Photo Gallery

A training session at the Vee in the Knockmealdown Mountains yesterday. Photo by Marie Lawlor.
A great achievement for this pair! Mick is one of our most experienced dog handlers, and both he and Louise are also members of SEMRA (South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association).
Mick being presented with his certificate by Ken Sloan.
A view down from one of the dogsbody locations.
Some of the gang on Sunday.
Mick & Ziggy.
Lou & Lyla.
Louise being presented with her certificate by Harold Burrows.
Mick and Ziggy heading for the next find.
A nice photo of one of our dog teams, Eadaoin O'Gorman & Murphy, taking a break from training in Wicklow yesterday.
SARDA held a national training weekend in Wicklow over Sat and Sun. Very poor visibility and heavy rain hampered the proceedings somewhat on Saturday, but Sunday was a fine clear day. A few of our dog teams are progressing nicely towards novice & upgrade assessments, so watch this space! Thanks a lot to everyone who bodied over the weekend, to Louise Burgoyne and Sheelagh O'Malley for organising all the practical arrangements, and to Henry Smith, Catherine Kelly, Michael Grant and Eadaoin O'Gorman for setting search areas and observing the dog teams working through them.
Very sad news today. Search dog Dexter has passed away after a short illness – far too soon, and in his prime. This is a huge loss to his handler Gerry Tobin, who is also SARDA's training officer, and to SARDA Ireland. Since qualifying as a search dog team in 2013 the pair have been on callouts all over Ireland and assisted with numerous incidents – many of them with their home team South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association. In May 2015, their skills directly resulted in saving a person's life after Dexter successfully located an unconscious casualty in difficult circumstances. Gerry and Dex have also been a familiar sight at many emergency services events as well as visits to schools – with his friendly nature, Dex was always a great ambassador for search dogs! We at SARDA Ireland can't believe that this legend of a dog is no longer with us, and our hearts are broken for Gerry and his family. Rest in peace, Dex, and thank you for your service.
SARDA held a national training weekend in Co. Waterford over Fri and Sat. Original plan had been to train at Lough Mohra in the Comeraghs on Saturday but, due to very poor visibility, we decamped to Tickincor forest nearby where we ran two search areas with Gerry Tobin, Michael Grant, Helen NicChonmara and Eadaoin O'Gorman supervising the training. On Sunday we trained at Bay Lough near The Vee. Henry Smith and Louise Burgoyne joined our merry gang for three areas, with young pupsters and more experienced dogs all going through their paces. Many thanks to all our dogsbodies and everyone else who helped out!
Sunday was a busy day for SARDA's handlers with two callouts in the Galtee Mountains. The 1st callout kicked off in the early afternoon after a hillwalker got disoriented in the heavy fog near the summit and required assistance. Two dog teams (Michael Grant with search dog Ziggy and Eadaoin O'Gorman with search dog Murphy) responded along with their home team, South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association. Happily, with assistance over the phone from the SEMRA callout officer the walker was able make his way down to meet the SEMRA hill party, and the dog teams were stood down. The 2nd tasking came at 6.30pm on Sunday evening after two hillwalkers were reported overdue to return from the Galtees and could not be contacted. SARDA handlers Mick Grant (with Ziggy) and Gerry Tobin (with search dog Dexter) were on the way to the location when the two walkers were reported safe down off the mountain by other members of SEMRA. Stock photo: SARDA dog team Mick Grant & Ziggy.
Search dog Murphy at training on the Galtees yesterday. Murphy's handler is Midletown-based Eadaoin O'Gorman. Photo by Jimmy Barry.
SARDA handler Gerry Tobin, search dog Dexter and trainee search dog Fia took part in the Emergency Services Open Day at Dungarvan Fire Station yesterday. All local emergency services were also represented, including National Ambulance Service, Irish Coast Guard, RNLI, South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association, An Garda Síochána and Civil Defence. All proceeds raised from the event will go to Down Syndrome Ireland.
SARDA trainee dogs Rowan and Finnegan cooling off in Glendasan river, Wicklow after training this morning. Photo by Anthony Quinn.
SARDA held a national training weekend in Oughterard, Co. Galway last weekend. Weather was warm both on days, but there was a nice breeze to aid area coverage. The majority of the training was done with three dog teams that have just moved up to searching large areas. Many thanks to local organiser Jarlath Folan and to all our wonderful "dogsbodies" who attended the weekend.
SARDA held a national training weekend at The Vee in the Knockmealdown Mountains over Fri/Sat/Sun. Many thanks to training officer Gerry Tobin who made sure that all three search areas were running smoothly, Gerry and Louise both for organising the logistics for the weekend, and Eadaoin, Helen, Lou and Pauliina for watching over the areas and providing feedback to the handlers. We also had quite a few new 'dogsbodies' this weekend, so it's great to see that there is plenty of interest out there in the work that we do. Thanks for all your help, and hope to see some of ye at our next national training event in Connemara at the end of May!
One man and his dog. A nice image of SARDA handler Simon Kelly and trainee search dog Flash training near Waterville, Co. Kerry earlier this week. Photo by Alena Kelly.
