Kayakers who saved dog following fall from Dublin cliff 'delighted' after Liveline appeal
A pair of kayakers have recalled how they were 'delighted' to hear the dog they saved following a fall from the cliff had survived following a radio appeal earlier in the week.
Anne Lynch shared how she had been walking along the cliffs of Howth with her dogs Rollie and Sugar in March when she turned a bend and was unable to see her Pomeranian, who had been a bit ahead of her.
On learning that Rollie had gone over the cliff, Anne looked over to see if she could find her pup and then spotted four kayakers who came to the dog's rescue. Anne Lynch shared how she had been walking along the cliffs of Howth with her dogs Rollie and Sugar in March when she turned a bend and was unable to see her Pomeranian, who had been a bit ahead of her. Pic: Liveline/X
Making an appeal on RTÉ Radio 1's Liveline during the week, Anne said: 'We just want to say to [the kayakers], we just want to apologise for not getting their names or numbers, but let them know that Rollie is safe, and you saved his life.'
On Thursday, presenter Joe Duffy spoke to two of the kayakers, Jeff Doherty and Tommy Daly, who explained that they had been out for a paddle when they saw some people (Anne and her friends) hailing them from the shoreline.
Jeff detailed how they had thought the people were saying hello first, but quickly realised there was something wrong.
Rollie from Sutton who is recovering from falling off a cliff at Howth… His owner, Anne, is desperate to find the kayakers that saved him… 0818 715 815 if you know who it is! pic.twitter.com/deg7LsrGHo — Liveline (@rteliveline) May 27, 2025
'Anne and her friends were shouting to us could we see a dog that had fallen,' Jeff shared, 'We couldn't until we got quite close. At that point, I could see a dog not moving.'
The kayaker managed to get over to Rollie, who was 'lying motionless but conscious [with] a bit of blood around his face.'
Jeff brought Rollie to Tommy, with the kayakers then managing to inform Anne they needed a vet and would meet them at the shoreline.
'I was delighted to hear yesterday, or the day before, that he'd survived,' Jeff told Joe, 'It really was good news because he'd looked like he was in a bad way. He was totally in shock.'
Tommy added that they hadn't known what the outcome was until the radio appeal made earlier in the week.
'I'd say he fell off higher than the top balcony of a block of flats.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
What a shortage of planners in Ireland means for where you live
Analysis: Planners work to manage growth and guide it towards outcomes to benefit both communities and the environment Most people don't realise how much of their daily environment, including parks, housing, transport and flood defences depends on urban planners and designers. And right now, Ireland is facing a chronic shortage of both, especially in local authorities. Good planning isn't just reactive; it's proactive and people-focused. It's about how towns and cities can become more liveable, equitable and resilient in the face of growing social and environmental pressures. At its best, planning coordinates land use with transport, housing, biodiversity, and climate resilience. In this way, planners work not only to manage growth but to guide it toward outcomes that benefit both communities and the environment. From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, Sinn Fein housing spokesman, Eoin O'Broin discusses his parliamentary question about the numbers of extra planning staff hired over the last two years by local authorities We hear the term used a lot on the radio and in the news but what do planners actually do on a day to day basis? Generally, planning has two functions, development management and forward planning. Development management is where the vast majority of planners work in Ireland. When you apply for a house extension or a new office building or to change the façade of a supermarket, the planning team in a local authority assess the development, look at policy and make a decision to allow you to build it or not. The second area that planners work on is called forward planning, this is making plans for our future. Each local authority in Ireland reviews national policy, makes a development plan aligned to this for their area and develops detailed plans for a particular town, street or area called masterplans, LAPS (local area plans), SDZs (strategic development zones) or UDZs (urban development zones). That mission is becoming increasingly urgent. As Ireland's population grows (projected to reach over six million by 2051), pressure is mounting to deliver compact, well-connected, low-carbon development in existing urban areas. Meanwhile, the effects of climate change — from flooding and sea level rise to extreme heat and water stress — demand that we radically rethink how we design settlements, locate infrastructure and manage land use. From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, do we need to reform the planning system? Now here is the interesting part, in recent years we are now seeing much more emphasis on making or remaking new areas in towns and cities. This requires urban designers who think about what kind of place this will be. Are there transport links? How do we deal with rainfall in climate change events? What kind of population density is the correct one? Ireland's shortage of planners is well documented. Many councils are unable to fill key posts in forward planning and development management, often losing staff to the private sector or to jurisdictions