Lough Ree RNLI volunteer crew were the recipients of a number of personalised gifts from a great supporter at a presentation on Sunday afternoon last.
Limerick man, Mark Conway (43), visited Athlone with his friend Tommy Corbett and key worker Ivana Kottesova. The creative artist, who honed his skills with the Brothers of Charity in Limerick, contacted then Operations Manager, Tony McCarth, earlier this year to offer the replica as a gift to the charity.
At a special ceremony at the Lough Ree RNLI boathouse at Coosan Point, Mr. Conway met Tony McCarth, Operations Manager Jude Kilmartin, Treasurer Vincent Rafter and members of the crew and their families, where he presented them with the metre-long model of a lifeboat.
During the visit Mark had another surprise in store when he also presented a painting of a lifeboat which was also his own work.
A great supporter of the RNLI, Mr. Conway’s key worker Ivana Kottesova said: “Mark has already made presentations to the RNLI at Lough Derg, Kilrush, Courtmacsharry, and Kinsale and hopes eventually to visit all RNLI lifeboat stations on the island.
Lough Ree RNLI Operations Manager Jude Kilmartin expressed the charity’s gratitude for the presentation and said he “looked forward to displaying the art in a place of prominence in the new RNLI boathouse”, which is on schedule for completion later this year.
During the weekend trip to Athlone, the Limerick visitors were guests of Viking Boat Tours for an afternoon on the River Shannon and Lough Ree which they thoroughly enjoyed.
