Feuding Clare Island ferry families agree to end hostilities

Clare Island ferry families agree to end hostilities

TWO Clare Island ferry operators who have been in conflict with each other have been told ‘to suck it up’ and put their differences behind them and concentrate on providing a service to the island communities.

Alan O’Grady, a Director of Clare Island Ferry appeared before last week’s sitting of Castlebar District Court for breaching navigation regulation rules by failing to give way to the passenger ferry, the ‘Naomh CiarΡn II’ operated by Charles O’Malley - who had to take evasive action to avoid a collision.

Mr O’Grady was in charge of the ‘Clew Bay Queen’ which was travelling from Clare Island to Roonagh Pier while the Naomh CiarΡn II was travelling from Inisturk.

The court heard that there were grievances between the two families operating the ferry services but they were now prepared to put their differences behind them. Mr James Ward, solicitor for Mr O’Grady said there were complaints and counter-complaints issued to the Department of Transport in recent years which had resulted in court appearances.

Mr Ward explained that the two parties had a meeting in his office where their grievances were aired and were now willing to put those grievances behind them.

“Their grievances were aired to me and there seemed to be misunderstandings on how issues arose. It was very frank and sometimes brutal but it had to be said,” Mr Ward told Judge Mary Devins.

“Way back in the mist of time things were fine but unfortunately relationships deteriorated with complaints and counter complaints. These are seafaring, hard-working men and things were said which should not have been said.

“Both families recognise that the nonsense has to stop and the practice of complaints and counter complaints has to stop. It is of no good to the community. No one is naïve to say all the issues are resolved but they both see this has to end and they realise they will be better off spending money on their business and not on lawyers and court.

“There will always be issues and griping and cribbing. But they accept that they have to deal with this as men and not as mice,” he explained.

Mr Ward also suggested that while he had no evidence, it seemed that parties were acting ‘mischievously’ and setting one against the other.

The charges against Mr O’Grady arose when a passing situation occurred between both boats and under shipping regulations, the boat on the starboard side must give way. In this instance, Mr O’Grady should have given right of way to the Naomh CiarΡn II but failed to do so.

Captain Nicholas Cantwell of the Marine Survey Office explained that the two vessels were 25 metres from each other before the Naomh CiarΡn II took evasive action.

When Capt Cantwell replied to Mr Ward that an end to the two family’s difficulties would be ‘helpful’, Judge Devins added that was ‘a bit of an understatement’.

Capt Cantwell said their main concerns were for the safety of the passengers on both vessels and said he could not accept the reason by Mr O’Grady for not giving way was the anxiety to get to the pier first in order to use the crane to unload cargo.

Charges against Charles O’Malley were withdrawn before the court hearing and Mr Ward said that if Mr O’Malley had known his actions in reporting Mr O’Grady would result in them ending up in court he would have ‘thought twice about it’.

He added that if they both had a row at the pier, the matter may not have come before the court or to the attention of the department.

Judge Devins said that the two families provide a vital social service to the island communities and they have to accept they are involved in a commercial livelihood and to ‘suck it up’ and ‘get on with it’. She adjourned sentencing for one year to see how relationships develop.