14/09/2026
🥇9 year old Darragh Smyth presented with Certificate of Thanks from the RNLI🥇
On Thursday evening, 10 September, Darragh Smyth, accompanied by Clodagh, his Mum, his brother Cathal and family friend Niamh Leenane made a visit to Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat station for a special presentation in recognition of his support for the RNLI.
Earlier this year, Darragh and his fellow pupils at Gaelscoil Aonach in Nenagh were invited by their teachers to come to school dressed as their heroes and give a short presentation about their choice.
For Darragh, there was only one person he wanted to celebrate, his dad Steve, a volunteer helm with Lough Derg RNLI. Darragh spoke at his school about why his dad is his hero and was interviewed by TG4 (National Irish language Public Service Broadcaster) about his choice.
On Thursday evening, with several Lough Derg RNLI volunteers present at the station, Darragh and his family received a warm welcome from Christine O’Malley, Lifeboat Operations Manager for Lough Derg RNLI.
Speaking to Darragh, Christine said, ‘it is an especially wonderful thing that your father is your hero. On behalf of all the volunteers here, thank you and your family for your support, which I’m certain makes Steve’s roles at the station easier to carry out’.
Christine then invited Eleanor Ho**er, Lifeboat Press Officer at Lough Derg RNLI, to present Darragh with a framed RNLI Certificate of Thanksand an RNLI200 teddy bear.
Eleanor thanked Darragh for his support and spoke about the unique connection he has with the lifeboat station, ‘our volunteers form part of the RNLI family, and Darragh is very lucky to have two family members here; Steve, his Dad, and his uncle Owen, who is also a helm with Lough Derg RNLI’. She said they would hold a place for Darragh, for when he was old enough to join the crew.
Eleanor thanked Niamh Stephenson, RNLI Communications Lead for Ireland, Breffni Gorman, Volunteering Adviser, and Alicia James, Volunteer Recognition Adviser, for their efforts in helping Lough Derg RNLI get this wonderful recognition for Darragh.
Steve said he was delighted and moved by his son’s choice and said he was ‘so proud of him’. On behalf of his family, he thanked everyone present, saying ‘you’re truly an amazing crew; this is an evening Darragh won’t ever forget’.
Volunteers also extended their heartiest congratulations to Steve, who recently qualified as a volunteer Lifeboat Trainer Assessor with the RNLI.
The role requires volunteers to meet rigorous criteria and complete specialist training, including a three-day workshop in Athlone that encompasses learning and teaching principles, RNLI assessment procedures, and grading volunteers undertaking assessment.
Encouraged by his brother-in-law Owen, who is also a helm at the station, Steve first joined Lough Derg RNLI in 2017. His decision to volunteer was influenced by his own experience of being rescued at sea several years earlier. Reflecting on that experience, Steve said he 'admired the selflessness of the volunteers who dropped what they were doing to come to my aid. It was indeed a humbling experience, and I wanted to give something back’.
Steve qualified as a helm at Lough Derg RNLI in 2022 and brings considerable experience of training and instruction to his role. He has been a scuba diver for more than 20 years and became a diving instructor in 2014, an examiner in 2018 and a Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) Moniteur in 2022.
Steve remains an active instructor with Lough Derg Sub Aqua Club and is a member of Diving Ireland’s Diving Commission, which works to maintain and review training and examination standards in line with international best practice. Without doubt, Steve’s experience in teaching and assessing, to maintain high standards on the water, makes him a valuable addition to the RNLI’s team of volunteer Trainer Assessors.
For Darragh, his dad has always been his hero. For Steve, his journey with the RNLI is about helping others and keeping people safe on the water. It was therefore especially fitting that the Lough Derg RNLI volunteers could come together to recognise Darragh’s support and admiration and to celebrate both father and son as part of the wider RNLI family.
Ends
Notes to editors
Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat station has been operating since 2004. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/lough-derg-lifeboat-station
A photo of Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat can be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/RNLILoughDerg/
RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Eleanor Ho**er, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer on Eleanor_Ho**[email protected] or Nuala McAloon, Regional Media Officer on 0876483547 [email protected] or Niamh Stephenson, Regional Media Manager on 0871254124 or [email protected]
RNLI online
For more information on the RNLI please visit rnli.org. News releases and other media
resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the
RNLI News Centre rnli.org/news-and-media.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around Ireland and the UK. The RNLI operates 46 lifeboat stations in Ireland. The RNLI is independent of government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, the charity has saved over 142,700 lives.
0871254124 or [email protected]
RNLI online
For more information on the RNLI please visit rnli.org. News releases and other media
resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the
RNLI News Centre rnli.org/news-and-media.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around Ireland and the UK. The RNLI operates 46 lifeboat stations in Ireland. The RNLI is independent of government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, the charity has saved over 142,700 lives.
