Take any minute. A tide
Is rummaging in
At the foot of all fields
All cliffs and shingles
- Seamus Heaney, Shoreline.
THE news of Liam O'Sullivan's tragic death following a boating accident in Bulloch Harbour, Dalkey, on June 29th, is a source of great sadness to all who knew him. Liam, a native of Skibbereen, Co Cork, graduated from University College, Cork, in 1985 with an honours degree in civil engineering and the following year attained an MSc in ocean engineering from University College, London.
After his studies, Liam joined the leading British consulting engineering firm, Halcraws, based in Swindon. Here he worked on major marine and coastal engineering projects in Britain and the Middle East.
In 1991 he returned to Ireland, where he joined the Department of the Marine. In his five years with the department, Liam worked primarily in coastal engineering. His abilities were quickly recognised and he played a key role in the design and construction of a number of important coastal protection schemes. Liam introduced new computer based techniques to the engineering division and carried out the wave analysis for the design of two recently constructed piers on the Aran Islands.
He also provided advice to the department and to local authorities across a range of complex coastal matters, and was the department's representative on an EU funded technical committee developing guidelines for environmentally friendly coastal protection works. He was a great team worker, always willing and able to assist other colleagues. No job was too big or too small for him.
Liam's great technical abilities were complemented by his outgoing, good humoured and friendly personality. He was an active and popular member of the department's social committee. Liam's interest in the marine extended beyond the workplace and, in his spare time, he pursued many water sports and other outdoor activities. He was a prominent member of the Seal Bay sub aqua club based in Dalkey, Co Dublin, and was an expert diver. He was also a talented oarsman, who rowed with distinction for Skibbereen rowing club and captained the UCC rowing club in 1984/85. His other interests included sailing and rugby, the latter of which he played with the Salesians in Dublin.
Liam was highly respected as an engineer, amongst all of his colleagues and all those who knew him, and is a great loss to the Department of the Marine and the engineering profession. He will be remembered with affection.