President Michael D Higgins has described as heroic the 26-day search to recover the bodies of the five crew of the Tit Bonhomme trawler.
At an interfaith remembrance ceremony in Union Hall, Mr Higgins told the lone survivor, Abdul Mohammed, and the families of the five men who died they could take heart from the strength of the communities around them.
Like many other people, Mr Higgins watched closely as events unfolded following the sinking of the Tit Bonhomme in January.
The ship sank at the mouth of Glandore Harbour in West Cork in January
It was President Higgins' wish to go to Union Hall to pay tribute to those volunteers who joined the emergency services in that 26-day search operation.
Today he described their success in recovering all five bodies as heroic.
After an interfaith prayer service in which Catholic, Church of Ireland and Muslims were represented, President Higgins met the families and friends of the five crew who died.
He also met the sole survivor Abdul Mohammed.
Caitlín Uí Aodh, whose husband Michael skippered the Tit Bonhomme, said their bonds as fishermen transcended the differences of their Irish and Egyptian backgrounds.
At the end of the ceremony, the Shannon Coastguard helicopter flew up Glandore Harbour, hovering briefly over the pier.
