2024 was the busiest year since Covid times for the South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association (SEMRA), and with that in mind, the year ended in fitting form as the members attended their 48th, 49th and 50th callouts of the year last weekend. The callouts were largely due to people getting lost or disorientated, but injury played a part too.
On Sunday, the volunteer rescue service were called out twice to incidents in the Galtees and in the Comeragh mountains. The first, near Cush mountain in the Galtees, came from a wet and cold group of walkers around 1pm in the afternoon.
They were lost, however were found by another group of walkers who guided them to the col between Galtee Beg and Cush and put them into a storm shelter. When SEMRA arrived, the rescue volunteers guided the walkers off the hill to a Land Rover and drove them back to their own car.
Later that day, at around 6.15pm, the association were called out once more to the Nire Valley in the Comeraghs in Waterford to a disorientated walker in the dark. They were joined by members of SARDA, the Search and Rescue Dog Association, with search dog Dayzee deployed to the job.
Fortunately, the walker was closer to the car park than they had thought and was found quickly; the volunteers were stood down about an hour later.
Earlier that weekend, on Saturday, SEMRA had helped a walker who had injured their leg in a fall by the Baylough carpark in the Knockmealdown mountains, Tipperary. Luckily, dual members of SARDA and SEMRA were training in the area and so were at the site very quickly. The casualty was eventually stretched off the hill by volunteers who attended the scene and brought to an ambulance.
A few days earlier, on St Stephen’s Day, SEMRA were again called to the Galtees at around 5.40pm, to help a walker who was disorientated in the poor visibility. The volunteer rescuers were able to find them using a ‘phone find’ and helped the walker back to their car via Land Rover down the Black Road.
FUNDRAISERS
The association took the opportunity, as the year came to a close, to extend their thanks to all their supporters, those that take part in the Long Way Round, the landowners who allow them access to their land, the National Ambulance service, the guards, Coast Guard, Civil Defence teams, scouts, and businesses that allow them to continue their valuable work. SEMRA calendars are available on their website, the proceeds of which contribute to their fundraising efforts.
The rescheduled Long Way Round, which is now sold out, will take place on January 25th. The annual 15km fundraiser night walk and run was postponed due to Storm Bert.
