A Mayday alert prompted the immediate launch of both RNLI lifeboats based in Baltimore to avert a life threatening situation at sea when a 21 ft  potting boat with two persons on board was disabled and drifting down on a lee shore in the open waters of Roaring Water Bay in West Cork.

Valentia Coast guard first raised the alert at 08:48 this morning requesting the launch of the all weather lifeboat Hilda Jarrett, 3 minutes later the inshore life boat Bessie was tasked too and with it's superior engine power was first on scene. They found the potting boat within 50 metres of the rocks at the North West point of the Western Calf Island. The fishermen had set an anchor in an attempt to keep the boat off the rocks, but the anchor had dragged and they were  left holding into their pot lines for safety. A difficult task in Force 5 westerly winds with a 2 metre swell running.

Helm John Kearney manoevred the lifeboat into position and his crew threw a line to the fishermen. The lifeboat then towed the boat upwind and with the assistance of Schull inshore rescue removed the fishing boat from immediate danger.

The allweather lifeboat arrived on scene and stood by until it was clear that there was no further danger. The inshore  lifeboat then towed the pot boat to the safety of Schull harbour. The fishermen were unharmed. Helm John Kearney commented ' it was fortunate we arrived when we did another  5 minutes and we would have been pulling the men out of the water'.

Inshore lifeboat Crew : Helm John Kearney, crew Ronan Callanan & Tadhg Collins

Allweather Lifeboat : Coxswain Kieran Cotter, crew Aidan Bushe, Jerry Smith, Cathal Cottrell, Anthony Sheehy, Sean Mc Carthy, Colin Whooley. Slip crew Rianne Smith, Simon Duggan, Gerard Sheehy

Five sailors had a lucky escape when their yacht hit rocks off the coast of Galway in the early hours of Saturday morning, the Irish Examiner reports.

The crew of five, who had been taking part in the annual Around Aran Race, launched their liferaft when the boat ran aground and raise the alarm from the shore.

Galway's RNLI lifeboat was dispatched to the abandoned yacht in Galway Bay later that morning.

Four missing divers were found off the Wexford coast after a night search by RNLI lifeboats and Coast Guard. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO.

Four divers have been rescued off the coast of Co Wexford today after a search involving four volunteer RNLI lifeboat crews, the Coast Guard helicopter from Waterford and shore unit.

The divers were found near the Saltee Islands just before 6am on Saturday morning (June 18), clinging to an upturned RIB boat.

The divers were expected back to shore at 10.30pm and when they didn't return a search was launched involving both the RNLI and the Irish Coast Guard. Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat was launched to search for the divers followed later by lifeboats from Dunmore East, Rosslare and Fethard.

The divers were spotted at first light by a Coast Guard shore team and winched to safety by the Coast Guard helicopter.

Even the most experienced people with the best equipment can run into danger on the water, according to the RNLI's Irish sea safety officer.

Kevin Rahill told The Irish Times that standards are improving in terms of safety awareness, but many basic procedures are still being ignored.

"Leisure craft are unregulated, so a big part of what we do is to try to get people to increase their safety on a voluntary basis: wear a lifejacket, understand weather conditions, undertake training," he said.

Des Kearney of Deep Blue Sea kayaking highlighted that many novices will be tempted out to the water to see the dolphin pod that has recently taken residence in Dalkey.

"“My main concern is that people recognise the dangers," he said. "Once you get outside the harbour wall the winds can be very strong, and an inexperienced paddler could be swept away."

The Irish Times has more on the story, including a safety checklist, HERE.

The RNLI volunteers with Kilmore Quay lifeboat station are the first to receive the new €3 million lifeboat, which is the most modern and technically advanced lifeboat in the RNLI fleet. The new lifeboat, which is named Killarney (ON 1298) was funded by a legacy from Mrs Mary Weeks of Surrey in England who passed away in 2006.

Mrs Weeks met her husband while on a cruise off the west coast of Scotland on a boat named Killarney. Mrs Weeks had a strong RNLI connection through her maiden name Distin. She was a relation of the Coxswain of Salcombe lifeboat Samuel Distin and of lifeboat crewmember Albert Distin; both men lost their lives in the Salcombe lifeboat disaster of 1916.

