In Spring 1963, a
meeting took place in UCG (University College Galway), at which the UCG
Sub-Aqua Society was formed. Present at this meeting were, Jim Doyle,Peter
O'Beirn, Tom McCarrick, Kerry McConn, George Ryder and Peadar Canavan.
During that summer, the club
activities were mainly snorkeling. The first 'official' club outing, was
to Carraroe in September 1963. Kelly's cottage at the Coral strand was
rented for a week. Val Kennedy , then a member of the Curragh Club, turned
up with scuba gear and the first scuba dives were performed. John Hailes
(Curragh) and Ronnie Hurley (Limerick), were also present.
In December 1963, George Ryder
and Peter O'Beirn purchased Drager Aqualung sets. These were the first
sets of scuba in the club, and got their first 'wetting' on the Sunday
before Christmas.
Early in 1964, it was decided
to expand the club beyond UCG. The club was disbanded and reformed under
it's current name, Galway Sub Aqua Club. Training was done in the Curragh
Pool, assisted by Curragh SAC.
The first recorded body search
by the club was in the Clare River, near Miltown Co. Galway, in 1964. The
same year the first successful recovery occurred on Lough Corrib, near
Kilbeg, when the bodies of two men were taken from the lake.
