Firecall Summer Autumn 2022

FROM THE

EDITOR

Editor: Adam Hyland

Consulting Editor: Dan Fynes

Contributors: Dan Fynes, Ger Ryan, Las Fallon, John McNally, Derek Cheevers

Designer: Neasa Daly

Cover Credit: SKYLOTEC

Photography:

Dublin Fire Brigade, Dublin City Council, Ray McMonagle, Trevor Hunt, John McNally, Las Fallon, Adam Hyland, Ronan O’Leary, Derek Cheevers, Cllr Alison Gilliland, Keith Russell, retired member Tommy Doyle, Washington DC FEMS, Harper Collins Ireland, Four Courts Press, Quercus, Streamlight Inc, Rosenbauer, Trelleborg Industrial Solutions, Dräger

Sales Manager: David Byrne

Production Executive: Claire Kiernan

Publisher:

Chesterfox Ltd, T/A Firecall Magazine, P.O. Box 6766, Dublin 2.

Tel: (01) 432 2200; Fax: (01) 6727100

Managing Director: Gerry Tynan

Chairman: Diarmaid Lennon

Distribution by: Magazine Mailing

Ashville Media Group Unit 55, Park West Road, Park West, Dublin 12 Tel: (01) 432 2200 Fax: (01) 676 6043

Publisher’s Statement:

The information in Firecall is carefully researched and believed to be accurate and authoritative, but neither the Dublin Fire Brigade Sports & Social Club nor the publisher can accept responsibility for any errors or omissions. Statements and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Editor or of the publisher.

Copyright ©2022 Firecall Magazine

No part of this may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.

Dear readers,

Welcome to the latest issue of Firecall. Events are well and truly up and running again since spring, and it’s great to see so many of DFB’s various sports and social clubs getting back into action. Firstly, congratulations must go to all of the athletes who took part in the World Firefighter Games in Lisbon and the World Police and Fire Games in Rotterdam this year, which is covered in this issue. In representing both DFB and Ireland, they were incredibly successful and brought home a huge medal haul, so well done to all involved.

Congratulations must also go to the DFB Extrication Team, who in a very short time have risen to become National Rescue Org Challenge winners and are representing DFB on the global stage. Their endeavours are also covered in these pages, as are those of the Rope Rescue Team, who took part in an international event in Belgium.

On the social side of things, it was a privilege to attend the longawaited Retirement Party held in May, which was a fitting way to say farewell to many retiring or recently retired members who didn’t get a chance to have a send-o during the pandemic. I wish all of them the best of luck in the next chapter of their lives.

It’s great to see the Summer Nights out back, and to see the 1875 Club continuing to expand their calendar of events and attract new members, while the much-anticipated trip to the Hamptons for the 4 July celebrations with well-established friends looks to have been a momentous occasion.

Thanks must go to those who contributed articles for the magazine, especially the Pipe Band’s John McNally, who continues to keep us up to date on their activities. In particular, Las Fallon has once again provided a fascinating look at DFB history, turning his attention towards the organisation’s role in the Battle for Dublin in the Civil War, which this year celebrated its centenary. D/O Derek Cheevers also penned a very interesting account of his recent work with the Union Civil Protection Mechanism aiding in the migrant influx from Ukraine.

I must also extend my thanks to those who made themselves available for interview or shared their time to talk to me in the production of the magazine, including the crew of D Watch HQ and retired member Tommy Doyle. Thanks must also go to former Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland, whose strong connection to DFB is detailed in these pages. This issue wouldn’t have been possible without their generously giving their time.

As always, I would encourage anybody who wants to talk about any upcoming endeavours, or who has an idea for a story, to get in touch. This is your magazine, and you are all welcome to contribute. I hope you enjoy the read,

Adam Hyland

EDITOR’S PICKS

TRIP OF A LIFETIME

The DFB Returns to Southampton, Long Island

A STRONG CONNECTION

Outgoing Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland’s Relationship with DFB

35 48 52

MIGRANT MANAGEMENT MISSION

D/O Derek Cheevers on his Migrant Influx Mission

Why do you need

serious

can cause pneumonia and

make chronic health

to 500 people

Ireland.

from

every

vaccine

others

should get the flu vaccine

65 years

older

chronic health

disease

should get the flu vaccine

you

a healthcare worker or a carer

live with someone with a

health

vaccine is

for people

to your GP (doctor) or

about

FOREWORD

Welcome readers to our Summer / Autumn 2022 issue of Firecall. The last few months have been very busy for the DFBSSC, and I am delighted to see so many of our members return to the activities they enjoy over the Summer.

I must start by saying what an honour it was for me to be part of the team organising the Retirement Party at the start of the Summer. To see so many recently retired and retiring members and their families there to acknowledge their commitment and service to the city was a huge privilege, and an occasion I’m very proud to have been a part of. I wish all of the retired members honoured on the night a fond farewell, and the best of luck in their retirement.

The World Firefighter Games and World Police and Fire Games gave DFB members a chance to show their sporting prowess, and they didn’t disappoint, bringing home a large number of medals in a variety of sports from athletics to golf to swimming to rugby. As is mentioned in this issue, they have done DFB proud, and I would encourage anybody interested in joining one of our many sports clubs to get in touch. Our Extrication Team must also get a mention, and I’m glad to see their e orts covered in this issue.

Similarly, our social events have taken o again, with Summer Nights out and most notably, our fantastic trip to see our colleagues in Southampton FD, Long Island. We have formed a very close relationship with them over the last few years and once again I must express huge gratitude to them for the hospitality they showed us on our visit. Their generosity and willingness to accommodate our every need and want continues to amaze, and I’m sure I am not alone in wanting to thank them for a great and memorable experience this year. I must also thank all members of the DFBSSC committee and everyone else who helped get the trip planned.

Having been a very active supporter of DFB during her time in o ice, it is great to see former Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland talk to us in this issue about her past, present and future connections with our organisation, and I thank her for taking the time to share her thoughts.

I particularly recommend reading Las Fallon’s excellent account of DFB members in the Civil War, as well as D/O Derek Cheevers’ excellent work with the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Together they highlight the rich history and future of Dublin Fire Brigade, moving from internal conflict to external resolution as we utilise our skillsets and expertise to bring stability beyond our borders.

Thanks to all who contributed to this issue, and who took the time to be interviewed. This is your magazine, so if you have an idea for a story, an event you want to highlight, or a subject of interest you feel should be explored, get in touch. Enjoy the read.

Dan

DAN FYNES

If you haven’t already done so, please order your new ID card by emailing idcards@dfbssc.ie with an attached headshot (on a neutral background), your name, pay number, station, watch and location.

We are trying very hard to make sure that all DFBSSC members receive their copy of Firecall. Anybody who is not receiving theirs should email the editor Adam Hyland with their address: adam.hyland@ashvillemediagroup.com

FIRECALL

A STRONG CONNECTION

TRIP OF A LIFETIME

SCALING THE HEIGHTS

SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB UPDATE

WE TAKE A LOOK AT RECENT AND UPCOMING EVENTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE DUBLIN FIRE BRIGADE SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB (DFBSSC)

Iwould like to start by congratulating the two new recruit classes joining fulltime service a er successfully completing their training. I wish you all the very best in your careers ahead, and look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events.

EVENTS

It’s been a busy Summer for members of the DFBSSC, with the trip to the USA for the 4th of July, the watch social nights, the interdistrict matches, the tag rugby competition, and the World Police and Fire Games, to note but a few. All are discussed in detail in this edition.

SUMMER

Unfortunately, the big event for our members to nish o the summer and allow the children have their last hurrah before the return of school

had to be cancelled on the morning of the event due to the bad weather.

is is the rst time we have had to cancel this event due to weather, and it was a decision not taken lightly by the committee. e safety of all on days like these takes precedent, and was the determining factor in our decision. I would like to thank all the vendors for their understanding and professionalism in this, we will see you all for the next one.

Plans to do something for the kids during the mid-term break were made, with details distributed to all through your station WhatsApp groups and social media.

CHRISTMAS

e kids Christmas party will return in December in the familiar setting of the Castleknock Hotel. We look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible. Details will be released via the usual channels.

MONTHLY DRAW WINNERS

April:

L O’Toole C7

W Langan Skerries

R Murphy C3

S Evans D HQ

P Foley D9

May: T Monaghan CHQ

GP Martin C13

P Britton A7

D Kelly AHQ

S Fowley Balbriggan

June: A Raynor A1

B O’Reilly C8

D Snowe

JOIN IN

None

this would be possible without the support of

membership and the hard work of our

and for this we are very thankful. If you aren’t on your Station

and Social Club

group and would like to be, please contact your station rep, or if you aren’t following us on social media, please feel free to do so also.

Facebook:

Twitter:

Instagram:

DFB SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB COMMITTEE 2022

STATION REPRESENTATIVES:

Brian Gilbert HQ

Brian Tracey Rathfarnham

Deirdre Berry North Strand

Darren Donnelly Dolphin’s Barn

Gary Mason Tallaght

Gemma Kiernan Donnybrook

Ger Ryan Kilbarrack

Glenn Fitzgerald Retained

Joe Moran North Strand

John Connolly Dolphin’s Barn

CLUB COMMITTEE

CHAIR Declan Rice

TREASURER Simon Finglas

HONORARY

TRUSTEE

Dan Fynes

TRUSTEES

Dave Snee

Kevin Conlon Finglas

Lar Sweetman ERCC

Martin Cooke Logistics

Mick Ratchford

Phibsboro

Neil Quinn Blanchardstown

Paul Green OBI

Paul McCann HQ

Ray Campion ERCC

Ray Kenny Dun Laoghaire

Siobhan Talbot HQ

Stephen Breen Swords

Sean MacDomhnaill HQ

RMA

Mark Ryan Donnybrook

DFB IN BRIEF

A recap of Dublin Fire Brigade news and events over the summer

ABOVE: Firefighters from Balbriggan joined up with other emergency services at the town’s Summer Festival at the start of June. BELOW: Firefighters from Tallaght and Tara Street deal with a fire in a sileage pit in Newcastle in June.

LEFT: Recruits drying out after a day in the water at Laragh to practice Swift-Water Rescue skills.

RIGHT: FF/AP Rachael Lee took home silver in the Lanzarote Open Water 5km sea swim in Porto del Carmen in May.

BELOW: In May, we said goodbye to FF/EMT Martin Gilbert of Balbriggan Fire Station, who served his community for the past 17 years

ABOVE: One of our appliances was again decked out in Pride colours ahead of the Dublin Pride Parade on 25 June.

RIGHT: Members of our Marine Emergency Response team on their way to an exercise led by the Coast Guard in Donegal in May.

ABOVE: FF/P Geo Tracey and his son Finn created this great artwork featuring firefighter and ALONE founder Willie Bermingham that can be found on his native Emmet Road in Inchicore.

LEFT: A turntable ladder from Tara Street fought a well-developed fire in Cabra from above in August.

RIGHT: A massive gorse fire in Killiney in July saw seven pumps and crews, two water tankers and an aerial drone tackle the blaze that covered ten acres.

ABOVE:

In May we said goodbye to C Watch ‘Mobi’, District O cer Tom Butler, who joined DFB 40 years ago in 1982, the first class following the Stardust, and was instrumental in the introduction of our water rescue and hi-line capabilities.

LEFT: Our recruits moved on to specialised skills in their training in August, getting to grips with extrication tools.

ABOVE: A North Strand appliance heading towards a ship to respond to an EMS call onboard in May. BELOW: In May, we said farewell to Station O cer and BA lead instructor Gerry McMahon as he took his final parade following 42 years of service.

ABOVE: In June, we said farewell to F/F Tony McEvoy after 32 years of service with Dun Laoghaire and DFB.

ABOVE: In June, we said farewell to Sub-O cer Nicky Farrell after 31 years of service as mechanic, firefighter across three Watches, and instructor.

ABOVE: In June we said farewell to D/O Derek ‘Digger’ Cowley after 39 years of service.

ABOVE: In May we said farewell to ERCC Sub-O cer Robbie ‘Turkey’ Connolly after 33 years with DFB, all on C Watch HQ and the Control Centre.

LEFT: Five units responded to a premises fire on Francis Street in July.

BELOW: B Watch Phibsboro met up with President Higgins’ dog Bród in June while running through a pre-event plan ahead of the annual Garden Party at Áras an Uachtaráin.

ABOVE: A Kilbarrack firefighter at a vehicle fire in May. BELOW: We said farewell to Sub-O cer and Instructor Mick Whelan after 37 years of service in August, as he finished his career in Dun Laoghaire on B Watch.

ABOVE: One firefighter risks being pigeonholed after rescuing this bird from a chimney. BELOW: A rope rescue team carries out an exercise in St Patrick’s Cathedral in June.

ABOVE: Donnybrook firefighters Linda and Kevin used hydraulic spreaders to free Bear the dog after he got his head caught between railings in Rathgar in July.

BELOW: A crew takes time out to allow the new Mr & Mrs Cian and Lisa Corrigan do a reverse wedding crasher.

ABOVE: In June, we said goodbye to District O cer John Rogers following 37 years of service all over the city.

ABOVE: Our Swift-Water Rescue Technicians and Rescue Boat featured in the first episode of new documentary series The Li ey in May.

ABOVE: Our high line team from Phibsboro station conducting an exercise on the Li ey with one of our rescue boats in June.

Firefighters from Phibsboro, Finglas and North Strand stations respond to a hazardous materials incident in North Dublin in June.

BELOW: A crew from HQ brought our new 42metre turntable ladder to the Garda Info Open Day in May.

LEFT: We say farewell to Charlie District’s FF/P Fintan Barker who retires after 21 years with DFB.

RIGHT: It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of retired Dolphin’s Barn SubO cer Pat ‘Jacko’ Dorgan in August.

BELOW: The latest group of Sub O cers at the conclusion of their development course.

ABOVE: Attending a fire on a construction site in Clondalkin at the end of July. BELOW: A rope rescue team from Phibsboro fire station along with crews from Tara Street and Donnybrook preparing to rescue a person from a tower crane in May.

ABOVE: Recruit Class 1/2022 undergoing high expansion foam training and part of their BA course in May.

BELOW: A Watch North Strand rescued Bella the Dog from the Royal Canal at the start of June.

ABOVE:In July we said goodbye to FF/P Ken Clarke after a 20-year career across a number of stations.

ABOVE: In August the firefighters and O cers of D Watch North Strand gathered to say farewell to senior FF/P Paul Synott after 30 years of service. BELOW: We are saddened to learn of the death in July of retired Firefighter Gerry Mulligan, who worked in HQ and Finglas fire stations.

ABOVE: Recruit firefighter Cormac rescued the cat after firefighters from Tallaght and Dolphin’s Barn responded to an apartment fire in July.

LEFT: Our extrication team heading to Lanzarote for the XVI National Tra c Accident Rescue Meeting.

RIGHT: Joining up with the NAS in June to launch the Rainbow Badge initiative to show that our members open, non-judgmental and inclusive to children, young people and their families that identify as a member of the LGBTI+ community.

LEFT: June saw Derek Riordan’s last night of duty as Aide de Camp to the Lord Mayor, having performed ceremonial duties for nine di erent holders of the o ce.

RIGHT ABOVE: A hi-line team training at an underground pump house in Blanchardstown at the end of May.

BELOW: S/O and Lord Mayor’s Aide de Camp Martin McCabe presented new Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy with her chain of o ce alongside outgoing Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland at the end of June.

ABOVE: It is with great sadness that we learned in July of the death of retired District O cer (John) Vincent Hughes, who served from 1965 until 2006.

ABOVE: Dolphin’s Barn firefighters received this great painting from local artist Lily Tierney as a token of gratitude for their work fighting fires this summer.

ABOVE: In June, FF/P Mark O’Neill was joined by his family as we said farewell after 36 years of service, 32 of which were at Rathfarnham station.

THE CLASS OF 2022

The newest members of Dublin Fire Brigade completed training this summer

Abeautifully sunny day at the start of June saw the 44 recruits of Class 1/2022 hold their passout parade in front of family and friends a er 17 weeks of training.

en-Lord Mayor Cllr Alison Gilliland and South Dublin Mayor Peter Kavanagh joined Chief Fire O cer Dennis Keeley at the Training

Centre to congratulate the recruits, who, as is tradition, showed their skills in a number of emergency scenario demonstrations before the presentations were made.

R/FF Conor Barry was awarded the Silver Axe award for Best Recruit, while the class also took the opportunity to present a cheque for more than €6,000 to the Aoibheann’s Pink Tie cancer charity, following a charity car wash covered elsewhere in this issue.

e recruits are now undergoing paramedic training and will be posted to stations across the city

and county later this year, while another 33 new recruits have begun their re ghter training.

en-Lord Mayor Gilliland addressed the crowd, saying: “Dublin Fire Brigade’s emergency re and ambulance personnel go about their work in a dedicated, professional and courageous manner. ey have earned great respect and are rightfully held in high esteem.”

CFO Keeley added: “Every recruit here today is following in the footsteps of a long line of rst responders who have carried the badges of their re service with pride and honour.”

Recruit Class 1 2022 in full uniform Skills demo

The

Recruit

PROVING BEST-IN-CLASS TRANSPORT TRAINING

CPC Named All-Star Transport Training Company for 2021

CPC.ie has been named All-Star Transport Training Company of the Year by the All-Ireland Business Foundation. e company founded by Tony Hynes specialises exclusively in CPC training, with 30 training centres nationwide and more than 22,000 successful students trained every year.

Having been in business for 30 years, CPC.ie has established itself as Ireland’s largest CPC training provider, and has now o cially been recognised for its conduct in the areas of performance, commitment, trust and customer-centricity.

Business All-Star Accreditation is an independently veri ed standard mark for indigenous businesses, based on

rigorous selection criteria. It is overseen by the prestigious All-Ireland Business Foundation (AIBF), an autonomous national accreditation body tasked with enterprise development and the promotion of best-in-class in Irish business. It includes an adjudication panel chaired by Dr Briga Hynes of the University of Limerick, and CEO of the Global Institute of Logistics, Kieran Ring.

e Foundation actively engages and supports its network through peer-dialogue, collaboration, mentoring and enterprise development activities. Companies are quali ed for accreditation by completing an enterprise audit and are identi ed by their use of the AIBF’s Business All-Star Marque.

Speaking about the recognition as an All-Star company, CPC.ie founder and CEO Tony Hynes said: “On behalf of the CPC.ie team, I am delighted to receive this Accreditation from the All-Ireland Business Foundation. To be named All-Star transport Training Company is recognition of the hard work that the CPC.ie team puts into providing a best-in-class service for our loyal customers.”

