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Athlunkard Boat Club receive defibrillator Athlunkard Boat Club receive defibrillator

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PHOTOS Athlunkard Boat Club receive defibrillator from the South Limerick City Residents Association

Athlunkard Boat Club receive defibrillator from the South Limerick City Residents Association. Pictured at Athlunkard Boat Club, for the presentation of the donated defibrillator is Gerry O’Connell, a volunteer with South Limerick City Residents Association, Mike Kiely, Secretary of Athlunkard Boat Club, Mahmood Kodok, a volunteer with South Limerick City Residents Association, Ewan Gallaher, captain, and Dom Kiely, Trustee. Picture: Conor Owens/ilovelimerick.

Athlunkard Boat Club receive defibrillator from the South Limerick City Residents Association

By ilovelimerick correspondent Chloe Reidy

Athlunkard Boat Club were the recipients of a defibrillator on Friday, May 3, that was donated to them from the South Limerick City Residents Association. Gerry O’Connell, a volunteer from the South Limerick City Residents Association, was on-hand to present the device to Mike Kiely, Secretary of Athlunkard Boat Club, and other members of the club. Athlunkard Boat Club is situated on the O’Dwyer Bridge and has up to 40 active members.


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Athlunkard Boat Club was given the defibrillator due to an accident that occurred last February involving a young twelve-year-old girl, Amy Mulcahy. Amy was left seriously injured after her boat capsized while out rowing with other members of the club, on the River Shannon. Amy is currently at Temple Street Hospital, Dublin.  

Members of Athlunkard Boat Club were present on Friday to receive the defibrillator, along with Daniel Butler, the Mayor of the Metropolitan District of Limerick and Senator Maria Byrne.

Mike Kiely, Secretary of Athlunkard Boat Club, said, “We are delighted to receive the defibrillator from the South City Residents Association. It is such an honour for us to be the recipient of this life-saving device. Thank you very much to Gerry, and to all those at the South City Residents Association, for all the great work that they do.”

Gerry O’Connell, a volunteer with The South Limerick City Residents Association, said, “We chose Athlunkard Boat Club because of the tragedy that happened here. We felt we had to do something.”

The South Limerick City Residents Association were founded in February 2013, by a group of neighbours and like-minded people with the aim of enhancing and improving their local community.

The South Limerick City Residents Association have previously donated a defibrillator to the community of Limerick in 2013, by placing one outside O’Sullivan’s Pharmacy on O’Connell Avenue. In 2018, however, the case of the defibrillator was damaged after an act of vandalism. The Association raised funds to replace the case and to upgrade the defibrillator, through funding.

The South Limerick City Residents Association plan on donating a defibrillator again next year, to another worthy cause, as a defibrillator can cost up to €1,900.

A concert was also held that night at St. Mary’s Cathedral in honour of Amy Mulcahy, by several musicians from the Irish World Music Academy. The concert was free to the public, but a donation box was set-up for those who wished to donate to the Amy Mulcahy Fund.

For more information on Athlunkard Boat Club, go here.

For more stories on Athlunkard Boat Club, go here

For more stories on the South Limerick City Residents Association, go here.

To make a donation to the Amy Mulcahy Fund, go here.

Pictures: Conor Owens/ilovelimerick

Richard is a presenter, producer, songwriter and actor. He was named the Limerick Person of the Year (2011) and won an online award at the Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (2011) for promoting multi-culturalism online. Richard says that the ilovelimerick.com concept is very much a community driven project that aims to document life in Limerick. So, that in 20 years time people can look back and remember the events that were making the headlines.