Children eager to learn water safety

AROUND 180 children have taken part in this year’s Irish Water Safety Summer Weeks Programme.

Hosted by Cork Water Safety in Garrylucas near Kinsale, the kids took part in various water activities to aid their proficiency and confidence in the water, while also teaching both basic and advanced rescue techniques.

The youngest kids between the ages of four and 11, were taken to a level where they are competent in the water and can feel safe. Depending on their level, some were even shown basic rescue techniques.

Those older and of a more advanced swimming levels were brought to Dooneen Pier near the Speckled Door and were taken out into open water. Learning things such as distance swimming, as well as both contact and non-contact rescues, the kids were taken to a proficiency level where they can help others at sea.

Spearheaded by lead instructor Colom Ó Meachair, and with the help of Éamonn Ó Meachair, Síle Ní Mheachair and Conor O’Flynn, the programme provided the kids with invaluable water experience and skills.

The course is carefully designed to ensure that the kids are of a very high standard before helping others in the water, something that Ed O’Riordan of Cork Water Safety emphasised.

“This year that we had between 170-180 participants and so on Friday (July) 14, we had a little bit of a presentation to the kids in the swim classes,” he said.

“These would mostly be kids up to the age of about 11 or 12, and I invited Christopher O’Sullivan TD along just to mark the occasion, and he was delighted to do so.

“He spoke to the kids then at the presentation about how great it was to see so many of them showing so much commitment to learning water safety, to swim, and safety on the beaches and in open water areas.

“All the people involved, the instructors, coordinators, and all that, it’s all on a voluntary basis, so we’re really thankful for what they do.”