Wednesday 3 July 2019

July calendar image: Paddy ‘Billy’Power

The July photo from our 2019 Calendar. A Legend in the Barony of Gaultier. Paddy ‘Billy’Power

Paddy ‘Billy’Power’ was Coxswain of the Dunmore East based RNLI ‘Annie Blanche Smith’ for 22 years.
Photo supplied by Dunmore East RNLI.
His reputation as a brave and very competent lifeboat man spread far and wide.  Paddy served a total of 41 years with the RNLI, retiring with four prestigious bronze medals awarded for his bravery, judgment and seamanship. The lifeboat most associated with him was the aforementioned ‘Annie Blanche Smith’ which was called out on 89 rescue missions saving 88 lives.  Among the many rescues attributed to Paddy ‘Billy’ was the December 14, 1950 rescue of the Dunmore trawler, Naomh Deaglán.   Superb judgement and seamanship and bravery were admirably demonstrated on that treacherous night of gale and snow  as Paddy directed operations from the bow of the lifeboat succeeding in getting a line aboard the trawler as it drifted in to the storm lashed  Falskirt Rock.  Long may the man be remembered along with all his lifeboat comrades.

Article by Ray McGrath.

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