Mrs. Weeks' niece Mrs Betty Hull, her great niece Mrs Anne Piggford and great nephew David Hull were special guests at the ceremony. Speaking during the ceremony the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese addressed the crowds with the lifeboat alongside, " Everything that is good about human nature is gathered on this day. All the good qualities, all the things that people are capable of doing out of goodness, generosity, love, kindness, care concern; all gather around the naming of this boat this day. It comes to us by way of gift, it has been blessed and the gift itself is a blessing.

A blessing not just to those that take the boat into their ownership this day but to the people someday who will need this blessing and need its gift. For almost two hundred years now the RNLI has stories to tell of saving literally ten of thousands of lives. Tens of thousands of people who could call on the lifeboat, call on the volunteer crews and in particular without knowing it call on the generosity of people who would never get on the boat. Who like Mary Weeks would never see the boat, never live to see it but would give it as an act of generosity to future people, complete strangers who she would never know."

The new Tamar class lifeboat is 16.3 metres in length with a maximum speed of 25 knots compared to the 14.3 metres of the current Tyne class lifeboat stationed at Kilmore Quay, which has a maximum speed of 18 knots. The lifeboat is self-righting and is fitted with an integrated electronics systems and information management system, which allows the lifeboat crew to monitor, operate and control many of the boats systems from shock mitigating seats.

The Tamar also carries a Y boat (an inflatable daughter boat) which is housed under the aft deck and deployed from a hinged door in the transom. The lifeboat has room for 44 survivors.

Three people were rescued in Killiney Bay this afternoon when their small boat capsized.  Both all weather and inshore RNLI lifeboats from Dun Laoghaire and the Irish Coast Guard helicopter rushed to the scene when the alert was raised at 2pm this afternoon.

Four people were on board the craft when they got into difficulties off Shanganagh cliffs between Killiney and Bray.  One person swam to shore to raise the alarm, two clung to a buoy while another was reported missing.

The RNLI's all-weather (ALB) lifeboat and inshore lifeboat launched at 14.08pm and proceeded to the scene, arriving 15 minutes later.

Dun Laoghaire RNLI volunteer crew recovered two of the casualties on board the inshore lifeboat while the Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopter 116 located the missing person in the water. All three were transfered to the helicopter and taken to Tallaght Hospital for treatment.

Conditions were described as fresh with force four to five winds.

A yacht in distress 28 miles South West of Baltimore called for assistance in the early hours of this morning. The 36ft yacht had left the Azores 11 days previously heading for  Kinsale with two Danish men on board in their mid- to late sixties. The all weather lifeboat Hilda Jarrett, was launched at 02:10 in gale force weather conditions with a 3-4 metre swell from the South East

Radio contact was established within half an hour. The yacht was in serious peril. Her engines were disabled, one of the crew was suffering from prolonged sea-sickness since leaving the Azores and the remaining crew had not slept in 48 hours.

The yacht was sailing North under reefed mainsail using self steering gear. It was impractical to tow the yacht back into the wind, In the light of day, Coxswain Eoin Ryan, skillfully maneuvered, the 47ft lifeboat alongside the yacht, to allow the safe transfer of Mechanic Cathal Cotrell who had bravely volunteered to go onboard. Cathal who is an experienced sailor was able to take control of the yacht.

Meanwhile the coastguard had mobilized Castletownbere lifeboat which arrived on scene at 5:15 approx and established a tow with the yacht. The yacht was towed to safety with Cathal Cottrel at the helm of the yacht, arriving in Castletownbere at 08:00. One of the men received medical attention locally on arrival.

Baltimore lifeboat made the 20 mile passage to Baltimore arriving back on station at 8:30

Cox Eoin Ryan, Mechanic: Cathal Cotreel, Crew: Gerry Smith, Colin Whooley, Sean McCarthy, Brian McSweeney.

Micheal Cottrel, Vincent Roantree, Donal O'Donovan and Jason Pavry provided shore support .

RNLI Bangor Lifeboat launched at 1:45 pm on Sunday 29th May to rescue seven people aboard a 40ft leisure fishing boat which had experienced engine failure close to Black Head on northern shores of Belfast Lough.

