Denise FitzGerald Reports | Photo: Michael Hussey www.youghalonline.com Email: news@youghalonline.com

Mark Nolan from Youghal is the son of locals Kieran and Brenda.   Mark has fond memories of his childhood days on boats, angling and sailing in Youghal, the old Regattas, and as a member of Youghal Sea Angling Club.

Having completed his Leaving Certificate,   Mark entered the Gardaí in 1980 and served in Limerick for fifteen years.  During his time there, Mark held onto his love of the water by his association with the Limerick and Clare Angling Club, despite the fact that members had to travel approximately forty miles to the boat moored in Liscannor in Co. Clare.    Mark transferred to Fermoy in 1995, and then on to Midleton in 1997, when Mark and his family moved back to Youghal, where they have lived for the past 15 years.

Mark is married to Caroline (Bulman) and they have three children – Gary, Sarah and Jack.  The late Buddy Bulman (Caroline’s Dad) and Kieran Nolan were friends for many years, and long before Mark met Caroline he spent many an occasion in the company of Buddy and his Dad, boating in Youghal Bay.

One of Mark’s ambitions was to serve with the RNLI.  Now living back in Youghal, Mark applied for, and offered his services to the Youghal RNLI.   In 1997 Mark was successful and accepted as a member.  In 1998 he went to the RNLI Centre in Cowes, Isle of Wight, for a week’s intensive training course.   Thus commenced Mark’s dedication and involvement with the local branch of the RNLI.
During his 13 years of service with Youghal RNLI, Mark said that there had been 213 call outs/rescues.   He was involved in 38 of the callouts/rescues and five lives were saved.

Age, for most people, is a relative thing but certainly there are some ages which are more special than others.  And so it was for Mark Nolan when he reached that special birthday on July 20th last.   That age, for Mark,  also brought with it some sadness and sense of loss as it means his retirement from the RNLI, which is the compulsory retirement age for all members.

Mark said that he will truly miss being involved with the RNLI as part of the crew.   He will miss, as he calls it, the ’buzz of the active service’ and being on the boat with the other members of crew, ‘on call’  or ‘on exercise’.

Mark, however, is still looking forward to being associated with Youghal RNLI and one of the ways in which this can be achieved is through his young son, Jack, aged 11 years, who is passionate about the sea and all it involves.   At this very young age Jack is a member of Aquatrek and is trained to level 3 sailing.   To attain this training at any age is to be lauded, but to do so at such a tender age shows an interest, love and commitment that is unique.   Mark continued on to say that Jack, at an early age, spent a lot of time on the water, and sails regularly with Aquatrek.   Thus, the love of the sea comes from Kieran, to Mark to Jack.

Mark, quite passionately, said “I am privileged to have been part of the Youghal RNLI where I have made lots of friends, and was part of a team of dedicated and professional people who were involved in the saving of lives, and I am truly grateful for what have been, for me, some of the best years of my life”

The wealth of expertise which Mark has gained will surely never be wasted.   Mark will always be interested and involved with the Youghal RNLI and will be always be happy to share some of his knowledge and experience of the sea to the younger, enthusiastic crew.

Garda Mark Nolan, guardian of seas and land, we salute you.