Inspection of River Dee for new slipway

Dundalk Democrat - Saturday September 7th 2002

Readers may recall last month we published an article where an Ardee woman, Mary Johnson, who has been very much involved with the Boyne River Rescue and Recovery and Garda Coastwatch Service, wanted a proper, slipway provided along the banks of the river Dee, in Ardee, to enable the river rescue service easy access into the river in the event of an emergency.

At that time Mary, from John Street, said that she wanted proper access to the Dee, for the Rescue boats. 'The situation in Ardee and along the banks of the Dee, to Annagassan, is that there are no entry points for a rescue boat to get into the river. This problem will have to be overcome. There are also no buoys at any point along the Dee, in the Ardee area. This again will have to be looked at', she said.

Mary, has for some years, been involved in fund raising for the Boyne Fishermens Rescue and Recover service, and as a result they named a new boat the "Ferdia" in recognition of the great support which they have received from the people of the Deeside town.

Last month Mary, said she was mounting a new campaign to have a new slipway and buoys provided in Ardee along the River Dee.

Well this week her campaign has been taken a step further, for we have been informed that a meeting and an inspection of the banks of the river Dee will take place this week.

This meeting will involve Mary Johnson, representatives of the Boyne Fishermen Rescue and Recover Service, and a representative of Louth Co. Council.

Mary said this week that she was delighted that a meeting and inspection of the river is now going to take place.

"We need to have proper access for the rescue services to gain entry into the Dee, in the case of an emergency for the Boyne River Rescue and Recover Service, or indeed for any other rescue service. As it is, and has been for a long number of years, there are no access entries to the water. There are also no buoys at any point along the Dee in the Ardee area. This also will have to be looked at", she said,

Mrs. Johnson said that she feels that good progress can be made at this weeks meeting and she is hopeful for a positive outcome.

The chief officer in charge of the Boyne River Rescue and Recovery Service, Mr. Michael Hodgins, said that he, and other members will be attending the meeting and inspection of the Dee. "There is a great need for a slipway into the Dee near Ardee, and I hope we can come up with something constructive on the matter", he said.

He added that the Boyne River Rescue and Recovery Service would love to be able to train people in the Ardee areas for river rescue. "It is someting we want to do, we have trained many people all over Ireland, and we will be more than willing to do the same for the people of Ardee', he said.

Mr. Hodgins continued; "We would like to start a rescue service in Ardee. if there is an interest in this, we will be more than willing to train those involved. We will bring them to Drogheda and we will go to Ardee".

It is understood that if the matter concerning the slipway into the river Dee is solved and completed, then it can be expected that a public meeting will be held in Ardee to see if there is interest in forming a branch of the Boyne Fishermen Rescue and Recover service in the town. Michael Hodgins said he would be delighted to have a branch formed in Ardee

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ardee Town Council, Cllr. Tom Minogue, said that he will welcome anything that will be beneficial to Ardee and its people.

"We on the Town Council have a meeting arranged with the Boyne Fishermen Rescue and Recovery Service in October. I feel there will be across the board support for them', he said.

© Dundalk Democrat