Just as the clock reached midnight last night, the sound of an Irish Coastguard helicopter passing overhead as it came in to land in University College Hospital, Galway drowned out the sound of firecrackers in the neighbourhood. The new year had started for the Coastguard in the same way as the previous year had ended – on a mission. An Irish Times report this morning describes how the Irish coastguard had a very busy 2014, responding to 2,628 calls for help – irrespective of the weather or time of day. The picture above wasn’t taken last night – I was too cosy on the couch to get up – but is typical of the many night landings in Galway that the crews have to make over the year.
Safe flying in 2015.