Kieran Ring, Deputy Chair on the adjudication board, also said of the announcement: “ e Accreditation is in recognition of Tony’s outstanding contribution to the transport industry in Ireland. Furthermore, we wish to recognise Tony’s track record in establishing CPC.ie, Ireland’s leading CPC training company. Tony Hynes is hereby included in the AIBF Register of Irish Business Excellence.”

All-Ireland Business Foundation MD Kapil Khanna said the accreditation, which is now held by more than 500 rms, is needed by the thousands of small and medium businesses operating to their own standards but with nothing to measure them by.

“We evaluate a company’s background, trustworthiness and performance, and we speak to customers, employees and vendors,” he said. “We also anonymously approach the company as a customer and report back on the experience.

e business goes through at least two interviews and is scored on every part of the process against set metrics.”

To learn more about CPC.ie, visit their All-Star showcase page at https://aibf.ie/times/pro le/cpc-ie/

Tony Hynes of CPC

FROM WITHIN THE CIRCLE

DFB Pipe Band Secretary John McNally looks back at a busy few months

Since our last article, the Pipe Band has been quite busy with various performances. We were delighted to be asked to perform at a charity swim event at Clontarf Baths. is was an evening of swimming and synchronised swimming in aid of two great charities, St Francis Hospice and Down’s Syndrome Ireland, and the Band opened the event.

LORD MAYOR’S AWARD

We were both surprised and excited to hear that the Band were to receive the 2022 Lord Mayor’s Award. So, on

23 June, the Band attended the Lord Mayor’s Award Night in the Round Room at the Mansion House. e evening started with the Band playing into the prestigious and iconic Round Room, and then playing a number of sets before taking our seats to enjoy the night with partners.

Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland then presented the award to the Band, which was accepted by Band Chairperson, John Daly. John was delighted to accept the award on behalf of the Band, and he thanked many people including past and present Band members, instructors and associate members.

e Band would like to thank outgoing Lord Mayor Gilliland for her support during her term in o ce, and wish her the very best as she returns to her role as a Dublin City councillor.

PRESIDENTIAL RECEPTION

We were also delighted to meet another extremely prominent member of political society when, on 8 July, we played at a reception at Áras an Uachtaráin for Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D Higgins and Sabina Higgins.

e Band played outside the main house for the President and his guests on what was a sunny, warm evening for all to enjoy. e Band also got a chance to meet with President Higgins, who was very generous with his time, chatting with Band members and posing for photographs.

In a message to the Band, President Higgins said: “Can I just say that the DFB Pipe Band added immensely to the event and were such a pleasure to deal with. ey are a credit to the City of Dublin. Sabina, I and all of our guests were delighted and enthralled with the performance – it made the evening very special.”

We also provided a Band for a commissioning service of o cers of the Order of Malta that took place in the DFB training centre in mid-July. We have continued, as always, to provide solo pipers for various events,

The band with President Michael D Higgins

including funerals for retired members and relations of serving members. Also, we recently provided a solo piper for the DCC/Ballyfermot Historical Society at a commemoration for the War of Independence at Le Fanu Road.

WELL WISHES

We would like to wish Band member Paul Shannon well following recent surgery. Paul, a stalwart of the Band, is our No.1 tenor drum player and has been with us since the early days. We wish Paul a speedy recovery and hope to see him back at practice very soon.

In late June, we visited recruit class 2/2022 to give them a presentation on the Band and informed them of what we do. Hopefully there may be some new pipers or drummers from that group in the future, as new members are always very welcome.

NEW MEMBERS

On that note, we are always here to welcome new members to the Band. New blood is vital to ensure that the Band survives into the future. Whether you may be interested in piping or drumming (maybe you would like to try both), the door is always open to new members. So, if you think you have what it takes or would like to give it a try, why not come along to the Training Centre in Marino any Monday night from 8pm and learn a new instrument?

Beginners are very welcome and musical ability is not necessary. We would also like to welcome previous members back, as well as people who may already have piping or drumming experience. You will be given top class instruction by our two world class instructors Dave Rickard (Bagpipes) and Ciaran Mordaunt (Drums).

As always, the Band is forever grateful for the support of associate members, DFB management and Dublin City Council. Without that continued support, the Band could not exist.

e Band can be reached at any time through any Band member, social media or by emailing: d pbsec@gmail.com

The band playing in front of Áras an Uachtaráin

Band Chairperson John Daly receives the Lord Mayor’s Award from Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland

Michael D Higgins and DFBPB Drum Major Damien Fynes

The band with Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland outside the Mansion House

101 YEARS ON

DFB members at the 101st Anniversary of the Burning of the Custom House

Aer several postponements, on 25 May, Dublin Fire Brigade members were invited to the Custom House Visitor Centre by Minister for Housing and Local Government, Darragh O’Brien TD, to mark the 101st anniversary of the burning of the iconic building by the Irish Republican Army. Both serving and retired members, as well as the DFB Pipe Band, were in attendance, with a tour of the Centre preceded by speeches by Minister O’Brien and CFO Dennis Keeley outlining the role of DFB re ghters on the day.

Far from extinguishing the blaze, DFB re ghters who had been held at their stations by IRA members to delay their answering the callout, actually helped to spread the re and smuggle out weapons when they did arrive, as many were either active IRA members or sympathisers.

The

of

at

Gathering at the Custom House for the 101st anniversary of the

A SUMMER OF SPORT

LISBON

It’s been a busy summer of sport for members of DFB, with many groups and teams taking to track, eld, pitch and court, and not without a fair amount of success.

e World Fire ghter Games that took place from 30 April to 7 May in Lisbon was for many DFB teams the rst chance to get back out to competitive events since COVID-19, and they all did the organisation proud.

FF/P Gary Mason kicked o the medal haul on the rst day of competition with a bronze in the marathon, while FF/AP Eithne Scully took home a gold in the 5km race. FF/P Daniel Dorney won a bronze in the Tennis a er narrowly missing out on a podium place in the Fire Truck Challenge, while the DFB Rugby Team also took home a gold medal for the 7s competition.

e Rugby Team would also take part in the Shane McGinn Inter-District Tag Rugby Tournament in Westmanstown in August, with all proceeds going to the LilBlueHeroes charity.

During the Games week, retired

DFB Fire ghter Brendan McGrattan added to the team’s medal haul in the swimming pool, securing medals in the 100m Backstroke, 50m Backstroke, 400m Freestyle, 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle, and the 4x100m International Medley.

In their three-day event, the DFB Golf Team also saw success, with FF/P Ken Kavanagh winning the overall Gross score competition and S/O Brian Gilbert coming second in the Stableford competition, followed by FF/Ps Gary Williams, Ken Kavanagh, and Aidan O’Sullivan.

For many of the athletes who took part, the biggest incentive was just getting back out there and competing again a er a long hiatus.

GOLF

“

ere is nothing like getting out there and competing in the sun, having a bit of craic with re ghters from around the world,” S/O Gilbert tells me. “ at’s what it is all about, whether you win, lose or draw, it is still enjoyable.”

Some of the DFB team heading to Lisbon

He tells me that the gol ng, and the courses, were of a very high standard. “We got to play on courses you wouldn’t normally get to play on,” he says. “On the Monday, we played Belas Clube de Campo, then Tuesday at Golf Estoril, and on Wednesday we played the jewel in the crown, a stunning course at Penha Longa Atlantico. e rst hole was like teeing o at Augusta. We also got to play at the course of the club pro who organised everything from the tournament to the travel, so that was a great way to round o the week.

“ e standard was quite high, and it was very close, with only a few points between all of us. ere were teams from England, Scotland, Wales, Norway, America, France, Germany, and a Korean man who showed up with his own caddy!” S/O Gilbert adds.

is led to a lot of great fun and banter, Brian says, adding that there is “a huge social element to these Games”. Taking part as representatives of DFB was something S/O Gilbert was eager and proud to do.

“We took great pride in representing DFB and Ireland,” he tells me, “and the six of us on the team got our own t-shirts made up courtesy of DFBSSC’s generosity, with Lisbon 2022 on one sleeve and a tricolour on the other. It was a nice touch, and we were the only team to do it, although the English team admitted they had t-shirts too but were too embarrassed to wear them. ey ended up giving one to Ken Kavanagh, so somewhere out there is a picture of him wearing an England shirt!”

e Golf Team are already planning to go to the next Games in Denmark

in 2024, and are open to any new members joining them.

“Anyone interested in joining the Golf Society can contact me or anyone from the society, and we will be advertising ahead of the next Games,” he says, “but we will have a lot of events in the meantime.

“ e main thing about the Games though, was that it was really nice to get away,” he says, “to get that opportunity to play on great courses you might not get another chance to play on, and to just be able to enjoy the sport.”

EITHNE

As well as her gold in the 5km race, FF/ AP Scully went on to win several more medals over the course of the week, including gold in the 800m and 1,500m, and the 4x100 international relay, as well

Eithne with her friends showing their golds in the international relay gold at the World Police and Fire Games in Rotterdam

The winning DFB Rugby 7s team from Lisbon

Gary Mason with his medal from Lisbon

Daniel Dorney took bronze in Tennis at the World Firefighter Games

Eithne Scully with one of her many gold medals from Lisbon

as individual and team golds in the stair race, and medals in the 400m and 800m indoor row competition, and the 6k cross-country run.

“Originally, my goal was always to go to the Police and Fire Games in Rotterdam in July,” she tells me, “but when I found out there was a good group of DFB members going to Lisbon, I decided to jump on board with that too. My preparation wasn’t as good as it could have been, and it came earlier in the season, but thankfully I still

fantastic atmosphere, great to be there with a lot of di erent teams from DFB, and everybody did really well, but it was just great to be back out at sporting events, and it didn’t hurt that the weather was fantastic and Lisbon is a really accessible city.”

It’s been a busy year for FF/AP Scully, with her big medal haul in Lisbon added to by her participation in the DFB Extrication Team’s success at the Rescue Organisation Ireland National Rescue Challenge in June.

at competition is covered elsewhere in this issue, but FF/AP Scully is keen to underline the team’s achievements.

“Our team got started in the Trauma section at the Nationals in 2018, but there was a number of us interested in looking at the RTC side and we decided to enter a team in 2019, so this was only the second time entering the Nationals, with the last two years having been postponed, and it was a fantastic achievement to come out as winners. We knew we had done the best we could do. But when the results came out, we were stunned. We didn’t expect to climb the ladder so quickly.”

FOOTBALL

Also in July, the DFB saw the return of the Inter-District football match between Delta and Echo Districts, with a team from Kilbarrack and North Strand’s B Watches facing a team from B Watch Tara Street.

As he has done over the last ve years, Sub-O cer Derek Walsh from B Watch North Strand organised the game, which took place on the nine-a-side all-weather pitch at Whitehall Colmcille GAA.

managed to do well.

“For the last while I have been targeting the 800m and have been really enjoying that race, so to win that one was really satisfying. But I was also very happy to do well in the 5k road race, coming second overall but rst in my age category.”

Like S/O Gilbert, FF/AP Scully was just glad to be competing again, and getting the opportunity to travel.

“It was really exciting to be going on these trips again,” she says. “It was a

“We were glad to get back to play the game this summer,” Sub-O Walsh tells me. “I used to manage the DFB Football Team, and a few years ago I got the idea to have this match, and between myself and Keith Tracy, we got teams together from both Districts.

“We knock o work, play the game at 10am, and then go for a breakfast at Sportslink, which DFBSSC kindly funds, so we are all home and in our beds by 2pm!”

On the day, Delta District came out

The Echo District team for the Inter-District football match

The Delta District team for the Inter-District football match

on top with a 5-1 win, with North Strand’s Derek McDonnell scoring a hat-trick and goalkeeper Martin Troy getting the Man of the Match award. “He probably got an extra sausage on his breakfast for that!” Sub-O Walsh jokes.

“I’m too old to play now, so I re ed the game,” he adds, “which may be another reason why we won!”

e result ties things up nicely at two wins apiece, and Sub-O Walsh tells me there will be a lot of interest to play in next year’s match.

“It’s a nine-a-side match, but each team has about 13 and subs coming on and o . People will turn up if you organise it, because everyone is keen to get back out there,” he tells me.

ROTTERDAM

Returning to FF/AP Scully, her main target for the year, the World Police and Fire Games in Rotterdam, were still to come, and true to form, she returned home with a large haul of medals.

“I won gold in the 800m, 1,500m, 5,000m and the stair race, and won a team gold in the 4x100 International Relay, with a silver in the indoor row, and overall ten medals,” she tells me.

“I was thrilled to win the 800m, it was the race I really wanted, and that couldn’t have gone better. It was on the very rst day of competition and I was absolutely delighted. I thought anything else a er that was a bonus, so to medal in all of my individual events was great because that hasn’t happened for me before. It couldn’t have gone better. In the 5,000m I just felt really good, everything came right for me at the right time.”

e chance to meet up with friends and enjoy the social aspect of the trip is also something FF/AP Scully looks forward to.

“One of the reasons the Police and Fire Games is so special to me is that I have met some really good friends over there,” she tells me. “We have a group that tends to go every time. People go to the track, do the cross country, the stair race, so you get the same groupings of people, and we have all gotten to know each other very while.

“ e rst games I ever went to was Quebec in 2005 and I didn’t win anything,

but I got hooked. It really focused me. I saw the achievements and I knew I really wanted to have one of those. I’m quite competitive anyway, and I always focus in on my own tness, which I think is very

“

important for my job. It doesn’t get easier as you get older, but the great thing about the Games is that you are competing in your age group. For me, though, the focus is on staying t, and the Games are a great way to pursue that.

OPPORTUNITY

“

ey are a great opportunity to travel and meet people doing the same job as you, and I am really proud to represent the DFB and thankfully to have been able to do it with a degree of success, and decorum, to represent DFB well.”

FF/AP Scully is keen to point out the support she has received that allows her to enjoy these successes.

“ e DFBSSC and DFB have always given me great support in anything I have gone to do,” she tells me. “Also, the job itself has been great in sorting out my leave, the exibility of the job allows for me to pursue these goals.

ey are used to me asking to compete in events at this stage!

“I feel very blessed to be able to do these events. People may think they couldn’t do this, but I used to be like that and have learned it is doable, and I would encourage everybody to think about going to compete in a sport, to get out and start doing it.”

FOR MANY OF THE ATHLETES WHO TOOK PART, THE BIGGEST INCENTIVE WAS JUST GETTING BACK OUT THERE AND COMPETING AGAIN AFTER A LONG HIATUS”

The successful DFB Golf team from the World Firefighter Games

A big thumbs up

ICONIC CITY, ICONIC RACE

to the start and nish line.

Starting in Fitzwilliam Street Upper, before passing through Phoenix Park and nishing in Merrion Square close to the historic Trinity College, the Dublin Marathon features a fast and at course that brings you right through the streets of our capital and its surrounding areas. Indeed, very few marathon courses can boast a route that takes in so many of a city’s landmarks, with a highly accessible start and nish location.

Not only that, but the Irish climate is perfect for distance running, with average temperatures for October between 12 and 14°C.

The Dublin Marathon is a Global Event Befitting the City’s Status

Acapital city that’s as intimate as a village and as friendly as an Irish pub, Dublin is an iconic travel destination. Framed by mountains, centred on a river and edged by a beautiful bay, the city’s streets and alleys are lled with vibrant art and historic buildings, hip cafés and traditional pubs. Walk the streets and you’ll feel the energy of more than 1,000 years of history, as echoes of the Vikings mix with the modern atmosphere of buzzing boutiques, while cobbled streets reverberate with the sounds of buskers. It truly

is a great place to host a worldrenowned marathon.

Launched in 1980, the Dublin Marathon is Europe’s fourth largest marathon and a global running event be tting of a major capital city. Some 20,000 runners from more than 60 countries will take to the city centre course on 30 October, 2022. Now signi cantly oversubscribed, runners are drawn to a course that starts and nishes in the heart of the city, taking in Dublin’s historic landmarks.

With unprecedented demand for places, runners can only enter this year’s event through an international tour operator, so if you haven’t already done so, now is the time to check for availability. Our packages include guaranteed race entry and exclusive accommodation options in the heart of the city, a short walking distance

e race is made up of four waves of runners, with the rst starting at 9am, meaning you could be in one of the many, warm and welcoming pubs, with a pint of Guinness in hand to celebrate your achievement, by mid-a ernoon.

In recent years, the event has exploded in popularity, forcing organisers to introduce an entry ballot similar to the Berlin Marathon and London Marathon, so it can be said with little doubt that Dublin is rmly established as a bucket-list event for distance runners all over the world.

If you can’t make it to this year’s event, it is never too soon to start planning for 2023. You’ll love the city centre location, the atmosphere of running through such an iconic and historical area, and getting over the nish line to share in Irish hospitality, and we look forward to seeing you there!

For more details, see https://irishlifedublinmarathon.ie

CHARITY CAR WASH

Recruits and FF/Ps took time to host events to raise funds for good causes this summer

The warm summer days are a perfect time to get the car washed, and DFB members took this opportunity to appeal to the public to come along for a car clean while raising some much-needed funds for two good causes.

AOIBHEANN’S PINK TIE

e rst Charity Car Wash was hosted by Recruit Class 1/2022 at the Training Centre on 21 May, and was in aid of the Aoibheann’s Pink Tie charity that supports children and their families during their child’s battle to beat cancer.

e event ran from 10am to 4pm, with recruits washing a total of 714 cars during a very busy but successful day that also gave the public a chance to meet their local re ghters and see some DFB and American classic re

appliances, while enjoying some free tea and co ee.

In total, the recruits and their sponsors Re ect Autocare, Bewleys Co ee, Manhatton and Cali Cali, raised more than €6,100 for the charity, which was presented by cheque on their Passout day in June.

Huge thanks and praise must go to the recruits who found the time to go above and beyond during a very busy time as they prepared to join the ranks of Dublin Fire Brigade, and showed early on the commitment to public

Class 1 2022 prepare for another batch of cars

Classic fire engines from the US were also on site for the public to see

Getting stuck in at Tallaght Fire Station

service that is so much a part of the organisation.

FIGHT WITH FAYE

On 17 July, Tallaght Fire Station also held a charity car wash day to raise funds for the #FightWithFaye cause, helping to support 7-year-old Faye Miley from Rathcoole, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in April.

