Here is a poster that was circulated at the time by Canon David Williams of St.Multose church, Kinsale and Mission to Seafarers. Eventually the crew of the "Lucky Star" were repatriated - helped in the main by local generousity and efforts. Their whereabouts now that is unknown.
Minister Dempsey is now retired on an annual ministerial pension of €119,177 (Kelly, Fiach (10 November 2011). "Thanks big fellas: Ahern and Cowen get massive pensions". Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 November 2011.) One of his last (thankfully unsuccessful) efforts as minister was to "amalgamate" the MRCC stations. Apparently these marine rescue co-ordination centres were to be closed before the location of the replacement station had even been decided upon.
Then again, Noel Dempsey is well able to weather a storm. In winter 2009 with the country ground to a halt, battling against its worst weather in 40 years this Minister for Transport & Communications sat it out holidaying in Malta. Chuala mé duine eigean ag úsáid an tearma "Feall-Aire" i gcór Dempsey. Glic! (Feall is the gaelic for failure/let-down, Aire is the gaelic for government Minister, but Feallaire is the gaelic for traitor).
