Saturday, 2 July 2022 | 11°C Dublin

From left: Susan Wilson with Dan Wilson, Jia Ma, Anya Wilson Ma and Betty Wilson.

Back L-R Jia Ma, Thomas Flynn, Bryan Murphy, Robert Byrne, Willie Byrne, Stuart Murphy Front L-R Anya Wilson-Ma, Cllr Mary Kavanagh.

WHEN 14 year old Wicklow schoolgirl Anya Wilson-Ma was taking part in a recent beach clean-up in Wicklow town, she accidentally dropped her iPhone amongst the rocks along the promenade.

L ocal Councillor, Mary Kavanagh, who was walking her dogs at the time, saw the distressed teenager and set about trying to find a way to retrieve the phone.

“I felt sorry for her. Most teenagers are very attached to their phones. Here she was giving up her time to help the community so I hoped the community might be able to help her out,” said Cllr Kavanagh.

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She posted a notice on Wicklow Open Forum’s Facebook page and a number of people offered advice. Thomas Flynn, who worked as a rigger all over the world, offered his services and the use of equipment including a chain block which is a pulley-type tool capable of lifting up to three tonnes.

Another local man, Willie Byrne, also offered to help and along with Anya’s father, Jia Ma, they met up to try and shift a couple of rocks where the phone was dropped.

Cllr Kavanagh added: “We were soon joined by another couple of volunteers. Rathnew men Bryan Murphy and his brother Stuart were passing by and offered to help. We were glad they did as the rocks were unbelievably heavy.”

They were later joined by another man, Robert Byrne from Glenealy, but were not having much luck locating the phone. When her school day was over, Anya joined them and with the help of a tracking device on her apple watch, they were able to pick up an audible signal from the phone which pinpointed which rock the phone was under.

“Unfortunately the phone was on silent so having the tracker app pinpoint the exact location was very important,” said Cllr Kavanagh.

“We were close but looking under the wrong rocks. The actual rock was much bigger but thankfully the chain block, strapping and shackles were strong enough to handle it.

“When the lads managed to shift the rock, Bryan spotted the phone and retrieved it straight away. Luckily it hadn’t rained and no waves had swept over the rocks so the phone wasn’t damaged” she added.

Anya’s mother, Susan Wilson, who had actually organised the beach clean-up, was watching proceedings along with her mother Betty and brother Dan and were delighted with the outcome.

“It was a great team effort and a wonderful example of community spirit that helped to retrieve the missing phone. It’s nice to hear a good news story for a change, it gave everybody a little lift,” added Cllr Kavanagh.

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