Faye had a seizure last May, and FF/ Ps from Tallaght were dispatched to the scene, with the paramedics keeping her in their thoughts following her recuperation, but her treatment is not available in Ireland, so Faye’s family have had to seek it abroad.

e event was organised by FF/P Andy Young, a family friend of the Mileys, with the support of his colleagues.

With the station staying open until 9pm, 35 DFB members were on hand to wash 250 cars, while Faye got a tour of the station and met the paramedics who treated her, and in total more than €4,200 was raised for her ongoing treatment abroad.

Again, huge thanks and praise must go to the crews at Tallaght Fire Station for taking time to do this important charity work in their community.

If you would like to donate, fundraising for Fight With Faye is continuing via her GoFundMe page at www.tinyurl.com/FayeMiley

The crews from Tallaght washed more than 200 cars

Recruits presenting the cheque to Aoibheann’s Pink Tie with then-Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland

A FOND FAREWELL

Our Retired Member Party in May Gave Us the Long-Awaited Chance to Honour Those Finishing Their Careers With DFB, writes Dan Fynes

While the pandemic brought many challenges to the daily workloads of our frontline members and put most sports and social club activities on hiatus, it also meant that DFB was unable to host retirement parties for those leaving the job a er years of service.

ankfully, a er a two-year wait, the Sports and Social Club were able to put that right with a combined party for DFB members who have in that time retired.

Held at the Radisson Hotel in Golden Lane on 27 May, the event

gave well-deserved recognition to these 36 DFB members, with each awarded with a special presentation of a uniquely numbered and specially commissioned statuette and scroll. e night was one not just for the members retiring, but for their families too, who have shown tremendous support to their loved ones over the course of their careers, and it was great to see so many of them there on the night to mark a truly special occasion and share in the recognition that is so richly deserved.

A er gathering for welcome drinks, the crowds were ushered into the dining room by the DFB Pipe Band, who opened the evening with some stirring music while everybody took their seats.

RECOGNITION

As I said on the night, we wanted to recognise the contribution all of these retirees have made to DFB throughout

the years, as well as the contribution made to the DFB Sports and Social club that have enabled us to keep going beyond our 50th year, and I was delighted and honoured to be able to welcome all of them to the event. It was also very important to recognise that there were some members who couldn’t be there because they are sadly no longer with us, and to acknowledge the contribution they made with their camaraderie, their friendship, and all the good they did for the organisation for whatever time they were in DFB. As much as the longestserving members deserved to be acknowledged, so too did the families of those who haven’t been so lucky, and we were honoured to host them on the evening too.

Chief Fire O cer Dennis Keeley made presentations to the families of those who have sadly passed away: Gerry Sweeney, Adrian O’Grady and

The retired members honoured on the night

David McLoughlin, before addressing the crowd.

“ is is one of the better nights in the DFB calendar,” he said. “To see so many friends here, people I started with who have retired, some retired members, and so many of you who don’t get a mention but who know who they are and what they have done.

“We are here to celebrate the retirement of many DFB members, and every table here has individual stories to tell about the timing of their retirement, they are all unique to yourselves, but the common thread is that you have all served DFB and this city and kept us safe throughout your career, whether that was 28 or 48 years.

I have the great pleasure of taking this opportunity to thank you on behalf of the citizens of Dublin, of Dublin Fire

“

Brigade, and Dublin City Council for your service. It is greatly appreciated.”

Following these rst presentations, it was time to dine on what was an excellent three-course meal, before Retired Member Chairperson Noel Hayden said a few words.

“I’d like to congratulate all the retirees who have retired in the last few years,” he said. “It is great to be able to come together to celebrate their careers. All I can do is thank them for their great service to our members, our citizens of this wonderful city.

“ e reason I am up here is to see if I can get some new members into the retired members association. You may not have been retired for long, but you are retired and we could do with some younger faces and minds to join our ranks,” he joked.

“If you’ve retired you are no longer

a member of DFBSSC so you may as well join our gang and keep up to date with what is going on in DFB –it’s cheaper!”

PRESENTATIONS

A er the main course, the presentations to each of the retired members took place, with statuettes handed out and photos taken, while Trevor Hunt was on hand to take professional-quality photos outside the main hall for all of the families.

With the presentations done, there was just time to once again thank all of the retired members for their service,

and have a big round of applause for their families, who have put up with them working unsociable hours for so many years, before dessert was served and the evening of celebrations got into full swing.

It was a very enjoyable evening, and I’d like to thank all who were involved in organising and running the event, CFO Keeley and the Assistant Chiefs and O cers representing DFB on the night, the sta at the Radisson, and everyone who attended and made the event as memorable as the retired members deserved.

THE NIGHT WAS ONE NOT JUST FOR THE MEMBERS RETIRING, BUT FOR THEIR FAMILIES TOO”

CFO Keeley thanked all retiring members for their service

The DFB Pipe Band ushered everyone in with stirring renditions

CFO Keeley presents statuettes to the

THE RETIREES:

ADRIAN O’GRADY

(presentation received by family)

GERRY SWEENEY (presentation received by family)

DAVID MCLOUGHLIN (presentation received by family)

FRAN MOORE

THOMAS WILLIAMS

BERNARD KELLY

DAVE FOWLER

PAUL MCNALLY

MICHAEL HAYES

TOM DALY

MARIO LODOLA

JOE BRADY

PAUL KEANE

PETER NAVAN

KEN LEECH

PETER LYNCH

JOHN MOODY

ALAN BURKE

MARTIN GUILFOYLE

PAUL KEYES

CATHAL RYAN

JOE KIERNAN

MARTIN KEOGH

JOE CROWE

PAT MULCAHY

DAVE LARKIN

PADDY DUNNE

PAUL STANLEY

PETER BARRISCALE

DECLAN POWER

RICKY ELLIS

DAVE RYAN

PAUL CASSIDY

A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME

The 1875 Club has grown, with tastings, tours and historical walks planned, Club president Ronan O’Leary tells Adam Hyland

While a lucky group of Dublin Fire Brigade members made the trip to America for the 4 July celebrations, the DFB 1875 Club decided to bring America to them with a special tasting at Pearse Lyons Distillery.

“ e idea came to mind because they have a distillery in Kentucky, and we thought it ticked all the boxes for us, having an Irish distillery with an American base for 4 July,” Club President Ronan O’Leary of B Watch North Strand, tells me.

“We were relying on Zoom for virtual tastings during COVID-19, but it worked well and we managed to establish a core

base within the Club. As restrictions were li ed, we were very eager to get out there and meet up face to face, and to build up contacts within the industry.

“At Whiskey Live, I approached the wonderful Michael Carr of Pearse Lyons and he put together a great night for us with a tour and a tasting featuring some bourbon and their range of Irish whiskies. ey also brought out something not for sale, straight from the cask, and some newly made spirit o the stills, so it was a great education on the night in such a historical building. We wanted that angle of the American crossover for the day that was in it.”

Speaking of Whiskey Live, Ronan and many 1875 Club members went to the now-

huge annual whiskey tasting event that made a welcome return a er the pandemic put it on hold, donning their Club polo shirts.

“You have to go in with a plan, know what you want to try,” he advises, “because there is no way you could taste everything. We all had a great time though, tasting great whiskies and having a laugh together, and networking with the distillers.”

e Pearse Lyons tour and Whiskey Live were just two of the many tastings held in what has become a full calendar for the Club.

“We have a great partnership with the Palace Bar, and have had a few tastings there, but we want to get out more,” Ronan says.

HISTORY

Fittingly for a Club named a er a historical event – the Great Dublin Whiskey Fire of 1875 – history and education are important aspects of the Club’s ethos, and August saw a historical walk around the city, with a few drams had along the way.

“I have a great interest in the history of whiskey and the city of Dublin,” Ronan tells me. “ e country had 200 distilleries at one point, with 40 of them in Dublin, and there are still remnants of that everywhere. I remember walking through Smith eld one night and coming across an old wall, and a friend told me that was part of the building they used to keep the Jameson horses in. ere is a lot of this history in the city, you just have to know where to look, and that’s where the historical walk comes in.

“ ey are a great opportunity to show people parts of the city that they probably drive by without noticing. ere is a bit of history and culture, while having a sip of whiskey along the way.”

TASTINGS

ere are also more tastings planned, with a trip to Echlinville in the North coming in late-autumn and a Scotch night in the making. Some DFB members have mentioned that the smoky taste of Scotch reminds them too much of work, but Ronan urges them to give it a try.

“In order to appreciate whiskey itself, you have to at least try Scotch,” he says. “Part of the beauty of the 1875 Club is that you get to sample whiskies that otherwise you would walk past in a shop or bar. You mightn’t want to spend money on something you’re unsure of, but we get to sample these, taste them with an open mind without having to pay for a bottle. at is how you discover whiskies and what you like.

“Also, we will probably put a lot of Speyside whiskey on the mat, because

with DFB members from di erent stations and Watches that I had never met, enjoying the company and making new friends within the society.”

With plans for the rest of this year in full swing, Ronan says he is sure next year will see the Club build on its popularity in terms of members and events.

Speyside doesn’t peat their whiskies, so it would be very comparable to Irish whiskies and we hope people will enjoy them.”

Towards the end of the year, a special charity night featuring Redbreast whiskey will also be planned, with the rarer bottles on o er to sample.

INCLUSIVE

Ronan also points out that for bigger events and tastings, the Club welcomes friends and family of DFB members to take part, and this year they have had visiting re ghters from other Brigades joining them, including from Cork for 4 July and American re ghters taking part in tastings when they arrived on our shores.

“It is very inclusive, and diverse,” Ronan tells me. “What makes the Club great is that we have people from all tiers in the organisation. We have operational sta , non-operational sta , control room sta , management, a huge age diversity from retired members to new recruits. You get to sit and have a chat over a whiskey with someone who has a shared interest.

“We are a very welcoming bunch. Everybody is at a di erent stage in their whiskey journey, whether you are starting out or have had an interest for years and can give advice or answer questions. It is all a bit of fun, we are not that serious about ourselves. It is a very enjoyable night out with a great bunch of people. I nd myself sitting down now, a er 17 years in the job,

ere will be a new President next year, but I’m sure there will be a lot to look forward to,” he says. “We are getting established now, so that will be a good launching pad for next year when hopefully we can get around the country a lot more to go to di erent distilleries and have many more tastings, perhaps with overnight and weekend trips and maybe going further a eld.”

“

MERCHANDISE

Getting noticed by the industry is something that can only help the 1875 Club’s expansion, and Ronan tells me that there is a good range of merchandise on o er – polo shirts, beanies, pins, and toppers – with more in the pipeline, including special tasting glasses, so members can look the part.

He mentions that posters advertising the Club are in all stations, but anyone interested in joining or nding out about upcoming events can contact any Committee member, and check out the Twitter account: d 1875_whiskey_club @d 1875.

As a nal word, Ronan tells me: “ e message I would give to anyone thinking of joining is simply: Give it a go!”

Getting an education at Pearse Lyons

TRIP OF A

LIFETIME

DFB members took a trip to Long Island to take part in the 4th of July Parade as guests of Southampton FD

The DFBSSC trip to Southampton, Long Island, was back on this year, with 31 DFB members ying to the US to take part in the 4th of July celebrations as guests of Southampton FD once again.

Flying out on Saturday, 2 July, the group, which was made up of members from all stations, Watches and ranks, were met at JFK airport by members of Southampton FD, who

have become long-held friends of DFB over the years, and from there, the hospitality and welcome grew, with a thoroughly enjoyable week had by all.

Apart from the 4th of July Parade itself, DFB members found a week’s worth of sporting and social events on hand for their entertainment, including so ball, shooting, golf, the annual carnival, and a lot of late-night revelry.

D/O Richie Currie was the ranking o cer on the trip, and while he remained “an enthusiastic supporter” for the sporting events held, found that there was a huge amount of activities to take part in and enjoy.

“One of the lads organised the so ball, one the ring range, one the

golf,” he tells me. “ e shooting was a bit of an eye opener, I believe. Whatever they expected it to be, they came back saying it wasn’t that, but they had a great time.”

HOSPITALITY

He is quick to point out that the hospitality a orded to the DFB was exceptional, and to thank Southampton

Gathering ahead of the 4th of July parade

FD for their generous welcome.

“ e hospitality can’t be overstated,” he says. “It was staggering, the generosity of everyone was just unreal. It started when we arrived to be met by a bus full of refreshments bringing us to Southampton, followed by a meal when we got there, with Chief Al e Callahan there (as he was for everything all week), and it lasted all week. Everywhere we went there were people to meet us, there was food and drink, lots of presentations, you couldn’t put your hand in your pocket, there was always someone there to do anything for you. We had a WhatsApp group and you just put in there that you wanted to do something and someone would be along to make it happen.

“ ey were so generous with their

time, so it was really quite staggering and humbling. It was also so goodhumoured, and one of the things that really stood out in the entire trip was how willing people were to do all of this. e genuine a ection they have for the Irish and the unbelievable respect they have for the re service, it was just amazing.

“On the Parade, we got a rapturous reception every corner we went around, and I think we won the Mayor’s Prize for the parade, although that may have been governed by sentiment more than anything else. We didn’t o er it back though!”

BONDING

Even though the group was made up of DFB members from all ranks and of all ages, including two retired

members and newly operational FF/Ps, D/O Currie says everyone got on really well, and revelled in the chance to get to know members from other stations and Watches.

“I think the numbers that went was an ideal number,” he says. “Big enough to make a mark when marching in the parade, which was important, but small enough to be in the logistical parameters and not overwhelming for our hosts.

“It was amazing how well people gelled,” he tells me. “ e bonding within the group, and then the easy bonding with the Southampton FD was brilliant. e ight over was uproarious as you can imagine, but that was almost a group bonding session in itself.

“For all the travelling and events there was no separation,” he adds. “Of course, some of the group stayed with family of the Southampton FD, while most stayed in the Firehouse, and one of our members who did stay at the Firehouse, with 30 years of service, was saying that it was like one of the rst trips he went on, the craic never stopped, it was like being a recruit again, being away on your rst trip!”

For D/O Currie, the main purpose of the visit – to take part in the 4th of July Independence Day Paradewas something he looks back on very fondly.

“It is hard to pick out one moment or event as a highlight because it was just such a good trip, one of the best I have ever been on, but the parade was special, and despite all the extracurricular activities, the basis for going there was to march in the 4th of July Parade as guests of Southampton

Getting dazzled at the carnival

A reception was laid out upon arrival, and at every event after that

On top of the world

S/O Dave Lanigan takes to the stage

FD. ey are genuinely hospitable and pleasant people in Southampton. Some of the younger lads were actually saying ‘Have they got us confused with somebody else?’ But it was a very genuine and heartfelt welcome for us.”

From the most senior O cer to one of the newest FF/Ps, David Healy only went fully operational in January of this year, having served in the Control Room for three years, and he shares the thought that this, his rst trip away with DFB, was one to remember.

“It was the rst and best, but hopefully not the last!” he tells me. “I didn’t really know what to expect, because I was very green. From the start, it became evident that this was going to be a great trip with a bunch of great people. e whole element of rank or seniority just disappeared very quickly.”

He too is full of praise for Southampton FD and the amazing hospitality they showed.

HIGHLIGHT

“ e way they took care of us and treated us was second to none, they were amazing people,” he says. “I’d like to put on record how grateful I am personally for what they did for me to make my trip so memorable.

“For me, the highlight of the trip was the Parade. e whole town came out to see us, and to be able to parade in the 4th of July celebrations for DFB, the sense of pride to see all those people out there for us, waving us on and clapping for us, was amazing. e Union bar was probably a highlight too!” FF/P Healy adds.

“

FROM THE START, IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A GREAT TRIP WITH A BUNCH OF GREAT PEOPLE. THE WHOLE ELEMENT OF RANK OR SENIORITY JUST DISAPPEARED VERY QUICKLY”

FF/P Neil Corcoran was also making his rst trip away with DFB, and is keen to show his appreciation towards everyone involved in making it such a great week.

“My father was in DFB and had told me a lot about these trips, and I’d heard the stories from people who had gone

on the last trip and I thought they were exaggerating, but it was fantastic. e organisation here on the Dublin side from DFBSSC, as well as the reception we got, was top class,” he tells me. “ e Southampton FD couldn’t have done any more for us. ey really rolled out the red carpet for us.”

FF/P Corcoran also says that the camaraderie within the DFB and Southampton FD groups was immediately evident.

WELCOMING

“ e camaraderie was great. ere was a huge mix of people, as well as a great mix of Watches and stations represented, which made it great. It was a great opportunity to be able to mix with lads I didn’t know. It was the same with the Southampton FD, we were straight in and talking like old friends.”

Before the trip, FF/P Corcoran was tasked with liaising with members of Southampton FD to organise a visit to a ring range, which involved two re ghters and a police o cer bringing a small group of DFB members out for what he describes as “an eye-opening but brilliant experience”.

He too says the Parade was a highlight.

“It was great to be able to be part of the

Getting

softball

parade. e locals couldn’t have been more welcoming, the weather was unbelievable, and it was just a great experience to be able to march in the 4th of July parade.”

“I’m 33 years in the job and I have done lots of trips, but this one would be up there with the best of them,” S/O Dave Lanigan tells me.

He was a member of the group who played a mini-Ryder Cup golf tournament against Southampton FD.

“Needless to say, they beat us, but I think we beat ourselves because we had been out late the night before,” he tells me. “But it was a great day out. ey looked a er us really well.”

True to form, S/O Lanigan also says the 4th of July Parade was a standout moment of the trip.

“It was like our St Patricks Day parade, but on a smaller scale and more community-based,” he says. “It was lovely to be part of that community. Southampton FD are volunteer re ghters, but I have to say, they are very professional in their business and everything they do as regards re ghting, their equipment.

ey are a great group of men and women, and everything was done in great spirits on both sides.”

GOLF

Also part of the golf team was S/O Brian Gilbert, and though the spoils went to the Southampton FD team, he says it was a great experience to be a part of, helped by the hospitality of their hosts.

“Jason Poremba from Southampton FD organised the match with us, and because we had bragging rights a er winning the last match we had with them over there, he came out ring and brought the big guns this time, but they also spoiled us, bringing us out to the lovely Southampton Golf Club and treating us to lunch beforehand.”

With four teams playing Matchplay in pairs, S/O Gilbert says “they absolutely hammered us”, with only Craig Wilson registering a win for ‘ e Europeans’, so it is now one each, with the next visit expected to be the decider.

