The dangers of fishing were recalled in Castletownbere this afternoon when the families of four fishermen who died in the sinking of a local fishing boat in November, gathered with the local community for a memorial service. The bodies of three of the four fishermen in who were lost have never been recovered.
The fishing fleet remained in port in Castletownbere today as the community gathered to remember those who had died. Castletownbere church was packed to capacity as a fishing community remembered its dead. There's still no explanation for the loss of the trawler, St Gervaise and its crew of four when it struck rocks off Mizen Head. Only one body was recovered: that of Timothy Ackland, who was buried six weeks ago. Despite the efforts of Naval Service divers who attended today's memorial service, the bodies of three fishermen are still missing.
The inability to recover the bodies is particularly hard for the families and the fishing community, who gathered to remember Gary Kane, Kieran Harrington and the French fishermen who came to live in Castletownbere, Jacques Biger. The last time his family were in the local church was for the celebration of his wedding to a local girl. Today the family's return in the tragic circumstances was particularly sad for his sister as she remembered him at the Memorial Mass.
The Government was represented by Minister of State at the Department of the Marine, Hugh Byrne and Minister for Agriculture, Joe Walsh. For the fishing people of Castletownbere, it was an evening of sadness and memories.
