Good to be Back

The Importance of Claddagh Watch Patrol

By Rachel Garvey

We all may have heard of them, we all may have stumbled across them on nights out, but do we really know the importance of what they do?

During a brief online interview with Claddagh Watch Patrol’s secretary, Deborah Carr, SIN learned that the volunteers in the organisation are always trying to build awareness of what they do and are always looking to recruit new members.

Delving further onto Volunteer Ireland’s website, a much larger insight was given into what the Claddagh Watch Patrol do, as well as what is required if people were to volunteer in the future.

“The volunteers patrol the waterways and bridges of Galway at night to prevent accidents and death and also to promote water safety. In the event of an incident, they will also alert the emergency services”.

Revellers on a warm evening down by Galway’s wonderful waterways will be familiar with these volunteers, tending not to acknowledge them in the way that they should.

People need to know that these volunteers are here for our safety and well-being and their volunteer work deserves the spotlight.

“The volunteers mainly patrol at night and with the priority of safety first they assess situations if one may arise and attempt an intervention if necessary, and report incidents to authorities. Each team uses a radio and stick to safeguard designated zones and will have a supervisor overseeing every patrol. Their main patrol areas are O’Brien’s Bridge, Wolfe Tone Bridge, Claddagh Basin, the Docks, the Long Walk, and the Claddagh Quay. The volunteers must have a calm, tolerant and objective method of interaction when dealing with vulnerable people where alcohol, drugs or a mental illness is involved”.

Each volunteer is also required to wear Claddagh Watch Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) when they are out on patrol.

Another reason why Claddagh Watch patrol deserves a lot of recognition is the hours that they work when volunteering. While the majority of people are either in bed asleep or out on a night out, the patrol force commence their shift between 9:30pm and 10:30pm only ending between 2:30am and 5am. For people to be volunteering at that time is applaudable, especially being so close to freezing cold water for that length of time. People genuinely don’t realise the importance of their role.

“Good observation and awareness skills are needed as well as empathy and the ability to work as part of a team. A great deal of commitment and punctuality is also essential and First Responder knowledge would also be a good bonus.” A lot of people have been hesitant to volunteer because they think that swimming is a requirement, but the ability to swim is not vital as volunteers are not permitted to enter the water at any time.

They truly are an organisation that deserve more credit and appreciation for what they do in keeping Galway’s residents safe.

Good to be Back

By Sarah Slevin

Arrows and stop signs, a voice overhead in An Bhialann and table service at Sult – life at NUI Galway has certainly altered, to say the least.

As many of us return to our beloved campus, we are suddenly questioning the right way to walk to our destination; not because we are unfamiliar with our surroundings, but because of the freshly painted traffic-flow arrows scattered generously below our feet.

For those of you who tread these paths for the first time, you might gain peace of mind in knowing that you are in the majority when you are unsure which way to go!

Yellow jackets worn by friendly faces were around every corner. Each new student roaming the campus could have had their own personal guide: the abundance of these helpers and the scarcity of students was unmatched by any other Freshers week I can remember.

Despite Covid-19 restrictions being a recipe for confusion on such a widespread campus, a calm atmosphere encapsulated my orientation day. I even dare say, it began to give myself, and many of my new classmates, a welcome feeling of normality. And maybe it was just the so-called ‘new normal’. However, getting to see people and hear voices, albeit a safe distance away, is enough for me after the last 6 months.

But what about those confined to the four walls of their bedroom and the screen of their laptop?

Truth be told, we can only really guess the impact home-learning will have over the course of an entire academic year. And although online courses have existed for quite some time now, there is huge disparity between a course which is specifically made for online and one that suddenly needs to be adapted to fit into the online mould.

Arguably, the most important tool for students who are now finding themselves studying primarily online is communication. If communication lines are kept open, it will not only ease the transition but may also give opportunity for improvements and change. Speaking to lecturers, tutors, and department heads, even if it is virtually, will be fundamental in sustaining as much academic satisfaction as possible. Not to mention, we are all still human beings behind the masks and the screens: social engagement is a powerful but beautiful force and we must never lose it!

It may be different, disappointing and disheartening that Covid-19 continues to disrupt our experiences, education and everyday life, but, like all living beings, adaption is vital and is well within our capabilities!