“ e course was in spectacular condition, the greens were fantastic, and we got a great day for it, so we really enjoyed it,” he adds, “but the next time we might take it a little bit more seriously. Last time around, the golf was at the start of the trip, and this time it was towards the end,

so there were a few tired bodies at that stage. All the excuses! But they won it convincingly, and we have no complaints.

“It was all very friendly, a nice fair game, and hopefully we can do it again the next time and win it. We might have to drag along some of the bigger hitters from the golf society though, to make sure of the victory!”

THANKS

In terms of the trip overall, S/O Gilbert says the hospitality of all at Southampton FD was something that he is constantly amazed at.

“I am in the job 23 years now, and the two trips to the Hamptons have surpassed any other trip I have been on,” he tells me. “ e way they look a er us, they really go out of their way to do anything for you.

“I must say a big thank you to the DFBSSC committee. A lot of work goes on in the background and they go out of their way to make trips like this happen, as does Caroline Gunning, who organised the ights, and it really is appreciated.”

All DFB members I talked to about the trip were in agreement that when members of Southampton FD come to Dublin for St Patrick’s Day next year, there will be a huge task to ensure they enjoy their stay as much as DFB did this year.

“We were all thinking we’d better look a er them properly when they come back over here,” D/O Currie tells me. “We have to li our game because we have never been treated this well.”

THE WAY THEY TOOK CARE OF US AND TREATED US WAS SECOND TO NONE, THEY WERE AMAZING PEOPLE”

“

The Southampton FD and DFB teams competing for the mini-Ryder Cup

FF/P Healy agrees, saying: “We all just want to pull out all the stops for them. You want to repay them and thank them in any way you can but you were le wondering how you are going to be able to top what they did for us.”

FF/P Corcoran is of the same mind, and says he would be keen to take on any role in helping to make the visit of the Southampton FD a special one. He also laughs at the thought of the one unavoidable hiccup on the trip: the plane home being forced to return to JFK two

hours into the ight, which meant staying over and catching a train to Boston to y home the next day.

“We got to spend an extra night in New York, so that wasn’t something to turn your nose up at,” he says.

S/O Gilbert adds: “It would have been annoying if it happened on the way over because we would have lost a day, but it was a bit of an adventure and we all got back home safe eventually.”

Home safely a er a memorable trip to great friends, all that’s le now is to re ect on a thoroughly

enjoyable time, to thank Southampton FD for their amazing hospitality, and to start making plans to repay them when they land on our shores for St Patrick’s Day.

Being saluted by Southampton FD firefighters

Richie Currie with Southampton FD’s Matt Shimkus

Getting a bird’s eye view of town

Southampton FD made sure the whole town knew of the visit

Friendships were formed

Bonding at the Union Bar

David Healy was taking his first DFB trip

The evenings were lively

Further Your Career

With SETU Carlow

Best wishes and continued success to An Garda Síochána from everyone at Extended Campus SETU Carlow

SUMMER SOCIALS

The Summer Nights Out Gave Each Watch a Chance to Meet Up and Unwind, writes Ger Ryan

The Summer Social nights made a welcomed return this June, timed nicely with a spell of great weather this year.

With the full li ing of restrictions, our club members were able to enjoy themselves both inside and outside in e Church Bar this time, with the nights kicking o on 16 June for C Watch, with B Watch following on 23 June, A Watch on 30 June, and

D Watch getting their chance to unwind and raise a glass on 7 July.

ese Social nights saw a marked increase in numbers attending across all Watch nights, with a good contribution made up from new members from the last few recruit classes and a couple of old faces joining back up with their colleagues.

As always, our thanks to the Church Bar and their sta for accommodating us each night, and also to the station reps who attend on the night to make sure everything goes smoothly.

We look forward to returning to e Church Bar this Autumn, and will have further details in the coming weeks.

UNHEARD VOICES OF CIVIL WAR

With the Centenary of the Civil War, Las Fallon writes about Dublin Fire Brigade’s Role in the Battle for the City, 1922

The story of Dublin Fire Brigade’s role in the events during the battle for Dublin at the start of the Civil War falls into two separate streams. ere is the ‘o cial’ one as told by the newspapers of the period and carved in stone in the DFB Annual Report for 1922, with the list of res attended and the response to the ongoing situation as it developed over those days – the calls, the Brigade response, the outcomes.

BUT there was another story happening beneath the surface, as

individual members of the DFB responded to events and acted on other loyalties beyond those of their role as municipal employees. ose are the unheard voices, and I hope to look at them brie y here with a view to returning to some aspects in greater detail at a later date.

e genesis of this article was a talk I gave in the Supreme Court on 19 May of this year as part of the Four Courts 100 Lecture Series in which I spoke about the ‘Unheard Voices’ from the Battle for Dublin, namely the various roles and experiences of Dublin re ghters.

CIVIL WAR

e story of the background to Ireland`s Civil War is a complex one not to be rehashed here, but to put it brie y: In December 1921, a Treaty had been signed which made the 26 counties of southern Ireland a dominion of the British Empire, but with considerable scope for self-government, while six counties in the north were to remain under direct British rule, albeit having a locally elected parliament. It is su cient to say that by the end of June 1922, Ireland, and Dublin in particular, was a powder keg.

Gardiner Street

The DFB crew from Tara Street

Anti-Treaty Executive Forces (IRA) had occupied a number of buildings in Dublin, including the Four Courts. e Four Courts might seem like an odd choice from a military point of view but it had huge symbolic signi cance to Republicans as it had been a 1916 garrison which had held out to the end. Seemingly believing that a negotiated solution to di erences over the Treaty signed with Britain might still be possible, the republican garrison had done little to fortify the buildings or store provisions for a siege or attack.

Troops of the new Free State government, many of them until recently comrades in the IRA of those

who they now faced, were recruited, trained and equipped with weapons supplied by the British government. Following the killing of the security advisor to the new Northern government, Longford-born Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson, in London by two English-born IRA members, the British government demanded action from their new dominion to stamp out opposition in Dublin.

FOUR COURTS

Initially, the British intended to attack the Four Courts using the British troops still stationed in Ireland while awaiting evacuation, many of whom were concentrated in the Dublin area. However, instead of the potentially dangerous optics of using British troops, it was decided to supply artillery for the new National Army to do it. e excuse to ‘localise’ the dispute came with the kidnapping of a senior Free State o cer by IRA forces, which in turn led to an ultimatum to surrender the Four Courts. At 4.10am on the morning of 28 June, artillery, ri e and machine gun

re was opened on the Four Courts. e battle for Dublin, and in turn the Irish Civil War, had begun.

Dublin Fire Brigade’s annual report for 1922 lists the rst ‘Civil War’ call to the Brigade as being, not to the Four Courts as might be expected, but to 10 Rutland Square to deal with a re caused by evacuating Republican troops. e building involved was Fowler’s Hall, the headquarters of the Orange Order in Dublin. Previously it had been commandeered by Republican forces to house some of the refugees eeing Belfast and other northern towns to avoid the anti-Catholic pogroms and attacks on nationalist areas by forces of the new Northern state. Later, it had been garrisoned by IRA forces but, like a lot of isolated buildings which had been held by them, it was abandoned while the garrison concentrated on the new Republican headquarters in upper O`Connell Street known as ‘the Block’.

CALLS

Other calls that day were to an armoured car on re in Dame Street

The DFB Gardiner Street crew

An armoured car held by DFB during the battle

(due to a mechanical problem rather than military action) and to another abandoned Republican garrison at Dolphin’s Barn, which had been set on re. What senior o cers of the DFB must have noticed, however, was that three members of the Brigade had le their stations and reported back to their IRA units. Possibly unknown to them was the fact that other DFB members had begun a role familiar to them from the war against the British. ey were using DFB ambulances to act as couriers for the Republican forces.

KAVANAGH

At the outbreak of the ghting, DFB re ghter Lieutenant Tom Kavanagh of ‘F’ Company, 4th Battalion, Dublin Brigade, Irish Republican Army, had reported back to his unit and was involved in occupying and defending the Corporation Workshops at Stanley Street (the present-day DFB garage). Kavanagh was a 1916 Rising veteran who had joined the DFB in 1920. By the time he joined, he had completed a prison sentence for IRA activities (drilling his local unit on farmland at Ballyfermot).

He had been involved in attacks on British forces at the Red Cow and Halfway House ambushes, in the burning of Crumlin RIC barracks, and in the escape of Ernie O`Malley and others from Kilmainham Gaol. He had also been involved in the burning of the Custom House while a DFB member and was an experienced operator in the Dublin IRA. When Stanley Street fell, Kavanagh was ordered by his commanding o cer to return to the DFB and use his position there to try and get arms for the company as they had had to abandon theirs in their escape.

Later, Kavanagh was at the Block in O`Connell Street when the building was evacuated while on re as a result of the National Army attack on it. He was there as a member of Dublin Fire Brigade, but was able to use his role to enter the burning building and recover weapons, mainly Luger Model 1917

Artillery pistols with stocks and Mauser C96 pistols again tted with stocks. ese weapons were respectively known to the IRA as ‘Parabellums’ and ‘Peter the Painters’ and were highly prized as weapons for urban guerrilla warfare. In a letter dated 3 March 1936 in support of his Military Service Pension, his IRA company commanding o cer, Gerald Doyle, says that Kavanagh,

using his role in the DFB, recovered six ri es, ten pistols, and 1,400 rounds of ammunition for his unit.

MCDONALS

Austin McDonald was a Dublin re ghter originally from Louisburgh in west Mayo (also the home place of omas Baines, one of the original DFB members who was arrested and

Maps showing the areas of Dublin the DFB were called to during the battle for the city

transported to Australia in 1866 as a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood for recruiting Irishmen in the British Army into the Fenian brotherhood). McDonald had joined the DFB in 1920 at a time when he had completed a prison sentence for an assault on the RIC in Mayo where he was an Irish Volunteer o cer. He joined ‘A’ Company of the IRA’s 4th Battalion and, like Tom Kavanagh, was involved in attacks and ambushes on his days o from the DFB, as well as working for the IRA within the job. He was involved in a number of ambushes in the Rathmines area, and was also involved in the planning of the Custom House attack.

On hearing of the attack on the Republican forces at the Four Courts, McDonald reported back to his unit and was involved in ghting in the defence of the Block on Upper O`Connell Street. McDonald’s girlfriend and later wife, Máire Dooley, was a Cumann na mBan member who had been very active in the Tan War period and, like

the vast majority of Cumann na mBan, was anti-Treaty. She had reported to the Republican forces at the Block to work as a courier, nurse and general helper for the garrison there.

I was recently privileged to meet Austin and Máire’s granddaughter and hear from her of the story of her grandparents during the Revolution. Máire was involved in storing arms and explosives at her family home and couriering arms around the city, as women were less likely to be searched at British military checkpoints. At one point in 1919, she was arrested for fundraising and was being escorted to Mountjoy DMP station for arrest when the unfortunate constable arresting her was seen by Martin Savage (later killed at the Ashtown Ambush on Lord French) who was carrying a hurl, which he used to give the DMP constable a solid thrashing while Máire made good her escape.

She reported for duty to the Block and was able to spend snatched moments with Austin. By chance,

when the order to evacuate came, she was with him and they escaped together. A er getting away and seeing Máire safe, Austin reported back to the DFB. He features in further stories during the Civil War and I intend to return to them in the future.

CONNOLLY

Joe Connolly, on seeing the attack on the Four Courts, had le the DFB (as he had done on 24 April 1916) and had joined other Irish Citizen Army members in the Block. He was stationed at the Dublin United Tram Company (DUTC) o ces on O`Connell Street. I am not sure if it was a deliberate move to place ICA members in that spot. In 1913, industrial action by ITGWU members in the DUTC had sparked the Lockout and pitted the workers against William Martin Murphy and the employers of Dublin. e Citizen Army had been formed to protect workers from attacks by police and armed strike-breakers used by the employers. Connolly, while he saw action, was only

Attending the fire at Fowler’s Hall

there brie y as he was ordered back to the DFB by direct order of Oscar Traynor, the o cer commanding the Dublin IRA.

He was told to return to the Brigade and take ambulances to the Four Courts and remove wounded men. Joe did that, and among other wounded men there, he took Paddy O`Brien, Commanding O cer of the Four Courts Garrison, to hospital for treatment for a head wound. A er treatment, O`Brien was removed to a place of safety outside the ghting lines by DFB ambulance. Other

SMART

Perhaps the best example of a member acting as a Republican courier was Fireman Tom Smart, ‘C’ Company 1st Battalion, Dublin IRA, a veteran of the 1916 Four Courts garrison. He was tasked with delivering messages between garrisons in Dublin and was also tasked with communications with Republican reinforcements gathering at Blessington, Co Wicklow.

He used his role as a DFB ambulance driver working with sympathetic remen to do this work. In the chaos of the start of the ghting, ambulances were constantly being agged down in the street to attend to wounded combatants and civilians without o cial turnouts being logged, and so it was possible to simply disappear o the books and carry out other work.

Over many years of researching DFB history, some things stand out. This photo was shared with me by the late Colm Smart, RIP. It shows his father Thomas Smart driving the Tara Street appliance at the funeral of Michael Collins on 28 August 1922. Behind him sits Firefighter Nicholas Bohan.

members of the garrison were also taken out and both remen McKeown and Dorman also removed men from the Four Courts to places outside the Free State cordon.

DORMAN

Jack Dorman, a member of ‘K’ Company 3rd Battalion Dublin IRA had Tan War service under his belt, including being a member of a covering party for the Bloody Sunday killings of British intelligence o cers. Arrested in the a ermath of Bloody Sunday in 1920, he had been interned at Ballykinlar. On release, he joined the DFB. During the Battle for Dublin, he was one of the remen who helped Republican ghters escape from the Four Courts by dressing them in bandages and removing them alongside genuinely wounded men to places from which they could regroup and resume the ghting. ese remen also acted as couriers, bringing messages in and out of the Courts and between garrisons under the noses of Free State troops.

His cover story to get through National Army checkpoints on the way to Blessington seems to have been that he was carrying a nurse and doctor to attend to a private case outside the Corporation Area. Some recent research points to Bridie Clyne, a Cumann na mBan member as the ‘nurse’ involved. Kilmainham Gaol Museum holds the home-made ‘Red Cross’ armbands she used to get access to the Four Courts during the ghting there.

OTHER VOICES

ere are many other stories still to be told. Fireman Nicholas Bohan, a Lieutenant in ‘K’ Company of the 3rd Battalion (the unit which held up Tara Street for the burning of the Custom House on 25 May 1921) was one of the remen present when Cathal Brugha le the burning Block and was fatally wounded by National Army troops. He helped to administer rst aid to Brugha. Many men who would later join the DFB took an active part in the Civil War, all with one exception, on the anti-Treaty side. eir stories too are still to be told, and I hope to continue to tell them.

Photograph Credits:

©Las Fallon Collection

Many public bodies were represented at Collins’ funeral. The DFB were represented by both motor appliances (RI 1090 and RI 2080), some horse drawn turntable ladders, and other vehicles. Also present were pumps from Rathmines Fire Brigade and Pembroke Township Fire Brigade.

The thing that strikes me about this photo is that Tom Smart, a 1916 veteran of the Four Courts garrison, who joined DFB in 1920 while an active IRA member and who had taken part in many actions to support IRA actions, was like many in the IRA’s Dublin Brigade, an anti-Treaty Republican.

At the time of the attack on the Four Courts, he had acted as a courier between the Four Courts, the IRA headquarters at the Block in O`Connell Street and Republican reinforcements at Blessington, Co Wicklow by using a DFB ambulance as cover.

Nick Bohan, also in the photo, was a Lieutenant in ‘K’Company of the IRA’s 3rd Battalion and had attended and given first aid to Cathal Brugha when he was fatally wounded while evacuating the burning Block following the Free State attack on it.

It strikes me as a good example of how in time of war it is sometimes better to hide in plain sight. I wonder how many other anti-Treaty fighters found it expedient to attend events like Collins’ funeral, rather than bring attention to their beliefs?

It is a snapshot of Dublin in a time of Civil War.

The Gresham Hotel, part of the Block, on fire

Thomas Smart at Collins Funeral

A STRONG CONNECTION

“I’m trying to get back into a normal routine a er what was a hectic but very enjoyable year,” Councillor Alison Gilliland tells me, just one week a er her role as Lord Mayor of Dublin came to an end.

One of the very noticeable aspects of the year in o ce was Cllr Gilliland’s engagement with and support for Dublin Fire Brigade, which saw her stand out as one of the most proactive Lord Mayors the city has ever seen.

From hosting and attending events, to sharing information on social media, the outgoing Lord Mayor was a constant presence when it came to DFB, and given her long-standing commitment to

improving the services provided to the city, that comes as no surprise.

“My connection to DFB goes way back to just a er I was rst elected to Dublin City Council in 2014,” she says. “ e Fire Brigade was under the Finance Strategic Policy Committee, and I got a call from the local SIPTU convenor in DFB about an issue, so I went to the meeting and raised it, and since then I’ve always kept in contact with the convenor and know quite a few O cers from my constituency.

“I also objected to the plan to move responsibility for Fire and Emergency Services to the Arts and Recreation Committee, because I didn’t feel people with

an interest in the Arts would have a similar interest in the Fire Brigade, so I suggested we set up a Special Committee for Fire and Ambulance and Emergency Management, and put myself forward as the Chair of that Committee, which I held for three years.

“ at Special Committee was only within Dublin City Council, and we had to go out to our colleagues in other councils to get support and, importantly, help them understand the absolutely essential need for a very strong Dublin Fire and Ambulance Service. At the time, there were sta issues, the question of moving the HQ to Tallaght, HIQA recommendations, so I brought a report to the Council in

Cllr Alison Gilliland talks to Adam Hyland about her year as Lord Mayor and forging a strong relationship with DFB

2019 proposing to set up an Inter-Authority Special Committee, which I’m delighted to be the Chair of as well.”

ADMIRATION

Putting herself forward to work so hard on the improvement of support for Dublin Fire Brigade stems, Cllr Gilliland tells me, from her admiration for the work they do and the service provided.

“I have such respect for the ethos of DFB,” she says. “I’m a great supporter of and believer in high quality public service, and the fact that we as a local authority have our own Fire and Ambulance Service is really important to me and to the constituents and

people of Dublin city and county. My core want is to ensure that carries on, and I will do whatever I can to ensure it stays strong and that the ethos and culture is enhanced and supported.

