Des was born in Killough, County Down, on April 1st, 1920. He left school at 14 and began to make his living from the sea, fishing with his grandfather, and crewing on the small coasters working between Ireland, Scotland and England. He later worked as Bosun on salvage ships, after the war salvaging the lead from the PLUTO pipeline providing petrol to the allied armies in France. During that time he served on the Dungeness lifeboat, following a family tradition. Later he served as Mate and Relief Master of the Flying Breeze, a tender tug working out of Southampton. In 1945 he married Ada and they raised their five children first in Killough and then in Southampton. He and Ada were happily married for 63 years, until Des died on November 23rd, 2007, at the age of 87. They were devoted to each other and to their 5 children and their partners, as well as to their 10 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. They never lived more than a stone's throw from the sea.