Ireland’s rescuers: voluntary rescue teams featured in TG4 series

Tarrthálaithe na hÉireann

Thursdays from 5th October at 8pm on TG4

Available on TG4 player.

Ireland’s mountains, seas and coastline provide an irresistible draw for holiday makers, hikers and those seeking adventure. But things can go wrong in the blink of an eye. In this brand-new series for TG4, we follow the brave men and women of the Irish coast guard, mountain rescue teams and community rescue boats across Ireland. The everyday heroes who drop everything to come to the aid of people in need across Ireland at sea, on the ground and in the air. We follow the teams as they put themselves through rigorous training, join them at community events & fundraisers and hold our breath as they perform daring rescues around the country.

Since Covid our mostly voluntary rescue teams are now busy all year round. Their training, equipment and rate of call outs is of a very professional standard. They are hugely committed people, rooted in their communities, ready to search and rescue at a minutes’ notice.

Over the Summer and early Autumn of 2022, teams from Big Mountain Productions followed the men and women of the Irish Coast Guard, our mountain rescue teams and community rescue boats across Ireland.  User generated content (UGC) was created through wearable tech and drones to bring these stories alive.

Having access to the coast guard co-ordination centre in Valentia Island we follow one of the four full time Coast Guard rescue helicopters based around the country – R118 stationed in Strandhill, Sligo. At the heart of the series is the extraordinary commitment and work of volunteers the length and breath of Ireland.  These men & women make up the unpaid coast guard units along our coast from Malin to Greenore, the mountain rescue teams to the community inshore lifeboats.

We witness the training, fundraising and local characters who make up the voluntary Coast Guard units from Mulroy & An Bun Beag in Donegal, Ros an Mhíl  in Connemara to Wexford’s Cahore point. We are given an insight into the skills and training needed to become a member of the Mountain Rescue teams. Among the teams featured are Sligo/Leitrim, Kerry, Dublin/Wicklow and the South East Mountain Rescue team based in Clonmel. We meet volunteers from the specialist dog rescue unit SARDA who demonstrate the invaluable work they and the rescue dogs carry out while searching for missing people.

The commitment and dedication of voluntary inshore rescue teams often founded after tragedy is poignant and inspiring in equal measure. Two of these teams, Banna Beach Kerry and Bantry Bay, West Cork are featured.