Molly Bawn Boat Tours originated back in the 1960's when Alphonsus O'Driscoll, from Tors Cove, began transporting Scientists back and forth to Great Island, one of North America's largest Atlantic Puffin colonies; which is also part of the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve.
"My Father, Alphonsus O'Driscoll, would take the Wildlife people out there to study the birds" says Marie Reddick, Alphonsus' daughter. "Then other people, tourists, would come around and they would want to see the birds, so my Father would send them to see my husband John and he would take them out. Then, after my Father died in 1984, John was taking the Wildlife people out on a regular basis, along with plenty of tourists."
John Reddick started taking tourists out to see the birds
whenever his Father-in-law couldn't. Then when Mr. O'Driscoll died in 1984, John began taking the scientists and tourists out regularly. John did this for almost 30 years, using his trap skiff as a tour boat.
In 1991 John's son Tommy decided to turn his father's part time job into a full time seasonal job. It was something his grandfather and father enjoyed so much he wanted to keep it alive.
Alphonsus and John have both since passed away and Tommy has moved on to other employment, but Molly Bawn Whale and Puffin Tours continues to operate with the same pleasure and enthusiasm, keeping their connection to the seabird sanctuary alive.