“ e big thing this Committee has to discuss is the new Fire and Ambulance Operation Plan under Section 26 of the Fire Act, which we will be looking at in October. ere have been issues around sta ngwhich I know have not been fully resolved but we are getting there – so it is integral that we have enough DFB sta to allow for exibility, for training, maternity and paternity leave, etc. We need to have a full compliment.”

CONNECTION

All of this hard work is something that goes on out of the public eye, but as Lord Mayor, Cllr Gilliland was also very keen during her tenure to promote the connection between DFB and her o ce, and says having DFB members as her Aide de Camp and mace and sword bearers was particularly special. She gave a tting tribute to Aide de Camp Derek Riordan when he retired from the role this summer, saying he was “a gentleman, and superb in the role”.

In one of her last acts in o ce, Cllr Gilliland also awarded the Pipe Band a Lord Mayor’s Award in recognition of their representative role at civic events, national and international parades, “as well as the immense joy they give all who hear them”.

“ ey are fantastic,” Cllr Gilliland tells me. “ ey are such a great piece of DFB and the city’s culture and the people of Dublin love them, so it was an honour to give them the Award. Some people think a marching band is old-fashioned, but I think it is really important that we retain that appreciation for that aspect of our culture.”

HIGHLIGHTS

A highlight of the year for the Lord Mayor was the St Patrick’s Day Parade, and again Cllr Gilliland is full of praise for the Pipe Band’s role in the day.

“ e parade is really special,” she says. “Meeting them and the rest of the DFB members at the holding area before we began was a great opportunity to chat with members and get a few photos. It is lovely that there are retired members in the Pipe Band too. You can see the pride they have when they wear the uniform, and to have them march behind the Lord Mayor’s coach is great. e fact that they march and play for the entire route a er I take my seat means everybody gets to see and hear them, and that is really special. As the rst band in the parade, they are the ones everybody else has to step up to, and they really do us proud.”

Having worked so hard to bring more new sta into DFB, it was particularly apt that as Lord Mayor, Cllr Gilliland got to see two recruit passout ceremonies, which is something she says was very important to her.

Presenting the Lord Mayor’s Award to Pipe Band chairperson John Daly

Gathering with the Pipe Band for the St Patrick’s Day Parade

“ ere were a few events in my calendar as Lord Mayor that I told myself I absolutely have to do, and the recruit passout was one of them,” she says. “I was meant to be in Paris for the most recent one, but I cancelled the trip because I couldn’t not be there.

“I think it is a very important day, and as Lord Mayor to give a very strong message to the new recruits that they are very much appreciated, their training is essential, they are entering into a public service that is very important, and also one which I am very conscious there is a hierarchy to, in which teamwork is so important.

“It was also important to tell them that the job can be di cult and overwhelming at times, but that there are supports in place and it is important to use them, that we don’t expect them all to be superwomen and supermen. It is important to give that message as Lord Mayor, and to congratulate them and tell them how much we as a city really embrace how valued they are to us.”

SUPPORT

On top of embracing events the Lord Mayor is expected to attend, Cllr Gilliland also went above and beyond in other areas to show support for DFB. One notable

example was hosting the DFB Sport and Social Club 50th Birthday celebrations at the Mansion House.

“As Lord Mayor, you get lots of requests to do things and within reason you have a certain autonomy to choose what you do, but I was absolutely delighted to host the DFBSSC 50th celebrations,” she tells me.

“ e DFBSSC is a really important aspect of DFB because it gives an outlet and brings a huge camaraderie. I’d always known that,

the re station in Kilbarrack for a charity car wash in spring, and was eager to get stuck in and lend a hand.

“I’d actually gone to a charity car wash in Phibsboro, and asked if they could wash the Lord Mayor’s car,” she tells me, “but I didn’t realise there was a protocol in place and that the driver has to look a er that, so when I asked why we weren’t joining the queue they set me straight! But Kilbarrack is my local station, and I just thought it would be lovely to be doing it on Mother’s Day, and for a good cause in the Ukraine Appeal.

“Another thing I really respect about DFB is the amount of charity work they do, the local stu that goes under the radar, supporting families, and that all goes back to the ethos and camaraderie of looking a er each other, which is something so valuable.

but when you see it in action and see the impact it has, you really appreciate it. It was lovely to have a night when everyone could just relax and celebrate and acknowledge the people who organise everything and have signi cant milestones within that. As I said on the night, the fact that it is still going strong means it is absolutely doing something very, very well.”

Cllr Gilliland also showed her support by donning her chains of o ce and cycling to

“ at was a great family-friendly day, and something that exposes the ordinary local citizens to the work of DFB. e generosity of spirit is great, and it helps even more when the public can connect, to really know about what goes on behind the re station gates, and support them.”

OBJECTIVES

Going back to working with DFB on an operational level, Cllr Gilliland says that

I HAVE SUCH RESPECT FOR THE ETHOS OF DFB”

“

Speaking at the Recruit Class 12022 passout

Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland with her sword and mace bearers from DFB

though her time as Lord Mayor has ended, she continues to work to ensure the supports are there.

“In a city such as Dublin where it is so busy, with so many emergency calls, it is vital that we have an ambulance and emergency service that runs 24/7,” she says. “I know we need more ambulances and more funding to provide them, and I am working on that as we speak, looking to have the Minister for Local Government fund the provision of ambulances, taking it away from the HSE. Our Committee wants to break away from that set-up and have a new way of funding that will give us autonomy, which is crucial for the city. Of course, the biggest advantage DFB has when it stands up to present its case for ongoing funding and support is the fact that they provide both re and ambulance services.”

On the subject of what future Lord Mayors can do to continue this support, Cllr Gilliland is clear.

“Supporting DFB means being proactive. When we established the Inter-Authority Special Committee, we reserved one of the seats for the Lord Mayor, because we felt it was important that the Lord Mayor be informed and could contribute. One of the things I noticed was that when you understand the intricacies of DFB and the various work they are engaged in, whether that is re prevention, community work, risk analysis, all of that, it really opens your eyes. Information is key, and when you are the rst citizen of the city, sitting on that Committee, you get a real insight that allows you to be proactive in your support.”

ASPIRATIONS

As well as returning to her role as councillor for the Whitehall/Beaumont area, Cllr Gilliland will also be part of the delegation for COP27 in Egypt in November, and in the last few months added to her already busy role by publishing a book co-authored by journalist Clodagh Finn, Her Keys to the City: Honouring the Women who Made Dublin, which is reviewed in our book section.

“One of my priorities as Lord Mayor was to give more voice to women and girls, and highlight their contribution to the city. I wanted to go back in time and

give the freedom of the city to a woman for every man who has been granted that honour, but they have to be alive so I couldn’t do that.

e book was one way of enhancing that message. e biggest di culty was narrowing it down to just 80 women, because when you go digging, you discover remarkable stories.

“When you think about all the obstacles they faced, particularly in the late-1800s and early 1900s, that time around independence, I was particularly struck by the women in the Rising and striving for independence, who then got this 1937 Constitution that removed the su rage and equality gi ed in the Proclamation. You really feel the frustration there.”

is ties in with Cllr Gilliland’s views

on the DFB as an organisation.

“I know in the last recruitment drive and the next one coming, DFB have tried very hard to focus on diversity and getting more women to join. I know there are a lot of great women in the organisation already, but I would love to see more. It would be great to see female re ghters get in front of the camera and talk about what they do because that would be the best way to encourage women and girls to aspire to be in DFB. When women see other women doing a job they aspire to, it breaks down that lack of con dence, because these are good role models. I’m hoping the book does the same thing, showing good role models with the message to keep on striving in society.”

Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland presents the Silver Axe to Conor Barry at the Recruit Class 12022 passout

MIGRANT MANAGEMENT

MISSION

On 28 February of this year, Poland activated the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), requesting medical items and medical teams in the context of the management of the migration ow from Ukraine.

Alongside this, numerous international organisations including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations O ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian A airs (OCHA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), began to establish coordination hubs in Poland and asked for connection and coordination with the UCPM in these e orts.

Poland, Slovakia and Romania were established as logistic hubs under the UCPM, with vital assistance delivered to Ukraine through these hubs. ese items delivered included, food, hygiene items, water, ambulances, re ghting equipment, medicines, CBRN equipment, shelter equipment and energy supplies.

UCPM

Established in 2001, the Union Civil Protection Mechanism aims to strengthen cooperation between EU countries and six participating states on civil protection, to improve prevention, preparedness and response to disasters.

When an emergency overwhelms the response capabilities of a country

in Europe and beyond, it can request assistance through the mechanism.

Depending on the nature of the emergency, teams and equipment can be deployed to assist anywhere in the world. Examples of modules that are available to deploy include:

• Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)

• Ground Forest Fire ghting

• Aerial Fire ghting assets

• Emergency Medical Teams

• Flood Rescue

• High-Capacity Pumping

In tandem or in advance of the deployment of a module, an EU Civil Protection Team (EUCPT) will deploy for the purposes of disaster assessment and coordination. Essentially, this team will work

The Union Civil Protection Mechanism mission to Poland: Migration Influx was a difficult but hugely rewarding operation, writes D/O Derek Cheevers

with the local authorities in place to communicate its needs back to Brussels, and to coordinate the assistance when it arrives.

Since its inception, the Mechanism has been activated more than 600 times to assist in disasters around the world.

At the heart of the mechanism is the Emergency Response and Coordination Centre (ERCC) in Brussels. is 24/7 operation coordinates the delivery of assistance to disaster-stricken countries such as relief items, civil protection teams and specialised equipment.

e centre makes use of various early warning and information systems including the EU’s Copernicus Earth Observation programme to provide high resolution satellite maps in monitoring events.

MISSION PREPARATION

Having been a member of the UCPM since 2010, and having gained extensive experience in this area through training and exercises, I received a call from the ERCC in Brussels on 5 April of this year. ey informed me that I had been chosen to deploy as an Information

relating to my deployment, discussing travel arrangements, practicalities related to the mission, and mission objectives, which were de ned as the following:

THE WHO REPORTED THAT MORE THAN 100 UKRAINIAN HEALTH FACILITIES HAD BEEN IMPACTED BY THE WAR”

Manager/ Deputy Team Leader, to the UCPM mission to Poland, for the in ux of refugees from Ukraine.

As part of my preparation for deployment, I attended two online Webex meetings on 6 April. e rst was with the ERCC, and in that meeting I received instructions

• Supporting the national authorities to facilitate the coordination of incoming UCPM assistance.

• Identifying areas where the Union Civil Protection Mechanism can contribute within its mandate and providing recommendations to the ERCC regarding the needs and type of assistance further needed, as well as the potential impact to neighbouring countries.

• Liaising and cooperating with the UN and other international organisations as appropriate in assessing the situation and facilitating coordination.

• Liaising and cooperating with the ECHO Field and the EU Delegation.

• Reporting to ERCC and operational tasking as required.

My second online meeting took place that a ernoon and involved meeting the three Team Leaders of deployed teams on this particular mission. e countries of Slovakia, Moldova and Poland had all activated the Mechanism as a result of the huge migration in ux from Ukraine, and in each case an EUCPT had been deployed to assist.

DEPARTURE

I departed Dublin airport on 7 April, arriving in Warsaw that evening. On arrival, I travelled directly to the On-Site Operations and Coordination Centre (OSOCC) that had been

The Norwegian rescEU medical evacuation plane

Inside the German military’s flying hospital

established in the headquarters of Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. ere I met with other members of the team and was introduced to my role by the Team Leader and the outgoing Information Manager.

MY ROLE

For the next two weeks, I worked as part of Team Charlie, the third team that had deployed to Poland since the activation of the mechanism. As the Information Manager, my role was to gather, analyse, disseminate and display information as a basis for decision making. Additionally, I had responsibility for the maintenance of important documents relating to the mission, such as the Plan of Action, Media Plan, and the Safety and Security Plan. I was also the Deputy Team leader, and as such, was the OSOCC Manager when the Team Leader was out of o ce.

Much of the information that I received came from reports from both governmental and nongovernmental organisations, and from meetings that I attended. From the outset, strong links were established with the Polish Ministry of Health, Ministry of Interior and with Frontex. In many ways, the team were the eyes and ears of the ERCC on the ground and regular

updates were provided to them in this regard.

During my time there, I attended a number of meetings both face to face and online. ese included meetings with the ERCC, Frontex daily brie ngs, and Community of Interest meetings chaired by the US Army who were protecting Rzeszow Air Force Base, close to the border with Ukraine, on request of the Polish government.

Community of Interest Meetings brought together multiple stakeholders involved in the response to the Ukrainian crisis and participants in them included WHO, UNHCR, OCHA, the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), NATO, Foreign Embassies, Ukrainian Ministries, Polish Ministries, US Consul General and US embassies in Warsaw and Kyiv. e EUCPT was represented each time these meetings took place, either by its presence directly, or through its online attendance.

TEAM STRUCTURE

In total, we were a team of nine. Alongside information management, we had team members undertaking roles around operations and logistics. e team was also

comprised of one doctor and one trauma nurse with responsibility for the Medevac aspect of our work, and two epidemiologists attached to the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC). e team included a liaison o cer from the ERCC who was a Polish national and was a vital link in establishing communications with the Polish authorities.

From the perspective of logistics, the team monitored all incoming assistance and reported on a daily basis to the ERCC. e Polish Strategic Reserve Agency (RARS) managed the passage of assistance from Poland to Ukraine via two train stations, Slawkow and Szczebrzeszyn. Both stations had wide gauge rail capacity, thus allowing trains to travel over the border into Ukraine. As of 17 April, more than 16,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid had been delivered through the Polish UCPM hubs to Ukraine.

ECDC

ECDC colleagues in the team conducted in-person and online meetings with the WHO, Ministry of Health Poland, the National Public Health Institute, and other relevant agencies. ey carried out visits to train and bus stations receiving Ukrainian refugees, and short and long-term reception centres in Poland. Only a few cases of

Members of Team Charlie alongside representatives from the Danish and Norwegian embassies

The ERCC in action

transmissible diseases were identi ed, these included COVID 19, rotavirus and salmonella.

MEDEVAC

On 12 April, the WHO reported that more than 100 Ukrainian health facilities had been impacted by the war.

Although many facilities remained functional, meetings with multiple stakeholders began with a view to establishing a medical hub near the border with Ukraine. Meetings were conducted with WHO, Ministry of Health Poland and Ukraine, DG SANTE, and ERCC to discuss creating a medevac hub for triaging patients coming from Ukrainian hospitals and pooling them for medevac.

is became a vital component of the overall work of the team in Poland during my time there, and continues to be a key part of the EUCPT work to date. At the time of writing, the latest statement from the WHO claims that “as of 2 June, there have been 269 veri ed attacks on health facilities, killing at least 76 people, and injuring 59”.

A number of assets utilised for Medevac were deployed under the mechanism, including the Norwegian rescEU medical evacuation plane and the German military’s Airbus A310 ‘ ying hospital’.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

e EU have described the response to the Ukrainian crisis as the largest, most complex deployment that

it has managed to date. For me, it was both an honour and a privilege to be involved in such a response. Whilst the overall experience was an intense one, it was also one that was extremely rewarding. On a personal level, I believe that it was a high point in my 30-year career with DFB.

In my time as part of the mechanism, I have been extremely fortunate to undertake some excellent training and to participate in many exercises. is training, alongside my training and experience as a member of DFB, greatly assisted me in working in this environment.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the CFO and his senior management team for their support during my time in Poland, and also to thank DCC and the NDFEM for authorising my deployment.

SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE MECHANISM HAS BEEN ACTIVATED MORE THAN 600 TIMES TO ASSIST IN DISASTERS AROUND THE WORLD”

“

The Frontex building in Warsaw

With members of Team Charlie

Tommy Doyle

The retired D/O, DFBSSC founding member and Retired Member’s Association rep talks about his career

Many DFB members have over the years played important roles in the running of the Sports and Social Club, but few have done as much as retired D/O Tommy Doyle.

He was one of the founding members of the DFBSSC, and has seen it grow from an initial idea among a few men to the thriving organisation it is today while taking on various roles within it, but rst we turn to his career.

“My brother applied rst, but he was two months too old, because you had to be under 25 back then,” he says, “so I thought that when the chance arose, I would go for it as well, and in November 1966 I was accepted.”

RETIRED MEMBER PROFILE

Having completed training, Tommy was put on No.1 Watch as it was then, and immediately applied to take part in the rst ambulance course in Ireland in 1967. He stayed at Tara Street for almost ten years, and in that time he and a few colleagues had started to think about the need for an organised club to oversee extra-curricular activities, and this was the origin of today’s Sports and Social Club.

DFBSSC

Donations from grateful businesses had been presented to DFB to fund activities, but with no o cial club to hand them to, the money was always returned, so Tommy and some colleagues decided that an established club was needed.

“Myself and a few others got together and set up an ad hoc committee, which used to meet in the Mess Hall, and we went to HQ to suggest the formation of a Sports and Social Club,” he tells me. “We then formed a proper committee, and I was elected as rep for No.1 Watch.

“ e whole idea of getting funds to pay for sporting and social activities came about in a strange way,” he continues. “ e Chief O cer at the time, Tom O’Brien, saw a group of us playing volleyball in the yard. We had a rope set up to knock the ball over. When I came in, the Chief asked me if we shouldn’t have nets to play, and I said that we should, but we didn’t have any, so he said he would get us one, and soon every station had one, and that was the start of it.

“ e Chief backed us all the way when we rst formed the Club. I served as Treasurer and Chairperson over time, and we gradually added to our numbers, but we were still in the early stages.”

Annual weekend trips to Glasgow were organised, with groups of 30 going over to

play football and volleyball, and take part in road races and charity challenges, and while the Club grew, it was to merge with an All-Ireland Sports and Social club.

“ e European Sports Federation was formed and they wanted all of our activities done under their banner,” Tommy says, “but that only lasted about ten years, while the DFBSSC went on and grew. We had some great athletes in DFB over the years, and that brought a lot of attention to our organisation.”

For Tommy, having a strong Sports and Social Club was a very important aspect of the job, especially when it came to letting o steam.

“When you go to incidents and see bad cases, coming back and talking about it with your colleagues helped things a lot,” he tells me. “But it was also an outlet for us to have the DFBSSC, a chance to share time with your colleagues in a more positive environment, and it was great for morale.”

