effort.

For the first time Tony Murphy and the men who saved his family tell of the dramatic Belderrig rescue-a rescue that would change lives and a community forever.