‘As soon as I turned 18 I was on a lifeboat' – Kilmore RNLI volunteer on 48 years of saving lives at sea
While the RNLI lifeboat Killarney is a familiar sight in the waters off Kilmore Quay, as it returned to shore on Saturday it was a momentous occasion. After 48 years volunteering, it would mark the last involvement of retiring coxswain Eugene Kehoe.
Over the years, Eugene has played a part in countless rescues and saved numerous lives in heavy seas off the Wexford coast. His first call-out was on a winter's night in 1977. A fresh-faced 18-year-old, he responded to the call aboard the Lady Murphy. There was a proud tradition of service in his family and he signed up to volunteer alongside his grandfather, father and uncles.
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