PROMOTION

Meanwhile, within the job, Tommy was promoted to Sub-O cer, then Station O cer, and was transferred to Tallaght, where he worked for six and a half years, before he moved to Dolphin’s Barn as a Senior S/O, which he says was “a very busy but a great station to be at,” but Tommy points out that not every call out was something to relish, as he was at the scene of the Stardust tragedy in 1981.

“ at was something I will never forget, the toughest night of my career,” he tells me. “Unfortunately, you just have to get on with it, but it took a long time because that kind of thing stays with you. But what we tried to do a erwards was underline the message of re safety and prevention, and I think we did get that message across a er the tragedy.”

A er ve years at Dolphin’s Barn, Tommy moved back to Tara Street as a Senior S/O on C Watch, before being promoted to D/O for the next ve years, but he moved to that other area of interest he mentioned, to become a Fire Prevention O cer for a year.

“I was checking on places of entertainment to make sure their re safety was up to scratch, and wanted to play a part in increasing the message of re safety in the community,” he tells me. “ e most important aspect of the job was educating

people on re prevention, not just as Fire Prevention sta but through our work in general, and I think that has improved a lot over the years.

“But I wanted to go back to doing turnouts, because I liked the hands-on work, being part of a larger team. Going back to doing call outs meant I was going out in the D/O’s car and following the appliance to the scene, which I really liked being a part of.”

COMMUNITY

As well as serving as Treasurer and Chairperson with DFBSSC, Tommy also went on to manage the Club’s member’s bar at the Ierne Ballroom on Parnell Square.

“I was in charge of keeping the place wellstocked,” he says. “It was a great atmosphere and gave us a place to go to unwind and have some craic.”

Just as he tells me this, his daughter Celine, who has joined us on the call, says: “My father has never touched a drop of alcohol in his life, but for a teetotaller, but he organises the best parties ever!”

“As a child, my daughter would have been brought into Parnell Square a lot!” Tommy laughs. “It was great to have the bar there, it was a centre for our community of re ghters, and we would have events for each crew and Watch, Christmas parties. It was run very well, but that ended a er a while, and I decided to take a step back

I WOULD RECOMMEND DFB TO ANYBODY BECAUSE I HAD A GREAT TIME IN THE FIRE SERVICE, LOVED EVERY BIT OF IT, LOOKED FORWARD TO GOING INTO WORK”

“

Taking part in a record-breaking pump push challenge for charity in 1978

Tommy with D/O Brian Parkes on his last night of duty

from the Committee to let younger people take charge, and the DFBSSC has grown in so many other ways over the years to what it is now. I tried to leave it in as good a shape as I could.”

e sense of forming a community extends into DFB life and work in general, and forms a source of outreach to the community at large, Tommy says, and this is backed up when Celine comes back into the conversation. “As a Community Garda, I used to bring children from certain areas to re stations, and the re ghters looked a er them so well,” she says.

“To this day when I meet those people, they still talk about my father and his colleagues and how well they were treated, so it is fantastic to have had that legacy.”

“ at wasn’t rehearsed!” Tommy laughs. “I enjoyed doing it, and that is the main thing.”

LOOKING BACK

“For me, the call outs to res were the best part of the job because you were working with a team, and the people I worked with knew exactly what they needed to do, they were very well-tuned, which made my job easier.

“ e main thing was that you were going out and doing the job you loved, and everywhere I was, it was like a family.”

Tommy retired in 2005, but was delighted to see his son Alan, stationed at Dolphin’s Barn, follow in his footsteps.

“I did recommend the job to him,” he says, “but I would recommend it to anybody because I had a great time in the re service, loved every bit of it, looked forward to going into work, and I know my son is the same.”

RETIRED MEMBERS

Tommy also played a signi cant role in establishing the Retired Member’s Association, and is still the rep within DFBSSC for retired members.

“Myself and my colleague Frank Nugent used to go to the meetings for the Sports and Social Club, and they asked us to be part of it as retired members and so the RMA was set up in 1996,” he tells me. “It’s a good thing to have because it means we can regularly go out and meet with old friends. Last week we had more than 30 people at a gathering, so that shows the association is still strong.”

He does, however, feel that they need to encourage more people to join.

“We are trying to encourage the younger retired DFB members to get involved,” he says, “which can be hard because some people don’t like the idea that they have retired and are getting old. But our events give us something to look forward to, so they usually come around!”

Having spoken about his career, his involvement in the DFBSSC, and the RMA, there’s nothing le but to thank Tommy for his time, and to be able to hear about the many stories he has from his very rewarding career.

His reply is indicative of his dedication to DFB, and to the man himself: “It is an honour to speak about the job!”

Tommy and Alan Doyle at an ESF soccer competition in Hamburg 1997

D/O Tommy Doyle at Tara Street in 1997

TAKING ON THE CHALLENGE

FF/P Keith Russell talks to Adam Hyland about the DFB Extrication Team’s success, their aim to spread their knowledge within DFB, and their hopes for new members

The DFB Extrication Team is having a big year, but is looking to expand further over the coming months as it aims to increase RTC rescue knowledge and skillsets within Dublin Fire Brigade.

ey competed in Spain’s National Rescue Challenge earlier this year, and in June, they enjoyed great success at the Rescue Organisation Ireland (ROI) National Rescue Challenge, winning rst

place overall for the RTC Extrication Team, Best Overall Medic, Best Overall Tech Crew, Best Overall Rapid, and Best Overall Standard, while the Trauma teams also placed in the top two. is success comes from months of training, which Team member Keith Russell of C Watch Tara Street tells me has really paid o , not just in competition but within the job itself. “When you get involved with training in extrication, you get a lot more exposure on the tools, ultimately helping

you to improve your skillsets for roadside operations,” he says.

CHALLENGE

e ROI Challenge was great for us. Normally it is held at a re station but this year the ROI held it at an air eld, which brought its own set of challenges in terms of weather and terrain. At stations we are working on tarmac or concrete, but this year it was on grass, which a ects stabilisation, and we had downpours when we took our turn, but that is no di erent from what you get on the roads. It doesn’t matter what the weather is like or where the vehicle ends up, you just have to deal with it. ere were also unique props

“

such as farm machinery, which not many DFB members would be used to, so it was di erent, but a change is as good as a break.”

e Challenge consisted of a ten-minute rapid scenario in which a time-critical patient needed to be extricated safely, and a 20-minute scenario involving an entrapment where a patient’s limb is trapped in a vehicle.

“ e time absolutely ies by when you are doing the scenarios,” Keith tells me. “It is Route 1, but it all has to be achieved in a safe manner, with patient care top of mind.

e Incident Commander formulates a plan, but we also have to have a back-up plan if things are not working out. e scenarios were all achievable and everyone worked very well together.

“As a team, we took a new approach for this year’s Challenge. Until now, they had a team of six members consisting of an Incident Commander, a medic and four technical personnel, but the decision was made to put in David Snowe as an extra medic alongside our usual Medic Eithne Scully in place of a tech to emphasise the patient-centred approach.

“I’d love to say we reinvented the wheel with this approach, but it is kind of how it is being done internationally now, really emphasising patient care,” Keith says.

STANDARDS

As winners, the team will now represent DFB and Ireland at the World Rescue Challenge in Luxembourg in September, but Keith says that coming out on top in Ireland is extremely di cult.

“ e standard is immense,” he tells me. “You have teams from di erent counties competing at the very top level, teams who could easily compete on the world stage, so this is the standard you have to meet in Ireland alone. To actually win and get to the World event, against those teams, was a massive achievement. If you can compete with the other Irish teams and come out on top, you know you have a good chance competing against teams from other countries, and hopefully this will help us going into the World event.

“We have to train very hard for this, but it is worth it because this is a huge event, with 300 people, 50 di erent teams competing

across four days, getting the chance to go up against the best teams in the world. It is the rst time DFB has been able to take part, so it is brilliant for ourselves on a personal level as a team, but also great for Dublin Fire Brigade, and indeed Dublin City Council.”

BENEFITS

Apart from putting DFB on the international stage, competing at these events, Keith tells me, is of huge bene t to all re ghting personnel, because it enables team members to learn and share knowledge and best

“

THE MAIN GOAL: TO HELP INCREASE SKILL LEVELS AND SHARE KNOWLEDGE THROUGHOUT DFB ON PATIENT TREATMENT AND EXTRICATION FOLLOWING AN RTC”

practices with leading global extrication teams that they can bring back to upskill DFB members. e Spanish National Challenge was a great opportunity, he says, to do just this.

“ eir set-up is much bigger than our own and it was a fantastic opportunity to see our Spanish comrades working, to see

how they approach RTCs, but it was also a bit of craic, both at the event and socially a erwards. e Spanish teams are very passionate, so when you removed a door or roof, there would be big cheers from the crowd, giving it a great atmosphere. e standards were very high there too, so to see them in action was great.

“By going to these events, and by training ourselves, you get a unique learning opportunity to get new skills, but also to share new techniques,” he continues. “For example, some Spanish teams, if they had a car on its side with a trapped patient, were actually moving the vehicle safely using spreaders, in a controlled manner, so we could look at how they were doing this and have adapted it for ourselves.

In action at the Ireland Challenge under the watchful eye of assessors

The DFB Extrication Team at the Rescue Organisation Ireland Challenge

“Of course, going to Lanzarote was good fun and there were lot of chances to socialise and build relationships with other re services, but any of these events is bene cial in terms of learning for future use at actual incidents on our roads, so even if we learn one thing, it is worth doing for that person involved in an accident who needs help, and that is the main goal: to help increase skill levels and share knowledge throughout DFB on patient treatment and extrication following an RTC.”

For the World Challenge in Luxembourg, the Extrication Team can expect three scenarios. As well as the ten and 20-minute events, there will also be a 30-minute complex involving two patients, in one or two cars, with one of them time-critical, and as with all challenges, the team’s actions are marked by expert assessors made up of paramedics and doctors. e Trauma Team will also face two ten-minute and a complex

scenario involving multiple patients.

“I’d be lying if I said that everybody stays around to watch all of the other teams, but I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to extrication, so I always watch them,” Keith admits, “checking out the best teams from around the world.”

LEARNING

With the ever-changing technology seen in vehicles now, constant learning on the most up to date and best practices is essential, and Keith says the Challenge concept is ideal for

this, with the competitions supplemented by training days and education provided by the various Rescue Organisations, including the ROI, the World Rescue Org and the UK Rescue Org.

“ ese organisations do a lot of events and workshops that are hugely bene cial, because they are not coming from just a local or national level, they are coming from global organisations, putting out the best and most up to date info and skills and approaches. It’s not just up to us to come up with new techniques – we could see someone in Brazil come up with something new that we can look at and see how we could incorporate it into our approach, not just for our Extrication Team, but for all of DFB, and the people we help.

“ e end goal is always the public we serve, so if we get to see and then use new techniques and equipment, and highlight them to DFB, we can look at acquiring them

Representing DFB and Ireland at the Spanish National Challenge

TO ACTUALLY WIN AND GET TO THE WORLD EVENT, AGAINST THOSE TEAMS, WAS A MASSIVE ACHIEVEMENT”

“

and aligning them with our own Green Plan. We are the end users, but the person who gets the most bene t is the person we have to extricate from a vehicle.

“For example, last year, the ROI had a training day focusing on EVs and batteries, and opening up that world to us highlighted the risks we might now face, but also the safety systems involved, new approaches, EV res. In this instance, DFB had already done a lot of research on this topic and were in a good position to share information with other countries. is, and other educational events and Challenges, let you see the new tech, tools and techniques involved.”

TOOLS

When it comes to these actual tools, Keith tells me there have been huge improvements, even within the last ve years.

“We still use traditional hydraulics alongside e-draulic tools, but the technology we have is moving forward and we are very fortunate that our new Scania vehicles are equipped with the latest tech. Usability is the key, as are e ciency and e ectiveness. Cars have changed and are becoming stronger, but that means they can be harder to cut through, or to remove a door or relocate a dash, but what we use now has been designed to get through much stronger materials. Even though the older tools still work, the new tools are designed for the new types of cars, and make things so much easier, not just for us, but for the person being extricated.

“We are using smaller, better tools to remove doors instead of spreaders, which can be stressful to patients, and that all comes back to the training we do for the rescue challenges.

“ ey enable us to improve training, knowledge and experience, but also morale within the team and DFB, have the craic of competing and taking trips abroad, but most importantly, ultimately having better equipment for DFB appliances and a better service for the citizens of Dublin who we protect.”

As their standing grows, the Extrication Team is eager to grow its numbers too, and Keith says they are actively looking for DFB members to join the current team of Team Leader D/O Declan Rice of Fire

Prevention, Medics FF/AP Eithne Scully

from the Training Centre and FF/P David Snowe of D Watch Swords, and Technical personnel FF/P Stephen Bon l of D Watch Dolphin’s Barn, FF/P Liam Ca ery of D Watch Swords, and FF/P Keith Russell.

JOINING IN

“We train on our time o , and at the moment with members from A, C and D Watch we do this at the Training Centre on B Watch days, but we are looking to change this up to bring in more personnel. If anyone is interested, they can contact myself, Declan Rice, or any team member.

“If you want to come along, you’ll need to bring PPE because it is hands-on, and that is what it is all about – taking cars apart, extricating casualties, or even letting

people get to know what it feels like for a person who needs to be extricated. A huge thanks must go to the Training Centre and Logistics for providing us with the tools and the vehicles we need.

“It’s not all training though – there are lots of events and challenges annually that mean we can take trips to compete, such as with Ireland, Spain and Luxembourg, and possibly the UK next year. ere are events all over Europe, and it would be great to get DFB out to these, to give more exposure to the organisation and to increase the level of training and develop the skills we need. As more people join us, we will be able to put a Plan B in place if a team member can’t make an event, so the more people we have, the stronger we will be, as a team and as an organisation.”

The team faced complex scenarios

Practising extrications ultimately benefits those in need of rescue following an RTC

The competition was tough but the DFB team came out as winners at the Rescue Org Ireland Challenge

STATION PROFILE

D WATCH

TARA STREET

Even though it’s a Sunday a ernoon, the crew of D Watch Tara Street have already been busy by the time I drop in, with S/O Derek Fox detailing a successful river rescue that occurred within minutes of their shi starting.

Having been in the job for 30 years, he moved back to Tara Street a er seven years in Rathfarnham and says that the di erence in

explains, “and we have the new 42m ladder on the way, which we have people training for, so there are a lot of things that the crew need to be trained up on that you might not see at other stations.

“It is just a bigger operation here, with four Sub-O cers and two D/Os, but having been here before Rathfarnham it is like coming back home for me. It is a great place with a lot more going on. It is also a totally di erent area to handle. We have a lot of re alarm activations that all need to be investigated, and that is constant.”

Sub-O cer Ian Kelly joins in, telling me: “We have the residential, business, industrial, high-rise, the river, the Luas, trains, a lot of stu that we have to be ready to respond to. en there are the labs at Trinity with the threat of radiation or other hazards, the National Library and Museums, so you have to think of the cost involved if a re gets out of control in one of those places, it is the heritage of the country that is at stake.”

SKILLSETS

skillsets amongst the crew is immediately noticeable.

“We have two ambulances, two appliances and two turntable ladders, and have our cage operators, SRTs for the river and Port, coxswains on the boat, heavy drivers, as well as our Advanced Paramedics and Mobilisation O cer, so there is a lot of variety in terms of what we can expect to do on any given day,” S/O Fox

Showing me the slate for the day’s responsibilities, Sub-O Kelly points out the number of skillsets involved, saying: “You can see that most of the crew have one or more of the skillsets and are constantly looking to do the courses to get the other skills. All of the personnel who have SRT skills are looking to get on to heavy driving or cage courses to have all of the skills this station and this Watch provide.

“When you are planning the slate, you have to consider the skillsets people have, whether they can go out on a call, because you can’t have nobody le in the station to respond to a call that requires a certain skillset.

You have to balance the whole operation. It’s the hardest slate in the job to mark up.”

Sub-O Kelly points out though, that the combination of variety in the daily workload, the skillsets encouraged, and the camaraderie of D Watch means it is a very much sought-a er crew to join.

“ ere is a very good mix in this Watch, with some senior lads and an in ux of new recruits,” S/O Fox tells me, “so it is a good pro le across D Watch. at mix of age and skillsets works really well in terms of what we have to do here.”

“Apart from that keenness, the O cers here tend to mix a lot with the re ghters, and socialise with them,” he tells me. “ e crew knows not to overstep the mark, and we know when to give them their time.

POPULARITY

“D Watch is a popular Watch for people, and everybody does their fair share of work,” he adds. “A lot of people who start here as a recruit and then go out to another station, tend to want to come back again,” he adds. “We actually have a list of people waiting to come back to us.”

“People here like coming to work, probably because they get to see me and Ian!” S/O Fox adds.

Sub-O Kelly also points out the number of D Watch members who have had that drive to improve and dedicate themselves to the job instilled in them through having family members come before them.

At a glance he points to FF/Ps Daly, Corcoran, Greally, Cronin, Crehan, Stewart, FF/P Walsh, and Hickey, as well as D/O McCarthy, Sub-O Talbot, the two Daly brothers, Sub-O Mason, and Sub-O Markey, all of whom have family connections and legacies within DFB.

“I have a cousin and his son in DFB too,” Sub-O Kelly tells me, “so, it is a small world, and sometimes you’re better o saying you don’t know anybody!”

NAILER

e family connection I’ve been asked to focus on in D Watch Tara Street is that of Jim ‘Nailer’ O’Neill and his son Stephen, as senior Sub-O cer Jim is set to retire in October a er 40 years in DFB, and S/O Fox, Sub-O Kelly and all of the crew’s admiration for

the man is evident.

“Jim is like the grandfather of the job, there’s nothing he doesn’t know,” S/O Fox says. “He looks a er everybody here. He’s been Sub-O cer here for as far back as I can remember and he is great with every new recruit who comes in. e other o cers will tell you the same. He is very well liked across the board and is very in uential. He knows the running of the station like the back of his hand, and he leads by example, even a er 40 years.”

Sub-O Kelly tells me that as well as helping younger re ghters nd their feet, Jim O’Neill has always been the one organising social events and trips away for D Watch HQ, and outside the job is

A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO START HERE AS A RECRUIT AND THEN GO OUT TO ANOTHER STATION, TEND TO WANT TO COME BACK AGAIN”

“

Jim ‘Nailer’ O’Neill with his son Stephen, both members of D Watch Tara Street

heavily involved with Ballyfermot Youth Club and the Society of St Vincent De Paul, saying: “It is basically his job outside of DFB, and he ropes in a lot of re ghters to do jobs for that cause!”