Belfast Coastguard received the initial call for help from crew onboard the 40ft vessel which had experienced engine failure and was dragging its anchor in high winds.

Within minutes of the rescue pagers being activated, volunteer crew had launched Bangor Lifeboat and were proceeding at full speed towards the disabled vessel.

The stricken craft was located 1 mile south of Black Head lighthouse.

With winds gusting up to 40 mph and on scene weather conditions being described as rough a volunteer RNLI crewman boarded the leisure fishing vessel and assisted in rigging a tow line.

The vessel was then taken under tow to the safety of Carrickfergus Harbour.

RNLI volunteer helmsman Peter Scott who was involved in this rescue said 'Breaking seas and high winds made this a demanding rescue. We always urge everyone going afloat to make sure their engine and fuel systems and are well maintained and in good working order. Engine failure close to shore could lead to a life threatening situation'. He added
'We're happy that everyone that was on board the boat is now safely ashore'.

Just as most people were going to bed late on Friday night the volunteer crew of Wicklow Lifeboat were being alerted by pager and assembling at the Station. The alarm was raised after a yachtsman contacted the Coast Guard to say his vessel was fouled in ropes and was unable to make any headway. The lifeboat under the command of Coxswain Nick Keogh was launched immediately and located the yacht one mile south of Wicklow Head.
On scene weather conditions were described as wind westerly force 4 with a 3.5 metre swell. Lifeboat crew Terry Sillery and Brian Sinnot were quickly transferred onto the yacht and successfully cleared the rope obstruction in challenging conditions, a towline was rigged and the lifeboat took the yacht in tow back to Wicklow harbour. The yacht which was on route between Scotland and Plymouth with two people on board was secured safely alongside the South quay by 01-45am on Saturday morning. The lifeboat was then stood down and returned to station.
The crew were Coxswain Nick Keogh , Mechanic Lisa O Leary , Tom McAulay, Dave O'Leary, John Docherty, Tommy Murphy, Terry Sillery and Brian Sinnot.

After a quarter of a century of voluntary service, Ken Robertson is to retire as station coxswain with the RNLI at Dun Laoghaire from the end of May.  Mark McGibney has been selected as his successor from a panel of coxswains at the station.

Ken is a well-known local businessman, notably through his newsagents shop on Marine Road in Dun Laoghaire, a location that allowed him to respond quickly whenever the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) was called out.

Initially, he was appointed 2nd coxswain in 1986 and subsequently in 1989 became the successor to the late Eric Offer who was best known as the coxswain of the 'John F. Kennedy' lifeboat that was stationed in Dun Laoghaire from 1967 until 1990.

In 1995, Ken Robertson and the Dun Laoghaire station took delivery of the current station ALB, the RNLB Anna Livia, a state-of-the-art vessel that cost almost €2 million that is capable of reaching a casualty ten miles offshore within 30 minutes and has a range of 250 miles.

In the course of his long career with the RNLI, Ken has been responsible for many notable services including the rescue of a swimmer in Killiney Bay who was saved just yards from a rocky shoreline in gale force winds in 2007.  One of the longest calls ever was a 14-hour operation following the tragic loss of four sailors when their yacht, the Debonair collided with a ship close to Dublin Port in 2001.

Mark McGibney will be the new station coxswain effective 1st June.  A volunteer crew member and a coxswain since 2002, he is the Sailing Manager at the nearby Royal Irish Yacht Club and lives locally with his wife and two children.

"Ken Robertson is retiring after a long-career as station coxswain during which he saved dozens of lives and rescued hundreds more," said Stephen Wynne, lifeboat operations manager.  "All of us at Dun Laoghaire RNLI wish him well in retirement and also extend our gratitude to his wife Margaret who has been fully supportive in spite of the disruption to normal family life that voluntary lifeboat service brings."

During the course of Ken Robertson's service with the RNLI, the Dun Laoghaire ALB launched on service 535 times and saved 60 lives in addition to the rescue of many others.  In 2007, he received the Thanks of the Institution for the rescue of the swimmer at Killiney.