abroad that offer better pay and working conditions. We're seeing more or less the same numbers of planners, urban designers and related professionals graduating from third-level as was the case in the past, but the two main areas of planning have substantially grown in recent years and will continue to grow. This means we are slowly running out of planners to fill those positions, which is bad news for everyone. Without highly skilled trained planners and urban designers, we leave plan making to the market, and this is not a balanced view. Under a development plan, a site usually has a very broad zoning with lots of potential uses, particularly in urban centres. The better way to do things is to carefully make plans for our cities and towns, imagining what they look and feel like as places. For instance we could think of a new urban district which has a square as its heart surrounded by hotels, cinemas, bars and restaurants that is the centre of a mixed use community. If we plan this way and work out what we want that to look like, from building heights to pedestrianised streets we can extrapolate the areas, programmes and heights of each urban block and even of what each building should be. This way of doing things isn't new and it is how the best cities in the world think. This is the planning system we all want. Planners want it as it creates great places and developers and investors want it as it creates certainty, but it requires one much needed asset, and that is the time of skilled people who are trained to think about how to make future plans. This is something we are incredibly short on. What we need in Ireland now is a new generation of well trained, urban designers who can think about public space, beautiful buildings, a climate changing world, economics and density parameters in a holistic way to shape our towns and villages. We hear many stories about the shortage of housing and it has become a discussion on numbers, much like a commodity. But if we only build numbers, what kind of society are we designing? We need a balanced approach where the placemaking is as important as the numbers so we have a society that functions well into the long term.
Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
RTE Liveline search heats up as reality star tipped to replace Joe Duffy
TV and radio host Brian Dowling has been tipped to take over Liveline. RTE star Joe Duffy confirmed he is set to retire from the station later this month, with his last Liveline broadcast set for Friday, June 27. Rumours of Duffy's successors include Daithi O Se and Jennifer Zamparelli – but now Celebrity Big Brother star Brian Dowling has also been thrown into the mix. According to Ladbrokes, Dowling is now 6/1 to take over from Joe after the Kildare native announced he would no longer be co-hosting his 98FM show with Suzanne Kane from this Friday. Dowling indicated he will continue on the Six O'clock Show and will continue to film the Salvage Squad this summer. Cal Gildart of Ladbrokes commented: 'Brian Dowling could be the ideal candidate to fill in for Joe Duffy when he leaves Liveline. He has definitely got the personality and punters think he may have an outside chance of landing in the hottest seat in Irish radio right now.' Speaking about her departure, Suzanne said: 'A little life update (isn't that what they call it?) After nearly 5 years, l'm stepping away from my role presenting 10AM to 1PM on 98FM. Anyone who knows me, will know how much I adore radio and the Bauer family inside Marconi house, but for now, it's time to let the 'Good Times' roll for someone else. 'A word to the amazing team, I loved the madness and radio nerdiness that we all shared and how much we cared. Radio is really special and that's because of the people who do the heavy lifting to make it all come together. I'm glad to have been on this rollercoaster with you all. 'To everyone who listened to the show. I loved sharing my life and my kids with the soundest listeners on 98FM. We've been through a lot together & thank you for always turning up for me, it means more than any of you will know.' She continued: 'Lastly, a quick word to my kiddos Oisín, Hannah & Sadie. Thank you for letting me have a go of my dream radio job and playing ball every morning, even the really tough ones, so I could be in front of the mic by 10am and of course, Joey- the voice of support, the constant, the reassurance, who always has the reminder 'We'll figure it out, we always do'.' Dowling added his statement, writing on Instagram: "When I joined Suzanne back in March of 2023, I had ZERO radio hosting skills. Blake was only 6 months old & baby Blu was only a twinkle in our eyes. It took me a minute to get into my new groove, but when I did, WOW, I honestly have had the best time & have genuinely laughed every day; even on those bad days, being part of this show ALWAYS puts a smile on my face. "Here we are now 2 years & 3 months later & I'm still laughing & smiling. I have learned so much about an industry I've been in for nearly 24 years, presenting mainly television shows but now my love for radio easily equals my love for telly. A MASSIVE HEARTFELT. Thank you to the team, Russell and Cathal. You guys make the show what it is, and especially to you, Pat Gill, for making this experience UTTERLY JOYFUL for me. Also, to you, James Brownlow, thanks for taking the risk on me. "It has never ever felt like work; I mean, how could it when I'm playing the likes of Britney, S Club & JLO, to name but a few. I am so looking forward to a slower Summer; I'm not actually sure if I can operate on a slower pace."
