Shining a light on World Drowning Prevention Awareness Day 25th July 2023, members from Water Safety Ireland’s local committee met with Cllr Frankie Keena who had organised for the railway bridge to be lit blue for the event.
Water Safety Ireland is encouraging everyone to turn blue, and try to learn one new Water Safety skill. Across the country, children have been learning to throw ring buoys, and videos of lifeguards telling local lifesaving stories have been shared online with actor Liam Neeson adding his voice for the campaign.
It is important to remember that most drownings happen in rivers and lakes, and thanks to Iarnród Éireann, the railway bridge in Athlone often referred to as “The White Bridge” turned blue to create awareness about drownings.
Spanning over 500 feet from the Leinster side of the town to the Connaught side, the iconic railway bridge has been a part of Athlone’s skyline since the 1850s where trains have crisscrossed the country East and West as boats below moved North and South.
Coincidently, a little further down, blue light testing on the new greenway bridge was underway that night which added to the spectacular blue reflection in the river. The official opening of this fabulous greenway bridge is scheduled for Tuesday morning the 8th August 2023, and it is going to be a massive addition to the ambiance of the town.
By the Athlone Boat Club, Padraig Hegarty was happy to show us inside, and discuss some of the history of the club, which was a nice reminder of some of the recreational activities that take place on the river. Built in 1837. the Boat Club predates the railway bridge and far from the Shannon, Mr Hegarty proudly showed me a 9.4 metre double scull, made of carbon and Kevlar honeycomb composite, that was used in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
It is easy to forget all the activities that take place along the river, and the history that has taken place there too. From Vikings, whiskey brewing, monks, and the Woolen Mills, and Aubrey de Vere verses of The Ballad of Athlone set on the Town Bridge in 1691.
Cllr Keena kindly took a picture of myself and my father by the blue bridge, and I was reminded that my own family all became lifesaving instructors because my parents chose to learn to swim when my older brother was learning to swim, and it’s not too late to make your own history and learn some lifesaving skills, as the Water Safety Ireland campaign emphasises, “Anyone can drown, nobody should.”
Maybe it is time to take a lesson or find out about Athlone Regional Sports Centre’s Water Safety Weeks that take place three times a year, at Easter, in July and August.
Lifesaving skills are skills for life and water safety courses include CPR and Resuscitation. Even if you only learn the importance of getting help and calling 112 or 999, or learning how to throw a ring buoy or how to give resuscitation, learn one skill this week to mark the event or check out ww.watersafety.ie for more details.
Athlone Sub Aqua have been based by the railway bridge for half a century where they their members have learnt to dive but have also provided much needed water cover on the river; the RNLI came to our shores a little over a decade ago, and we even have a River Safety Awareness group in Athlone now so there are plenty of ways to get involved, and play a part. World Drowning Prevention Day is a UN based event that only started in 2021 which will hopefully grow in popularity in Athlone over the years, now that the light is lit.
Thanks to Morgan Fagg, PRO for Westmeath Local Area Committee of Water Safety Ireland for organising this event and for scripting this article.
