Rescued cavers recall their great escape

Tuesday, 06 January 2009

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Andrew Hamilton

From left Brian Lillis, Ennis Brian Cotter, Ennis and Robin Sheen,Kilnaboy after their rescue at Doolin on Monday afternoon. Eamon Ward

THREE Clare cavers trapped for more than 20 hours in a narrow cave system near Doolin are recovering well and in good spirits following their dramatic rescue yesterday morning.
The men, who are all experienced cavers, became trapped when the cave they were exploring flooded unexpectedly on Sunday afternoon, blocking both exits from the structure.
The men were trapped in near freezing wet conditions from more than 20 hours until the emergency services reached them just before 12 noon yesterday morning.
The trapped cavers, Brian Lillis and Brian Mac Coitir from Ennis and Robin Sheen from Kilnaboy, have been exploring these caves for years and are all active members of the rescue services themselves.
The men had only planned to be underground for an hour and a half but ended up walking more for 3 miles, beneath the thousands of tonnes of rock, in search for an exit.
The group, who are all aged in their forties, walk through the extensive network to another exit known as St Catherine’s but after several hours they discovered floods had also blocked that way out.
Speaking after the rescue the three men admitted that, as experienced cavers, they were a little embarrassed to be on the other side of an emergency situation.
“We were in the lower section of the cave trying to get out and there were very strong currents and it flooded to the roof very rapidly. We had to battle against these very strong currents,” said Brian Lillis.
“We are used to the environment, used to the water, used to the climbing - it was just the amount of time that we were down there, it certainly wasn’t planned for,” said Brian Mac Coitir.
“As it happens we are all rescue personal already, so it was a bit embarrassing to be on the other side of a rescue situation,” said Robin Sheen.
The rescue involved members of the Doolin Coast Guard, the Ennistymon Fire Brigade, the gardai and the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation (ICRO).
The alarm was raised around 3.30am yesterday morning when one of the trapped men managed to contact Ennistymon Garda Station using a mobile phone.
The fire brigade began pumping hundreds of gallons of water from the flooded cave entrance which specialist rescue equipment was flown down from Fermanagh to assist with the rescue operation.
“They were grand. Cold, wet and hungry but physically fine,” said Conor McGrath of the ICRO. “There wasn’t particularly heavy rain but the cave did flood extensively. It was quite unexpected.”

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