Memorial to deaths at sea off north Dublin coast unveiled in Skerries by President

A memorial to many ships and lives lost off the coast of Skerries in north Dublin was unveiled by President Michael D Higgins yesterday.

Known locally as the “totem pole”, the sea pole had been used by the Coast Guard as a viewing platform and was part of key life-saving equipment to help rescue people from stricken ships.

It fell into disrepair and was removed by Fingal County Council almost a decade ago for safety reasons.

A community campaign, initiated on Facebook by designer Shane Holland, led to its reinstatement at a bandstand on the Red Island area of the coastal village.

The pole is inscribed with the names of people and ships lost at sea, and forms one of Ireland’s largest registers of marine victims, comprising ships, fishermen, U-boats, sailors, swimmers, rescuers and wartime maritime casualties from 12 nations over 250 years.

Families of some of those lost at sea, including from the UK and other countries, were in attendance, along with mayor of Fingal Kieran Dennison and representatives from the Coast Guard, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Naval Service and Air Corps.