Last night's Nationwide programme (RTÉ One) featured Killarney-based photographer Valerie O'Sullivan and her magnificent book 'The MacGillycuddy's Reeks: People and Places of Ireland's Highest Mountain Range'. Among the highlighted images is this iconic photo of SARDA search dog Lily (sadly no longer with us), her handler Catherine Kelly and another SARDA handler, Gerry Tobin. The programme shows plenty of stunning Kerry scenery and is well worth watching! Link to RTÉ Player: https://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/nationwide-21/10854945/
A group photo of some of the dogs & handlers after Sunday's training session. Photo by Valerie O'Sullivan.
JJ finds Desi.
Some of the gang posing with the brandy new SARDA van after Sunday's training session. Photo by Valerie O'Sullivan.
Meanwhile, retired search dog Koiru and her handler Pauliina were (wo)manning the SARDA stand in the main tent. Thanks everyone who called by for a chat (and a cuddle with Koiru)!
Louise Burgoyne and Lyla gave a search dog demo as part of Killarney Mountain Festival which was very well received. Our chairman Henry MCed the events while Tony bodied for the dog team.
Our new van is looking well.
Three amigos + one dog.
Jarlath & Syd.
Janet & JJ.
Mike with some of our loyal dogsbodies: Noel, Alun and Tony (in his infamous 'bee suit').
SARDA Ireland members are remembering the crew of Rescue 116 today. Dara, Mark, Paul and Ciarán – Rest in Peace.
Éadaoin & Murphy.
Search dog Dex.
Trainee search dog Fia.
Search dog Lyla.
Fia & Gerry.
Trainee search dog Rowan.
Search dog Murphy.
Pauliina and Koiru in Blackpool.
The lovely Sky in Bishopstown.
Bauer manning the collection buckets in Douglas Court.
Tom and Louise in Wilton.
Mick and Ziggy in Bishopstown.
Some of the city centre crew: Don with Taffy, Gerry with Dexter and Éadaoin with Murphy.
The handsome Harry in the city centre.
Martin and Boo.
Jarlath with a mob of labs in Wilton.
We are doing our annual fund-raising collection in Cork tomorrow (Sat 13th). You will find our collectors and SARDA dogs in the city centre and all the main shopping centres (Bishopstown, Douglas Court, Douglas Village, Blackpool and Wilton) all day tomorrow. Come and meet the dogs and chat with the handlers if you're around!
Another up-and-coming SARDA dog, Rowan, passed his obedience and stock test in Kilkenny this week. Rowan and his handler Sheelagh O'Malley are now officially on their way to great things. Well done!
A few of the humans & hounds that attended the training weekend on Knockmealdown Mountains (other dog teams were also present but were otherwise engaged when this photo was taken!). Many thanks to our training officer Gerry Tobin who organised the accommodation and food for the weekend and to everyone who helped to set up search areas and provided feedback to the handlers (Gerry, Michael Grant, Helen NicChonmara, Louise Burgoyne, Eadaoin O'Gorman and Pauliina Kauppila). Most of all, as always, massive thanks to all our dogsbodies who endured chilly and damp conditions over the two days to help us train our dogs. We couldn't do it without ye!
A dogsbody's view.
Louise & Lyla.
Those precious red tags. You can't buy them – you've got to earn them!
Lyla gets some playtime after a find.
Éadaoin and Murphy happy out after finding the final dogsbody in the last of the four search areas.
Paul Taylor and Ken Sloan from SARDA England together newly qualified handlers Eadaoin O'Gorman and Louise Burgoyne, SARDA's training officer Gerry Tobin and one of our assessors, Catherine Kelly.
Towards the end of the 2nd day of assessments.
Watching the handlers on the hill.
Éadaoin & Murphy.
Éadaoin radioing back to the base.
SARDA handler Gerry Tobin and search dog Dexter paid a visit to Croom College of Further Education yesterday to give a talk to their animal care students. The college very kindly gave the proceeds of a pub quiz to SARDA (presented to Gerry by lecturer Susan Reddan). Thank you! The donation will be used towards our training and equipment costs.
A nice photo of the dog handlers' group at the ICAR 2017 (International Commission for Alpine Rescue) in Andorra a couple of weeks ago. The conference was attended by teams from all over the world, including SARDA Ireland.
A curious onlooker
The start of the demo
Mick & Zig
A few of our dogs and handlers were busy at events last weekend. Gerry Tobin and search dog Dexter attended the 'Autumn Fayre' event organised by Ash Animal Rescue in Duckett’s Grove, Co. Carlow. They manned the SARDA stand, gave a number of demos to people and spoke about SARDA's role within the emergency services. Meanwhile, three of our trainee handler teams (Eadaoin O'Gorman & Murphy, Louise Burgoyne & Lyla, Dorothy Grimes & Piper [pictured below}) were in attendance at the Aghada & District Community Autumn show in Co. Cork. They had the enjoyable task of assisting the organisers with the dog show and the dog agility competition. Thanks everyone!
Today we are remembering our friend and former SARDA colleague Caitríona Lucas who lost her life during a Coast Guard search mission a year ago. May she never be forgotten.
The next generation! Well done to Michael Grant who managed to get all three pupsters in the same photo. Ella, Fia and Cody all come from the same litter and there are high hopes for them. And no, we can't tell them apart either!
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