'It was always a lifetime ambition of mine': Cork man realises Nashville dream 

Even though Micheál Hurley joined the Courtmacsherry RNLI by accident, his tenure lasted for 46 years.

“I was working for the summer at the angling club and the coxswain at the time, Sammy Mearns, a very grand gentleman, a seafarer who I remember always wore a cravat, spotted me and approached me,” recalls Micheál.

“Sammy was Coxswain on the fateful night in 1979 during the Fastnet race,” adds Micheál of the storm that claimed 21 lives.

What did Sammy say to Micheál when he approached him?

“He said to me, ‘You seem like a splendid fellow! Are you interested in joining the RNLI’? Sammy invited me to join”.

Micheál was keen, and it developed into a life-long interest.

“I am still involved in the organisation to this day,” he says. “Especially with fundraising and getting the word out there about the wonderful work that the RNLI do throughout the country.”

Micheál served in several roles, including chief mechanic, as well as writing a book on the history of the volunteer sea rescue service in 1995 called Home From The Sea.

“I am not exactly JK Rowling!” he says. “My book appealed to a limited market.”

He has another claim to fame though, doesn’t he?

“I suppose I do,” he says laughing. “I went to Nashville and recorded a CD.

“It was always a lifetime ambition of mine to record in Nashville.

“The proceeds of the CD are being donated to Courtmacsherry RNLI,” adds Micheál.

“We had a mighty night at the launch at the Courtmacsherry Hotel,”

Did he give a few songs on the mighty night?

“I did to be sure!” says Micheál.

He and his wife, Mary, had a mighty time in Nashville too.

“I said to Mary, wouldn’t it be nice to go to Nashville in April for my 70th birthday,” says Micheál.

Mary was game ball to go to Nashville, and also to visit Memphis, to see The King’s home in Graceland where Elvis resided, and to visit the Grand Ol’ Opry where giants of music appeared before the masses at the height of their fame.

She also accompanied her husband to the Nashville karaoke studio where he could sing his songs to backing music and then download them.

What songs did Micheál record?

“I’m a Kris Kristofferson fan,” he says.

“I recorded Me And Bobby McGee, Help Me Make It Through The Night, Old Dogs, Children And Watermelon Wine, The Streets Of Baltimore, and The Cowboy Rides Away.”

That’s some line-up!

“I turned up and sat on the stool and sang the songs. It was no walk in the park mind you. I had to sing softly in parts and keep pace with the backing tracking. A local man remixed the demo tape for me.”

Micheál admits he had a wobble along the way

“In the cold light of day, I thought, ‘what have I done?’

He had done a great job for a cause close to his heart.

“And I think music and song is great for our mental health,” says Micheál.

“I used Bandcamp, an online music platform, that allows independent artists to sell their music or merchandise. Listeners can purchase downloads and physical formats like vinyl and CDs.

“At the 11th hour I ordered a rake of blank CDs and I sold as many of those as the downloads on Bandcamp.

“By the end of that week, I had reached my target of €1,000 for the Courtmacsherry RNLI. Job done.”

Micheál is delighted with the response that realising his life-long musical ambition resulted in.

“Now I can have a happy Christmas and away with me!” he says.

“It is all about putting the work of the RNLI in the public domain.

“I want to keep the name and the charity in the public eye.”

He is in the public eye now. Micheál sounds like a dead ringer for Kris Kristofferson.

He laughs.

“I love a good hooley,” he says.

“These days. having a sing-song is rare which is a shame. When I’m walking the dog, I meet walkers with their pods in their ears, listening to whatever. They don’t even see you or acknowledge you, which is sad. There is nothing like a good old-fashioned sing-song.”

Micheál says he appreciates the fact I enjoy his singing

“I hope others enjoy my attempt at being a singer!” he says.

“The RNLI is a charity that saves lives at sea in the UK and around the coast of Ireland.”

What was the most dramatic rescue operation that Micheal was involved in during his 46-year career?

“It was the evening of December 19, 1981, in hurricane-force winds and enormous seas,” recalls Micheál, who is a natural storyteller.

“Lifeboat Solomon Browne was launched from Mousehole, Cornwall, to rescue the crew and passengers of the stricken coaster, Union Star, which was drifting toward the shore after engine failure.

“The volunteer crew of eight aboard the Soloman Browne managed to get alongside the coaster several times and successfully rescued four people.

“In the final heroic attempt to rescue the remaining four people, all radio contact was lost.”

The Courtmacsherry RNLI crew awaited radio contact for further news. There was none.

“It was the most harrowing night,” says Micheál. “We waited all night with no sound or no contact forthcoming.

“Our crew were called out the next morning to join the extensive search operation.

“We searched our designated area between Barry’s Point and Cortmacsherry Harbour in the most difficult conditions.

“A total of 16 people aboard the lifeboat and the coaster perished. It was a big disaster.”

The pilot of the rescue helicopter called it, “the greatest act of courage he had ever seen.”.

Coxswain Sammy Mearns was right about Micheál Hurley.

He is a splendid fellow.

To buy the five songs by Micheál online see: https://michealhurley.bandcamp.com/album/miche-l-hurley-sings-in-nashville