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Irish Independent
‘A next-door neighbour's renovation damaged my wall – and now I've rats coming through the cracks'
Your questions answered Today at 21:30 Q I live in an old terraced cottage. On one side, I share a party wall with a property that was vacant for 15 years. In the past few months, someone bought it and hired a contractor to renovate it. I recently heard what sounded like an angle grinder on our party wall. I went up to my attic and noticed whatever work they were doing had dislodged some of the old stonework that makes up my side of the wall. I also noticed evidence of rodents – for the first time since I've owned the home. The rodents appear to have come through new cracks in the party wall, and I've had to throw out the contents of my attic to help clear the infestation. Can I claim against my home insurance for the loss of my belongings and damage to my wall, or should I claim against my new neighbour's insurance or their contractor's insurance? Anne, Co Clare A This is a challenging scenario, particularly as building works beside older terraced properties can have knock-on effects. While it's worth checking your own home insurance policy for any accidental damage cover, most standard home policies exclude damage caused by rodents or issues arising from works carried out on neighbouring properties, unless they directly trigger an insured peril. You should inform your insurer as soon as possible and provide clear evidence – such as photos and receipts, and a report from a builder or surveyor if available. Your insurer can assess if any part of your claim (damage from a sudden event, for instance) is covered. But it's unlikely they'll cover the rodent infestation or gradual damage without 'clear accidental causation', where the cause of damage or loss is clear, straightforward and easily demonstrable. Your best route for recovery may be through your neighbour or, more likely, their building contractor. The contractor's public liability insurance is intended to cover third-party property damage arising from their work. To pursue this, you'd need to demonstrate that their activity directly caused the damage. You could do this by showing that proper structural surveys or protections were not in place, for example. You can also check if any notices were served under the Building Control Regulations or Party Wall Act. This would have been required before work commenced. A solicitor or qualified surveyor can help you document your position. ADVERTISEMENT Even if your own insurer does not cover the loss, they may support you in recovering costs from the third party if negligence is evident. If not, legal advice may be warranted. 'How do I calculate the rebuild cost to insure my €600k period home?' Q I bought a 19th-century country house that I'm nearly finished renovating. I'd estimate it's worth about €600,000 now. But when I looked for insurance and tried calculating the rebuild value of the house using the SCSI (Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland) calculator, I saw the calculator wasn't intended for period homes. How do I get an accurate rebuild value, that will cover period features such as centre roses, ornate coving and wood panelling? Patrick, Co Laois A You're right to question the suitability of standard rebuild calculators for period properties. The SCSI calculator is helpful for modern homes, but it doesn't fully capture the costs of restoring historical features. I'd suggest commissioning a professional reinstatement valuation from a chartered quantity surveyor or building surveyor with experience in heritage buildings. They will give you a reliable rebuild cost that reflects the complexity and materials required to restore the house in event of a major loss. Insurers usually accept such professional valuations as the basis for your building sum insured. It would provide certainty that your policy covers the true cost of reconstruction and reduces the risk of under-insurance, where your claim payout could be reduced proportionally if the declared rebuild value is too low. Home insurance claims are awarded on a pro-rated basis, so if your house is undervalued, insurers will only pay the amount for which you valued your property, leaving you to foot the rest of the bill. Rebuild cost is not the same as market value and is often higher for period homes due to the specialist labour, materials and regulatory compliance involved in restoring historical details. You mention that you've almost finished renovating your house. Be sure your policy fully reflects any higher home rebuild cost that arises on foot of these upgrades. Home insurers should always be notified of any major home improvements. Once you have the valuation, submit it to your broker or provider so they can tailor the policy appropriately and ensure that the buildings sum insured (the most your insurer will pay if your home is damaged or destroyed and needs to be rebuilt) is correct. You should also make sure that the contents sum insured on your policy is correct, too. Dominic Lumsden is a spokesperson for Peopl Insurance. Email your questions to
