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Poll: Have you taken down the tree yet - or are you still clinging on to Christmas?

Can’t quite face taking down the decorations? (Even though you’re sick of looking at them).

IT WAS NOLLAIG na mBan yesterday – also known as the Feast of the Epiphany, Women’s Christmas, Little Christmas (or if you’re feeling creative – Little Women’s Christmas).

Traditionally, in Ireland, it’s the day you’re supposed to take down your Christmas tree.

But did you comply – or are you still clinging on to the last, fast-fading traces of Christmas magic?


Poll Results:

It's gone. (10006)
Yet to get to it. Maybe the weekend? (3850)
I never had one in the first place. (817)
It's staying till St Brigid's Day. (359)

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A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

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53 Comments
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    Mute Paul Radford
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    Aug 30th 2015, 9:48 AM

    Wow! Out for a bit of fishing and disaster strikes like that. A friend dead and the rest traumatised.

    Life can be cruel. RiP.

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    Mute Get Lost Eircodes
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    Aug 30th 2015, 10:52 AM

    A €150 Handheld Marine VHF & some cheap handheld flares could have made all the difference here.

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    Mute Jill Bergin
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    Aug 30th 2015, 12:19 PM

    how do u know they didnt have them. the boat could have capsized in minutes.. not leaving much time to get family members to safety..

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    Mute Get Lost Eircodes
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    Aug 30th 2015, 12:33 PM

    If they had multiple alternative means of reporting distress do you not think they would have used them? My 2 handheld VHFs fit in my pocket & float. But let us wait for the official report to see if you are correct. At least marine & aviation accident investigations are freely published so others can learn from the unfortunate mistakes of others. BTW I’m speaking from experience having been on BOTH sides of rescues in water.

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    Mute Armonline
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    Aug 30th 2015, 10:10 AM

    Well done to the friends raising the alarm or their would have been far more loss of life.

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    Mute Jimmy Murphy
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    Aug 30th 2015, 4:31 PM

    I’m from that area in Wexford & there’s been some terrible tragedies in the area over the years. 2 families lost several members one year after another in the 90s, there was another sinking with lives lost near Kilmore Quay where even a rescuer lost his life in performing his duty & there was also an accident a few years ago in which 5 people lost their lives on a boat that wasn’t fit to float in a bathtub. All of these accidents were attributed to being under equipped, no life jackets, no means of signalling an emergency, needles loss of life. Perversely, this is actually a good outcome. My heart goes out to the deceased & his family and may he RIP but to save 9 out of 10 lives is a good result considering the history in the area and well done to the emergency services.

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    Mute Molly1952
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    Aug 30th 2015, 6:42 PM

    Just goes to show the absolute necessity of life jackets. Without them there would have been several more deaths. Unfortunately there are still accidents waiting to happen. A well known Wexford skipper who ferries people on a daily basis to the Saltees Islands refuses to hand out the jackets to his passengers. His response when requested is ” I am bound by law to carry lifejackets for all on board and they are available in the case of emergency”. Apparently he is correct but that’s not a lot of use if the boat suddenly capsized. There seems to be different laws regarding wearing/carrying lifejackets depending on the size of the boat.

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    Mute Layla
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    Aug 30th 2015, 7:28 PM

    That’s true! I booked with friends to go out on the Saltees day trip, we asked for life jackets and we were told exactly the same thing. Very naively we thought he knew best. It was only a few days later when telling a friend who sailed regularly when he explained about freak waves & that a boat can overturn in seconds giving nobody time to don a life jacket that I realised how foolish we were. Will never take a chance like that again. Too many needless tragedies. This group had the sense to all wear life jackets when they were hit by such a freak wave and that’s what saved them, unfortunately one soul perished RIP. Thoughts are with his family & friends.

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    Mute don lavery
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    Aug 30th 2015, 6:47 PM

    This story has been poorly reported on all media. Was the Waterford rescue helicopter involved in the search with FLIR? If not, why not? Or was it only involved in transporting the man to hospital? Did the boat have an EPIRB? If not, why not?

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    Mute Get Lost Eircodes
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    Aug 30th 2015, 9:55 PM

    Because there is no mandatory safety equipment list for small boats. Also an Epirb requires a DSC-VHF licence which requires a course & exam so people don’t bother and think a mobile phone is good enough.

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    Mute don lavery
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    Aug 30th 2015, 10:02 PM

    Thanks. That answers one question. You imagine if you take passengers for hire in the open sea you would be required to have as many safety devices as possible. Sounds like poor regulation.

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    Mute Get Lost Eircodes
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    Aug 30th 2015, 10:53 PM

    Didn’t hear anything about for hire, think it was private. At least message on life jackets is getting through although without a means of alerting emergency services now it means people die a slower death from hypothermia

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