The bravery of the Árainn Mhór lifeboat crew who rescued 18 men in horrendous sea conditions in December 1940 was acknowledged today with the unveiling of a monument to the crew on the island.
Eight islanders went to the rescue of the crew of a Dutch cargo ship, the SS Stolwijk, which had been seriously damaged and ran aground on rocks near Toraigh in a violent storm.
Ten of the Dutch crew had drowned trying to abandon ship but the lifeboat crew rescued the remaining 18 and brought them ashore at Ailt an Chorráin.
Among those at the unveiling ceremony was the daughter of one of those rescued, Antonius Leonardus Van Den Bogerd. Liz Hayes said her father never spoke about the war and she only learned the story of the Stolwijk after his death.
She said today's ceremony brought a little bit of her father back to her and she could never thank the lifeboat crew enough.
The crew were awarded medals for their bravery by the Queen of the Netherlands and by the RNLI for their brave rescue.
A gold medal was awarded to coxswain Jack Boyle, one of only three awarded by the RNLI for rescues off the coast of Ireland.