“Within the job though, he is a great character,” S/O Fox adds. “Even as an O cer, I feel that I can ask him anything, and he always helps you out. Great mannerisms, he is the rst one to o er advice to younger members and will sit down with them whenever they need.”

I ask if his retirement will

be a big loss to D Watch.

“De nitely,” S/O Fox says, “but somebody else will have to step up and take on the mantle. e next most-experienced re ghter will step up because that is how it is, a constant circle.”

“It is like that on D Watch,” SubO Kelly adds. “We’ve had senior men who have moved on, and we thought things would change when they le , but they didn’t, and it will hopefully be the same when Nailer goes. ere is an ethos on D Watch that ensures that is the way things go. It’s a good Watch,

and a good station, for that.”

Plans are in motion for a send-o for senior Sub-O O’Neill, but both S/O Fox and Sub-O Kelly admit it is di cult to pin him down to speci c dates because he doesn’t like the limelight.

“Jim won’t want a big thing made of it,” Sub-O Kelly says, “and he won’t want to talk to you as a result! But we will have a few chances to wish him well, with trips to Galway and Portugal, and a night out.

e only problem there is nding somewhere big enough because he knows so many people!”

The crew of D Watch Tara Street, with (from left) S/O Brian Kelly, Mobi Colm McCarthy, Senior Sub-Officer Jim O’Neill and S/O Derek Fox at front

Fittingly, Mobilisation O cer Colm McCarthy comes in to say he’s rounded up the crew for a photo, so we head out to the yard, but a erwards, I get to speak to Nailer himself, and true to what I’ve been told, he admits that he didn’t think I’d want to talk to him, but puts aside his modesty to tell me about himself.

Starting out in Kilbarrack, he moved to Dolphin’s Barn for a short time before returning to HQ. “I’ve been here ever since, so I am more or less a lifer here,” he tells me. “I

“

HAVING A LOT OF EXPECTATION ON SOMEONE CAN BE WRONG, BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE A PRECONCEPTION. NEVER DO THAT. ALWAYS START FROM SCRATCH WITH EVERYBODY WHO COMES THROUGH THE DOOR”

was on A Watch for just under a year when I was promoted, but got transferred back to D Watch HQ.”

Having served with DFB for 40 years, I ask what he has seen as the biggest changes in the job.

“One is the introduction of female re ghters, which was a huge challenge for DFB, but it was a positive change. e other is the EMS side of the job that has become so advanced. It has come on leaps and bounds. Every time that bell goes and an ambulance heads out, they are potentially saving lives, and that is the beauty of it.

“It is a very rewarding part of

the job, and I think the citizens of Dublin are lucky in that DFB is a re-based EMS service, with every person on the re appliances a paramedic who can do medical interventions, administer drugs, carry out CPR. Having us here is huge for the city, literally a life-saver.”

Having seen a lot of people come and go in his time, I also ask Sub-O O’Neill what he thinks of the current crew of D Watch Tara Street.

“I’m a part of a great crew here,” he tells me. “D Watch has always had a very good reputation and a very good work ethic. I have worked with some great re ghters over the years, have learned from the best, and that has continued on here. We have a very strong unit. It is safe to say they all enjoy coming to work.”

RETIREMENT

at decision to retire is a di cult one, he tells me.

“I found it very di cult because of the people I work with,” he points out. “We all know each other well, socialise together, grieve together, it is a second family because you spend so much time with them.

“I am well-prepared for retirement though. I had been planning to retire before COVID, but decided to stay on. I can’t put into words how much the people on the frontline did during the pandemic. As a Sub-O cer, I’m not involved to the same extent, but what they did was exceptional.”

Given the banter that ies around, I ask if Jim’s son Stephen will now have an easier or harder time of it now that Jim is leaving, even though he has been in DFB since 2008.

“As far as I was concerned, he had to make his own way,” Sub-O

O’Neill tells me. “He did his time in Tallaght and then came back here to do other skillsets including the SRT, turntable ladder, Control Room. But he got no favours.

ere can be an expectation put on you, but he has handled it very well, as have a few others who had their fathers in the job before them. In general, I don’t think it is a disadvantage for them, but I did say to him that he was to make his own way, and he took to it very well.

“Having a lot of expectation on someone can be wrong, because you can have a preconception. Never do that. Always start from scratch with everybody who comes through the door.”

ADVICE

Having given that advice, I also mention how others have remarked on his willingness to share his knowledge, and ask what he would say to younger re ghters starting out on their career.

“Sharing advice is part of the job,” he says. “I have noticed people coming in over the years and they might be a bit quieter than most, but you just nurture them and guide them along.

“Also, when you are working in this job for 40 years, you have to take into account that it is not just you, it is your family who are making a sacri ce too, so you have to ensure that you look a er them rst. When you are doing shi work on the frontline, there is extra pressure on your family, so you have to be mindful of that.

“You have to make up for the times you are not there, don’t overcompensate, but realise that time goes very quickly, and enjoy coming to work. It is hard work. But enjoy it!”

Wise words that all on D Watch Tara Street are sure to follow.

SCALING HEIGHTS THE

The DFB Rope Rescue Team went to New Heights at an International Event in Belgium

“

I’m still aching ve days a er we came home from the event,” S/O Dave Connolly tells me, “but it was incredibly enjoyable and rewarding at the same time.”

e event he speaks of is GRIMPDAY (GRIMP being an acronym for Group de Reconnaisance et d’Interventions en Milieux Périlleux), which is recognised as the leading international competition in Rope Rescue, taking place in Namur, Brussels and the surrounding areas over four days every year.

is year saw Dublin Fire Brigade’s Rope Rescue Team take part for the rst time, becoming the rst ever Irish re service to compete in the global event, but S/O Connolly

had visited last year to assess the competition.

“One of my roles as a Rope Rescue Instructor is to pay attention to evolving trends and improvements in techniques, equipment and safety around search and rescue, and to try to incorporate these into our training and operational duties,” he tells me.

EVENT

“ e event in Namur has evolved into a premier event on the global stage, bringing teams from around the world to compete against each other through exercises focusing on search and rescue within hazardous environments. e overall aim is to foster learning and improve patient care, so it was important for me to go and see what it was like.

“A er I came back from last year’s event, I put it to the Chief Fire O cer and ACFOs of Ops and Special Projects that there is a major bene t to us going to the event. e CFO

recognised the bene ts and backed us completely.

“We did a lot of hard gra in terms of training, but I also have to thank CFO Keeley, the Logistics Dept, especially S/O Richie MacDonald, Rosa Vickers, the Brigade Training O cer and Assistant Training O cer in the Training Centre for the use of their equipment, Civil Defence for letting us into their training facilities, and DUBCO and DFBSSC who supported us in getting new gear and equipment, as well as freight company Aramex, who shipped our 800 kilo of equipment over in advance of the competition, We couldn’t have done this without all of their help.”

With DFB’s backing, the team of S/O Connolly as Team Leader, D/O Richie Elliott as Observer, FF/Ps John Ryan, Neal Billings, Dave Hosback and Peter Conroy, and FF/P Martin Hunt acting as the Casualty, took on the challenge of representing not

just the Brigade, but the country.

With 24 teams from across the world, S/O Connolly says there was “a huge melting pot of knowledge and approaches”, with teams coming from re ghting, police, military and other services.

GRUELLING

e exercises involved in the four-day event meant participants were stretched to their limits, with one day to register and train on new equipment introduced for the event, before three days featuring a total of 11 exhausting trials.

“Until I took part, I didn’t understand how gruelling it is as an event,” S/O Connolly tells me. “I use the term ‘exercises’ loosely, because for one of these exercises, one of our team put on his Garmin watch and it showed a moving time of 50 minutes, he burned 766 calories, and had an average heartbeat of 157BPM. at would be considered a really good workout

for one day, and we had to do four of these trials per day.”

For S/O Connolly though, the emphasis was on learning and improving skillsets within DFB, rather than winning any awards.

“What we were trying to do was build as rounded a team as possible,” he says. “I set us up for operational experience, so everything we did would re ect a real-life incident, not trying to win the competition but to learn as much as we can.”

TRIALS

As for the trials themselves, Day One saw each team visit a theme park with rollercoasters, where scenarios included rescuing a casualty from a stuck carriage high in the air, which S/O Connolly describes a “a completely new environment”, detailing how FF/P Conroy had to climb Dalton Tower, a 77metre vertical climb, “which is a feat in itself”, while FF/P Hosback followed to

where the carriage was stuck.

A storm put an abrupt end to that particular exercise, but even on the ground, the day was exhausting, S/O Connolly tells me.

“ e day would start at 6am with breakfast, then the 90-minute exercises, a er which teams return to the central point, and are issued with your next exercise, which could be a 20-minute walk away, carrying about 35 kilos of equipment each. It was no stroll in the park, but it was thoroughly enjoyable!”

e second day of competition took place in Brussels city centre’s Parc de Cinquantenaire, with rescue scenarios taking place on the gorgeous Military Museum building involving a rescue in a con ned space and an abseil rescue from a roof.

“ e added complication with the abseil roof rescue was that the casualty was holding eggs,” S/O Connolly tells me, “so he couldn’t help you, and you needed to rescue them without cracking any of the eggs. at

One of the rescue exercises on Day Two

The cardiac arrest scenario with doctor lowered over to assist

Peter Conroy ascending after packaging a patient extricated from a car ©SKYLOTEC

Pick off rescue from outside roof of military museum

requires an immense amount of skill.”

A third scenario took place in an aircra carrier and involved climbing to the roof on one side and descending on the other.

“ at sounds easy because it would take 30 seconds to walk across the oor,” S/O Connolly says, “but it takes 47 minutes on a rope, so there is a lot of skill involved.”

Another scenario was a cardiac arrest on a roo op in which the DFB team excelled, with S/O Connolly telling me the team got the second highest score for medical care across the entire competition.

“ at was proof of what DFB does,” he says, “having a really patient-centred focus on everything we do. A er each exercise I would have a debrief with the markers and the comments we received were that our patient care was excellent, and that is a huge compliment for us, because it shows you where our priorities are,” he tells me.

e third day of competition took place at a commando training centre, with an assault course set up that involved paddling a boat up river, climbing ropes vertically, abseiling over cli s, then picking up a casualty and bringing them uphill on a stretcher for a few hundred metres. “ at was supposed to be the fun challenge!” S/O Connolly laughs.

Following that was a simulated rescue from a car on a oor below the team, and a descent trial in a quarry, and across all days, the DFB team managed to successfully complete each trial.

SKILLS

e team also got to demonstrate a somewhat unique skillset.

“Sometimes we need to set our rescue lines on a structure or up a tree, and you have a weighted bag with a thin messenger line, and we normally use a catapult to launch it and attach our rescue line to the messenger line and pull it down and set them in place,” S/O Connolly says.

“However, team member Neal Billings is a fantastic hurler, so instead of using the catapult, he launched the messenger line using a hurl, because he is so accurate. We showed the organisers this and they were fascinated, and a erwards Neal was gracious enough to present them with his hurl!”

e camaraderie and positive approach that grew in the team saw them receive the award for Best Team Spirit, which S/O Connolly is very proud of.

“Day One was a real baptism of re for us, but on Day Two everything went right, and it was great because it was proof to the guys that I knew what we could do, the morale just soared, and then the next day we went well again,” he says.

SPIRIT

“ ey said nobody can hold a candle to you when it comes to team spirit, so they decided to give us that award. ey said we really encapsulated the spirit of what GRIMPDAY was about. To be called up on stage in front of the world’s best rescuers to be named best Team Spirit is humbling and makes me very proud of the team. ey put in nine months

of training on their own time, sacri cing time with their families.”

When asked what he personally took away from the event, S/O Connolly jokes: “ e biggest blister I’ve ever had! I was elated, a huge amount of pride in the people I work with, knowing we have put ourselves front and centre on the international stage.”

BENEFITS

Having gained experience from this event, he is also keen to point out the many bene ts attending these competitions have for Dublin Fire Brigade.

“ e amount of knowledge you gain is really valuable,” he says. “Not only has it improved our own skills that we can bring back to DFB, we have also made contacts with experts you can gain knowledge from, and that is of huge bene t to how we are operationally, but it also helps to improve and develop our training programmes.

“It could also serve well for DFB to share the knowledge we acquire through this with other emergency services within Ireland, and I also hope it will give some of our younger re ghters something to aspire to. It builds not just rope rescue skills, but teamwork skills, something that will encourage them through their career in terms of personal development. It’s a win-win.”

Richie Elliott descending into a quarry on ‘Norwegian Reeve’ to rescue a diver in difficulty

The DFB Rope Rescue Challenge team: Dave Connolly, Martin Hunt, John Ryan, Peter Conroy, Richie Elliott, Dave Hosback, Neil Jennings

The team on stage receiving the award for Best Team Spirit

The 70m high tower Dalton Tower with rescuer between carriages

Neal Billings presents an organiser with a hurley and sliotar after a demo of Irish culture

BINGE WATCHES

THE STAIRCASE

Netflix, Now TV,

One series

is true crime drama based on a 2004 docuseries of the same name is a dark and disturbing retelling of the alleged crimes of Michael Petersen, an American author and aspiring politician whose wife was found dead at the bottom of their stairs in 2001. Cleverly jumping back and forth in time from versions of the fateful night to court case to family struggles, it reveals a web of secrecy and lies that point towards Petersen’s guilt, then casts doubts, then points the nger of suspicion squarely back at him multiple times as new evidence and theories play out against straightforward examination of the facts. Colin Firth’s depiction of the overbearing yet charming Petersen is uncanny, and you will be le wondering what the truth behind the events that unfold really is.

CASTLE ROCK

Amazon Prime, Two series

FRASIER

All4, Eleven series

Arguably the greatest spin-o TV series of all time, Frasier took the minor character of the pompous psychiatrist looking to slum it with the Boston natives in Cheers and ran with it to great e ect. There is a very 1990s feel to it, but having run from 1993 to 2004, a reboot is due out later this year or early next year, with Kelsey Grammar back in the chair. Sadly, the late John Mahoney won’t feature as Martin Crane, but it will be interesting to see which cast members do return, and while we wait, now is a good time to rewatch this intelligent and funny show. To watch all 11 series is a commitment, but one you’ll definitely enjoy.

Stephen King fans will enjoy this two-series show based loosely around the characters created by the hugely successful horror writer. Set in the ctional small town of Castle Rock, Maine, it has all the trappings of a King story, with unexplained disappearances, telekinesis and many other familiar traits. Fans will also get a kick out of the ways in which the characters are linked to those from his most famous works, with the niece of Jack Torrance from the Shining, not to mention Shawshank prison, featuring in the rst series, and Misery’s Annie Wilkes showing up in the second.

RUSSIAN DOLL

Netflix, Two series

is outstanding comedy drama caused a stir when the rst series aired in 2019, and it is now back with a second series that is just as mind-bending. Season 1 sees brash New York-native Nadia caught in a time loop, destined to relive the same last day of her life before she is killed in innumerable ways, her mission to discover how she can get out of this groundhog day existence. e second sees her discover a wormhole on a subway train that catapults her back and forth between 1982 and the present day, again with a mystery to unravel. e rst ten minutes of the rst ever episode may make you wonder what the big deal is, until it hits you, a er which, you’ll be hooked.

FOUNDATION

AppleTV, One series, Second to follow

You can get your sci-fi fix from this ambitious space epic loosely based on the works of Isaac Asimov, with Apple TV having gone big on the production values to try to depict what many have described as an unfilmable story. With numerous storylines and characters, it can at times be a challenging watch, but it is beautifully shot at the same time, presenting a wellthought-out universe of interplanetary strife. Though the source material is somewhat lost in the ether as the episodes go by, it is still a riveting, complex story that unfolds at a leisurely pace, and with a second series in the pipeline, it will be interesting to see if the creators can pull the plot back towards the world created by one of the greatest science fiction authors who ever put pen to paper.

ALL OF US ARE DEAD

Netflix, One series

Korean TV has really made a name for itself in recent years, and this zombie series keeps the momentum going with a new twist on the old trope of an apocalyptic outbreak. It’s a coming-of-age tale like no other, as the students of a high school find themselves trapped with no food, water or communication with the outside world, and have to find ways to repel the growing number of infected trying to eat them. In typical Korean fashion it is gruesome and bloody, but also funny and sweet, and will make you look back on your own school years as really not that bad.

CHIVALRY

All4, One series

UPLOAD

Amazon Prime, Two series, Third to follow

ere’s been a fair few shows about life a er death in recent years, from the cheerfully colourful e Good Place where the a erlife is akin to a holiday resort, to the dystopian darkness of Altered Carbon, where in the future people can upload themselves to a chip and take on new bodies to cheat death. Upload lies somewhere in between, with the near future bringing technology that allows us to upload ourselves into a virtual a erlife of our choosing. is comedy drama sees everyman Nathan choose to live in an exclusive residential area when he dies in a car accident, but soon nds that living on in a digital heaven where he still has to deal with an overbearing (and still alive) girlfriend, brings its own complications. Dial down the brain power and enjoy.

Steve Coogan and Sarah Solemani are co-creators of this very timely comedy drama that deals with the aftermath of the #MeToo movement, with Coogan’s suave, womanising producer trying to oversee the making of a troubled film with Solemani’s strongwilled director drafted in for reshoots. Both funny and sad, it avoids sermonising on the issue of appropriate behaviour in the entertainment industry, but shows with full-blown glee how some characters struggle with a new working environment in which the wrong words can bring you down. With Wanda Sykes and Sienna Miller involved, the cast is strong, but the number of cameos from famous faces will also keep you on your toes.

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niche but infrastructure like

NATURAL SELECTION

FAR FROM THE BUSTLING NIGHTLIFE, TENERIFE IS ALSO A NATURE LOVER’S PARADISE

When you think of Tenerife, an image that may come to mind is one of lagerfuelled revelry by night and rows of pale people lying by a pool or on the sand all day. But in reality, the island of Tenerife o ers so much more, and far more attractive views than that. In fact, it’s a veritable nature lover’s paradise.

e largest of the Canary Islands, like its neighbours this spot formerly known as the Fortunate Isles has year-round sunshine and beautiful scenery, which means that good fortune extends to everyone who visits.

