RNLI volunteers from Cork enjoy 'particularly special' day at Croker  

RNLI volunteers from Cork city, Kinsale, and Youghal were among the representatives who were in Croke Park during last Saturday’s All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final at Croke Park, to promote the charity’s water safety partnership with the GAA.

Described as a “particularly special” occasion for the RNLI, the partnership’s water safety activation on the day delivered key messages to over 55,000 people who were attending both the Tailteann Cup Final between Down and Laois and the All-Ireland semi-final between Armagh and Kerry.

'Float to Live' 

Before the throw-in at the Armagh and Kerry decider, the RNLI and GAA’s activity consisted of a flag display on the pitch with one highlighting an image of an all-weather lifeboat at sea and the other highlighting the message ‘Float to Live’.

Among the RNLI representatives were Paul Roseingrave, a water safety advisor in Cork city, Gerard Quinn and Kenneth Forde from Kinsale and Oisin Daly, Jason Innes, and John McCarthy from Youghal.

Now in its seventh year, the RNLI and GAA water safety partnership serves to raise awareness of drowning prevention and to educate communities on how to stay safe in and around the water.

Anniversary

“It was particularly special for the RNLI to be in Croke Park this year as the charity marks its 200th anniversary,” Oisin Daly said, speaking after the event.

“For a charity to have survived 200 years based on the time and commitment of volunteers, and the sheer generosity of the public donating to fund it, is truly remarkable.

“This partnership highlights the shared values between ourselves in the RNLI and the GAA, notably volunteerism and the importance of communities.

“It is always a privilege for volunteers like ours at Youghal to be invited to Croke Park on such a big day in the GAA’s championship calendar and have the opportunity to promote a key drowning prevention message, ‘Float To Live’,” he added.