Angling notes: 200 Voices series a fitting tribute to RNLI’s priceless work

Ronnie Delany, famed Olympic gold medal winner and vice-president of the RNLI, has long been a great advocate of the respected all-Ireland charity.

On Wednesday last the Arklow athlete contributed to the highly acclaimed 200 Voices podcast with an episode entitled A Beautiful Thing.

He talks of how the RNLI is apolitical in Ireland, of extraordinary friendships he’s made and commends the charity’s commitment to saving lives at sea.

This unique podcast series hears from people and those whose lives have been touched by the lifesaving charity.

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It features locals with a special kinship to their lifeboat station, a crew member who’s been on service for a generation, or the family of someone rescued by a frontline lifesaver – each episode is sure to take the listener on a journey through a touching story.

Launched in August the series already features several contributions of Irish interest including Niamh Fitzpatrick Remembers One of Our Own, a personal reflection on how, after losing her sister Dara at sea, the RNLI continues to mean so much to her.

Fr Tom Dalton is a Courtown crew member and the Co Wexford priest describes what it’s like when rescue turns into recovery in Pulling Together.

In The Calm before Force 10. Baltimore Kieran Cotter remembers an event that was to change yacht racing forever, the 1979 Fastnet tragedy. It details the fateful call out and the response to the disaster.

The challenge of saving lives in a remote place is the theme of Outer Limits by Aran Islands doctor Marion Broderick.

In Home from the Sea, Phil Coulter talks of his relationship with the charity and writing a song that has been adopted as an RNLI anthem

Former president Mary McAleese recalls a life lived close to the water and her relationship and work with the RNLI.

Available across various podcast platforms, listeners can hear from survivors, supporters, volunteers, lifeguards, celebrity ambassadors, historians and many more from across Wales, England, Scotland, Ireland and beyond.

Listen to the 200 Voices daily, wherever you get your podcasts or at org/200Voices.

To find out more about the bicentenary, visit RNLI.org/200

Alternatively, contact the press office on pressoffice@rnli.org.uk or 00 441202 336789. Tom McGuire, Regional Media Officer – Ireland & Scotland, 00 353 87 476 4436, Thomas.mcguire@rnli.org.uk

North Wales police target poachers

Officers from enforcement teams are currently working in collaboration with North Wales Police Rural Crime Team, on a series of night patrols to tackle poaching and rural crime during the spawning season and the run up to Christmas.

Officers are double crewing police vehicles to provide a high visibility presence on the roads and rivers of North Wales.

David Powell, operations anager, said: “It can impact the angling industry which is worth millions of pounds to the Welsh economy every year. If you see any suspicious or illegal activity please report it on our incident hotline on 0300 065 3000.”

Derek Wilkes with a rainbow trout while fishing in Annamoe Trout Fisheries Winter League. Most of the fish were caught on a sliding buzzer.

If you have an angling story to share, please send to me at angling@irishtimes.com