It boasts a stunning landscape and plenty of activities to enjoy if you want more than just a week or two by the pool or on the beach. Hiking, horse riding, cycling, golf and paragliding, as well as the usual sea-based sports, are all on o er, but there is also an emphasis on relaxation and wellbeing, with many hotels o ering spa therapies and other sorts of pampering.

While resorts such as Playa de las Americas are still party towns, there has been a concerted e ort in recent years to provide more luxurious and upmarket accommodation, and the original placenames of Arona and Adeje are being more commonly used for these areas.

In the north, the excellent Hotel Atlantis is a great place to start out from and is in easy reach of everything you need, and a ve-minute stroll to the main town square in Puerto de la Cruz. e views from the balconies are wonderful, and the spa o ers all sorts of therapies and massages.

Down south, the Hotel Jardin is a stunning hotel in uenced by Moorish architecture, with ve quality restaurants on site and a spa and wellness centre. It is expensive, but beautiful, and you will notice it stand out from the other, cheaper hotels. Sometimes it’s important

to treat yourself, and you won’t be disappointed here.

Dominated by the impressive Mount Teide that stands more than 3,700metres (the third largest mountain in the world if you count it from the seabed upwards), the climate in the quieter and less touristy north means there’s a little bit more rain than in the south, so vegetation is lush, and it’s not too hot to get out and about to do something memorable.

It is by no means a wet place, with the weather rarely sinking below 20C, but as you go higher into the hills past expansive banana plantations and picturesque little villas tucked into the mountainside, the altitude lends a cooling breeze to accompany the views.

If you stay around the Puerto de la Cruz area, Mount Teide is in easy reach and well worth venturing into by car or guided tour, and as you climb higher and your ears start to pop, your eyes

will be opened that little bit wider by the staggering panorama and ever-changing atmosphere. Moving through the Corona Forestal Nature Park, you can take in the beauty of the pines sodden with the moisture of the clouds, before nding the higher reaches of the mountain above it.

Once you break through the forest, a sea of white cloud appears to roll out before you like bundles of cotton wool draped over the land, reaching out to sea, but further up the mountain holds more glories. Too high for cloud, the land here is barren, eerily empty, and quite simply otherworldly.

Siam Park is a great family day out

Loro Parque is one of Europe’s best zoos

Volcanoes and mountains stand tall all around, while ‘barrancos’ or gorges are home to amazing natural gardens hosting more than 50 species of indigenous animals and plants, 12 of which are exclusive to this National Park.

Tenerife enjoys such a landscape because it is formed from intense volcanic activity, and Mount Teide National Park is this island in all its glory. Teide’s last major eruption was in 1909, but previous eruptions have churned the land up into weird black stone, pristine sand and lots of jagged rocks, forming what is now a unique World Heritage Site. It is so unlike anything you will see in this world that it has been a favourite haunt of lmmakers because it reminds you of a land before time.

Huge pillars of stone carved into formidable shapes by hundreds of thousands of years of wind erosion stand de antly alone in a vast emptiness, leaving you in awe at the beauty of your surroundings.

Far, far below Teide’s summit, out at sea just o Puerto Colón, live a resident pod of pilot whales who can be frequently sighted, sometimes while you are still in view of the harbour, and several whale watching boats can take you out for a couple of hours round-trip to watch them. Some will also o er a

detour to ‘Hippy Cove’ or one of the other hidden inlets where you can dive into the water for a refreshing swim before getting back on board and returning to shore.

Tenerife still has the beaches, bars and pools, but it is as easy to nd a quiet place to stay as it is a lively one, and there is lots for a family to do

without having to go too high or too far out to sea.

You can enjoy a great family day out at Loro Parque, or Parrot Park, one of the island’s most popular destinations and frequently named the best zoo in Europe. So named because it is home to the most diverse collection of parrots in the world, it also has an incredible array of other animals from tigers to penguins, set in acres of lush, tropical vegetation and with the focus clearly on education and conservation.

Also well worth a visit is Siam Park, the largest water park in Europe and one of the only heated open-air ones. It boasts some spectacular water slides and pools, and is so large you may need more than one visit to try every ride, but that would be no great hardship.

e great outdoors, however, is what will win you over in Tenerife. Volcanoes, mountains, forests and the sea: It is the perfect place to nd adventure, and if anyone asks you if you went wild on your holiday, you can answer with a con dent ‘Yes’, but in a di erent way than you may have thought from a trip to the Canary Islands.

FLIGHT DETAILS:

Tenerife

Aer Lingus

to Tenerife

The resident pilot whale pod

RUSSIA

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

EMERGENCY SERVICES NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

WILDFIRES SWEEP SIBERIA AS TROOPS OCCUPIED IN UKRAINE

Wild res in Siberia burned unchecked for much of May, with military units normally deployed to tackle them currently ghting in Ukraine. One blaze in the Krasnoyarsk region some 3,000km from Moscow claimed the lives of at least ten people as strong winds swept the re across vast areas, a ecting 16 settlements. e Federal Forestry Agency said short circuits in power lines has caused some 350 houses to catch re, with aircra unable to help due to the weather. More than 300 re ghters were sent to tackle the res, which also spread to the neighbouring districts of Kazachinskoe, Sharypovsky and Khakassia. Investigators in the Kemerovo region also launched criminal proceedings a er the bodies of three people were found in a residential building in the locality where more than 50 houses had caught re.

AUSTRALIA NSW CONTRACT FOR COMMUNICATIONS

PUERTO RICO

FIRE CAUSES OUTAGE OVER ENTIRE COUNTRY

A re at one of Puerto Rico’s biggest power plants in May saw the entire nation plunged into darkness a er a blackout. e island nation’s re department worked late into the night to extinguish the blaze at the COSTA Sur plant, but almost all homes and buildings were without power for at least 48 hours, with large queues forming at petrol stations as those with generators sought to re ll them. Frustration and anger grew as people were unable to recharge their phones to contact loved ones, and the public transport and school systems ground to a halt. Puerto Rico has faced several blackouts in recent years as a weak power grid struggles to cope with the 3.2 million population. An island-wide blackout in 2016 was followed by another a year later when Hurricane Maria hit, leaving some without power for a year.

e Fire and Rescue Service of New South Wales has signed a deal with emergency service supply specialists the Hypha Group to be supplied with critical equipment for the next three to ve years. More than 700 rescue vehicles in the region will be supplied with satellite equipment and airtime to facilitate re and rescue operations, with SATCOM terminals and a satellite network to be installed. is will allow enhanced communication between rescue service personnel during major emergencies, and is part of the NSW government’s investment plan following the deadly Black Summer bush res of 2019. Graeme Tait, Operational Communications Systems O cer at Fire & Rescue New South Wales said: “ is project will be transformational for our frontline re ghters across NSW. In a State the size of ours, satellite communications is an essential piece of the communications puzzle. Once the rollout of this technology is completed, re ghters will have the bene t of voice communications, Automatic Vehicle Location and mobile data no matter where they are or what emergency they are dealing with.”

INDIA STATE BUILDING SAFETY UNDER FIRE

Almost 40% of State establishments in the Odisha region of eastern India were found to be violating safety norms following a re safety audit of 40 buildings in the wake of a four-storey re in Delhi. e Jeypore unit of Odisha Fire Services found that 15 of the 40 government and private buildings failed to meet basic re safety standards, including Koraput Medical College and Hospital. All 15 were served notices to put in place measures and requisite equipment for re prevention, safety and emergency evacuation. Local businessman Kunu Nayak said: 2Every building should maintain basic resources to ensure prevention and re safety measures so that there’s minimum loss to life and property. is is needed not just in urban areas but in remote tribal pockets as well.” Social activist Chitaranjan Satpathy also commented, saying: “ e recent drive by the re services unit here is a welcome move and should be carried out on a regular basis to ensure strict adherence to the rules.”

BANGLADESH FIREFIGHTERS AMONG DEAD AT HUGE PORT FIRE

A massive re at a container depot at the seaport of Chittagong claimed the lives of at least 49 people, including nine re ghters, in June.

CROATIA

NEW EQUIPMENT FOR DALMATIA

Dalmatian re ghters have received €316,000 worth of new equipment as part of an investment by the European Regional Development Fund. Included in the equipment is an innovative so ware platform that integrates institutional and local sources and takes into account data about re threats published on social media. e platform lters the data through arti cial intelligence and sends it directly to the emergency services so that they can assess the threat and respond in an appropriate manner. New re houses are also being built on the islands and in the hinterland, with a new training centre planned for Vucevica, which it is hoped will bene t not just local Dalmatian re ghters but also those from the wider Croatian area and even the rest of South-eastern Europe.

NIGERIA

HUGE INVESTMENT IN FIRE SERVICE

e inferno broke out at the BM Inland Container Depot following an explosion in a container full of chemicals, thought to be hydrogen peroxide, causing further explosions that spread the re across a large area. e explosions could be felt up to four kilometres away, with explosives experts from Bangladesh’s military called in to assist re ghters. Bangladesh has a poor history of industrial disasters, particularly in overcrowded and unsafe garment factories.

In 2012, 117 workers died when they were trapped behind locked exits in a garment factory in the capital, Dhaka.

e Federal Government has revealed that more than N10.4billion (€23million) has been invested in re ghting infrastructure upgrades in 2022. e Federal Fire Service received 44 re ghting engines, 15 water tankers, 15 rapid intervention re engines and 20 basic life support ambulances, enhancing their capacity to respond to 2,845 distress calls in which 587 lives were saved, 260 people were rescued, and property worth N18.8 trillion was saved, according to the Government. Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Arẹgbẹsọla, said he wants to preside over a revamped service that will become a rst-class disaster and emergency management machine, adding: “Last year, 17 re ghters were sent to Belarus for an advanced training course, and these o cers are the master trainers now training other o cers on modern emergency management. We also commissioned aerial re ghting equipment designed in Lagos, the rst of its kind in Nigeria. e attention and resources devoted by Government since 2015 is more than has been put in since the Fire Service was established in 1901, and this is re ected in the performance of the service.”

BROUHAHA

When Ardal O’Hanlon released his rst novel e Talk of the Town in 1998, readers may have been forgiven for thinking that this was an attempt to either ride on the success of Father Ted, or conversely, to move away from the hit comedy. e fact that it was actually quite good is beside the point. Almost 25 years later, he has released his second novel, and the long gap between books has proven to be to his advantage, as this is a far more compelling, re ned, well-thought-out and darkly funny story that one review described as Flann O’Brien meets Tarantino, but which is more like Pat McCabe meets the Coen Brothers.

Set in a small border town on the eve of the Good Friday Agreement, we see the world-weary Philip Sharkey return from abroad for the funeral of his friend Dove, and alongside local journalist and possible girlfriend of Dove’s, Joanne, and retired Garda Detective Kevin, ru e some feathers by asking questions the entire population seems reluctant to answer.

ese questions include the matter of an historical missing person case that a ected all of the o eat characters and cast a shadow over the townsfolk, which many are happy to hide behind. Sandra Mohan, who drew the a ections of both Sharkey and Dove when they were teenagers, disappeared in 1994, and the questions this raised – was she killed? Did she just run away from us? – come darkly back into focus to send uneasy shudders through a town that has collectively drawn a veil over the event but is now forced to come to terms with the tragedy.

Just before his death, Dove le a message for Sharkey saying he had found Sandra, but does his twisted graphic novel hold the clues Sharkey believes it does? In trying to nd out, Sharkey is set to reveal a far more twisted and macabre truth.

As is essential for any crime novel (even

THIS SEASON’S

READS

comedic ones), there are numerous suspects in the missing person case, from a former republican-turned-bullying politician to the strange doctor, and O’Hanlon throws in a few red herrings for good measure.

O’Hanlon revels in the politics and secrets of small-town Ireland (with the ctional town of Tullyanna more than reminiscent of Carrickmacross, where the comedian grew up), and spins out an intriguing mystery that gets a clever solution, but no real closure for the characters who have to accept the way things now are. Not everyone gets the justice they deserve, people are le deeply a ected: It is in this respect that the book shows its best qualities, musing on the politics of memory, what we choose from our memories to believe as the truth, and what we choose to accept.

DUBLIN FROM 1970 TO 1990: A CITY TRANSFORMED

While the Making Dublin series of books present us with a fascinating history of our city, this latest volume brings us right up to a time we can remember, and an experience we can share, and that connection is felt in almost every page of this interesting book. Reading at times like a walking tour guide, this volume outlines how the city centre’s population had halved between 1946 and 1971, giving us a hollowed-out core most of us will recall with a shudder in stark contrast to growing suburbs. Maps, tables, demographics and the author’s own photos present an enthralling local history, from the development of specific inner-city streets to the short-lived Imp buses to the rise of the US mall-type shopping centres that brought new life to the periphery at the expense of traditional city shopping. It can at times be like a textbook, but it’s great reading for any proud Dubliner.

HER KEYS TO THE CITY: HONOURING THE WOMEN WHO MADE DUBLIN

The fact that only four women have been granted the Freedom of the City of Dublin, compared to 79 men, is not lost on Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland (who just honoured three more). In this fascinating book, she and journalist Clodagh Finn address this gender gap to showcase a variety of the many accomplished women who were central to major social and political changes in our city’s and country’s history. A collection of 80 profiles of extraordinary women who excelled across many disciplines and realised major achievements, it underlines the influence these people had, and while some names will be familiar – Countess Markiewicz, Hanna Sheehy Ske ington, Rosie Hackett, Christine Buckley, Maeve Binchy – others have until now only been recognised within their chosen field. In this book, as the Lord Mayor herself says, they are given the keys of acknowledgement to our city.

THE LAST TO DISAPPEAR

Nordic noir continues to enjoy a lot of popularity among fiction readers and TV viewers, and Irish crime writer Jo Spain (author of the Inspector Tom Reynolds series of books) has tapped into the zeitgeist wonderfully with this thriller set in the icy environs of Finnish Lapland. It’s atmospheric and as chilling as the landscape, with a cleverly thought-out plot that builds the tension and provides twists and turns to keep you guessing, while crime fiction fans will enjoy the recognisable tropes of the unconventional partnership between straight talking detective and fish out of water colleague, and the small town hiding a big secret. The description of Finnish customs is also very interesting, but the real appeal is in seeing that as well as being depicted as the home of Santa Clause, this unforgiving land can also host a vicious killer of women. A highly recommended read.

TOOLS

PORTABLE SCENE LIGHT

High-performance lighting device manufacturer Streamlight Inc has launched the Portable Scene Light II, a 10,000-lumen rechargeable, waterproof scene light for post- re investigation, re ground clean-up and mobile triage centre lighting.

e device, which runs on a lithium ion battery and is both compact (40.6cm x 28.9cm x 30.5cm) and lightweight at just over 6kg, requires zero deployment time and can easily be used in any rapid response scenario. Housed in a high-impact thermoplastic, the alloy steel frame can be stacked for up to three units, creating a bright ‘light tower’ e ect, while the hooked feet are designed to hang on doors, framing and guard rails. It has ve intensity levels, with a toggle switch on the digital display that allows users to adjust the light intensity and run time, ranging from two hours at maximum intensity (10,000 lumens) to 11 hours at the lowest setting of 20% (2,300 lumens).

e light features 18 powerful LEDs within widepattern parabolic re ectors, is IPX7-rated and is waterproof to one metre for 30 minutes.

“ e Portable Scene Light II is the brightest waterproof and rechargeable scene light on the market,” says Michael Dineen of Streamlight, who have developed numerous specialised products for the re and emergency market. “ e steel frame is virtually unbreakable and the light o ers exceptional brightness. is versatile new tool is ideal for lighting triage centres and accident scenes.”

BATTERY EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM

Following six years of research and development, re vehicle and equipment specialists Rosenbauer have created a new Battery Extinguishing System Technology (BEST) as a response to the rising number of electric vehicles.

Having consulted with and tested the system with US re departments, the BEST model uses thousands of gallons less water than other EV re suppression methods.

It can be set up in under two minutes, with deployment of the piercing nozzle done in 8 milliseconds, bringing water exactly where it is needed to cool the battery pack, modules and cells from within. is stops a thermal battery pack re in as little as ten minutes, owing at just eight gallons per minute.

e eld-proven design keeps the operator safely away from the vehicle while operating the BEST, limiting exposure to heat and highly-toxic fumes released from the battery.

HIGHEST PRESSURE LIFTING BAG

Engineering group Trelleborg Industrial Solutions has launched a li ing bag with a pressure of 15 bardthe highest of any on the market. Made in conjunction with re ghters, it provides a li ing capacity of up to 100 tonnes. e Nova li ing bag, which is compliant with European Standards, has a non-slip surface and interlocking system and visible centre marking to help combine multiple bags into a single, stable unit.

Marko Bratina, R&D Manager at the Trelleborg facility in Slovenia, where the Nova was developed, says: “ e incomparable high pressure, stability and li ing capacity of the Nova li ing bag means that rst responders can deliver a faster and more e cient response in any rescue scenario. In situations where every second counts, that can be the di erence between life and death.”

With the li ing bag co-created with re ghters, who would be one of the major users of the tool, some key features have been included based on extensive consultation with rescue workers to ensure it is easy to use. Recognising that rst responders wear heavy gloves, the ergonomic controller design means the outlet couplings are placed as far apart as possible, while the levers are large and at, and the incorporated dials are easy to read, even in the dark.

NEW BA SYSTEM LAUNCHED

Medical and safety technology manufacturers Dräger have launched the BG ProAir, a closedcircuit breathing apparatus with innovative features designed to protect re ghters attending long-duration deployments.

e positive pressure breathing closed circuit prevents toxic substances from entering the breathing system, while inhalation and exhalation are optimised by cooling and enriching the air with oxygen, allowing for up to four hours of use.

e ergonomic and lightweight design is enhanced by smart onboard electronics that include a low-pressure and leak sensor, highvisibility re ectors, a ‘buddy light’ that alerts other re ghters to their colleague’s vital information, integrated Bluetooth for connection to external devices, and the ability to safely share oxygen with those in need during rescue situations.

Full Circle Protection

Simplicity

Circle Protection

The new 3000 Series provides whole property coverage from one series. This technologically advanced series detects both Fire and Carbon Monoxide (CO), ensuring your whole property is protected.

INSURING IRELAND

At IPB Insurance, we are proud to be Ireland’s only indigenous mutual insurer, owned by our Local Authority and ETB Members.

From the Cliffs of Moher to the Spire in Dublin, we have been protecting our Members and their communities nationwide for over 95 years.

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IPB Insurance CLG, trading as IPB Insurance, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

For business in the UK, IPB Insurance is authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority.