Quilty Mourns Tragic Local Fishermen

The community of Quilty is grieving the loss of two popular local men this evening, after the recovery of two bodies off the coast of Spanish Point.

Searches had been ongoing since last evening when the two man crew of the "Lady Eileen" Trawler failed to return to Quilty as scheduled.

The two fishermen have been named locally as Michael Galvin and Noel Dickinson.

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A search and recovery operation resumed at first light this morning and crews from Doolin and Kilkee were offered assitance by the Irish coastgurad, Garda and Navy divers and other local rescue services including Killaloe, while there was also a huge show of support from the local community around Quilty and Miltown Malbay with local volunteers and boats also joining the search.

Shortly after 12 o ‘clock the worst fears of the community were realised as two bodies were recovered from the sea at Breaffa South behind the local post office and convenience store in Spanish Point

Mattie Shannon of the Doolin Coastguard explained that the men were located near their vessel around 600 metres from shore.

Harrowing scenes followed at Seafield Pier as grieiving families of the two missing fisherman were joined in silence by  large crowds from the Quilty Community as the two bodies were brought to land, and prayers were offered by the local parish priest  Fr Pat Larkin.

Robert Johnson, a cousin of one of the fishermen said people are struggling to understand what went wrong for the two experienced fishermen.

The Quilty community is now mourning the loss of two popular citizens – 65 year old Michael Galvin is survived by his wife Liz, and their two sons and daughter are trying to make ttheir way home from Sydney, Australia having recevied the devastating news

Noel Dickinson was a neighbour of the Galvins in the Seaview area of Quilty. He was in his early thirties and is survived by his partner who is expecting their first child, as well as his parents ans sisters.

Both men are sadly mourned in the tight- knit Quilty community this evening – as locals express sadness and shock at the events of the last 24 hours,