#lifeboat – As part of the Dublin Bay Prawn Maritime Festival in Howth, North Dublin a Prawn Push in aid of Howth RNLI will take place on Saturday 27th April at 3pm in Howth.

Teams of three wearing maritime themed fancy-dress will take part. One member of the team will push another team-member in a pram or wheelbarrow. The other team-member will have the task of passing around a collection bucket until its weight matches the weight of a kilo of prawns.

The route will start at the Top House Pub in Howth village, via Church Street to Findlater's Pub and back to the children's playground near the east Pier. Rehydration stations will be set up along the route where competitors will have to down a drink as fast as they can. Prizes awarded will include winners of the race and best fancy-dress. Prize-giving will take place at the Festival Marquee immediately after the race.

Teams can be from pubs, clubs or groups. All participants must be over 16 years of age. Teams must supply their own prams or wheelbarrows. Entries and enquiries can be made to Eddie Caffrey on 086 832 0786 or by email to  [email protected] .

'Funds raised by the Lifeboat Prawn Push will ensure that our volunteer lifeboat crews go to sea with the best equipment available to ensure their safety when saving lives at sea' said Rose Michael, Howth RNLI Fundraising Chairperson.

#MaritimeFestivals - Organisers of the Rosses Point Shanty Festival didn't have far to cast their net when they needed someone to design their new website.

The maritime festival in aid of Sligo Bay RNLI landed a handy catch in a web designer with the sea flowing through his veins.

Not only is Daryl Ewing the mechanic for Sligo Bay's lifeboat and skipper of Ewing’s Sea Angling and Boat Charters, he is also a dab hand at plotting a course in web design.



The new website gives all the details for Rosses Point’s big event from 14 to 16 June, including the programme and details on performers who are drawn from throughout Europe.


As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the festival is now in its fourth year and has become Ireland’s premier shanty event.



"It’s great to see such a brilliant festival celebrating one of Sligo's best assets and maritime history," said Ewing. "I hope it continues long into the future, and encourage everybody to come out, take part and join in the festivities for such a great cause."

#RNLI - The RNLI has announced that Clifden lifeboat station in Co Galway is to receive an all-weather class lifeboat for a trial period of 12 months to operate in conjunction with the existing inshore lifeboat service.

The decision, which will see the volunteer crew take delivery of a carriage-launched Mersey class lifeboat, was made this week when the charity’s trustees accepted the recommendation of its operations committee. It follows an in-depth review of lifeboat cover in the area.

The RNLI carries out a five-yearly review of lifeboat stations, looking at the incidents they launch to and the changing pattern of marine activities to ensure the existing and future lifeboat coverage is appropriate.

All-weather lifeboats can be operated safely in all weather conditions while inshore lifeboats usually operate closer to shore, in shallower water, close to cliffs, among rocks or even in caves.

Introduced as the RNLI’s first fast-carriage lifeboat, the Mersey class has a top speed of 17 knots. Designed to operate from a carriage, slipway or lie afloat, this class of lifeboat is also capable of being self-righted in challenging conditions.

The Mersey - which can carry a lifeboat crew of six - also carries an X boat, a small unpowered and manually launched inflatable daughter boat to allow the crew to access areas where the lifeboat cannot reach.

Last year, Clifden RNLI launched eight times bringing seven people to safety. Of those launches, two services were in the dark. In all, some 82 service hours were spent at sea.

A lifeboat station was established in Clifden in early 1988 and the station currently operates two inshore lifeboats.

Clifden RNLI lifeboat operations manager John Brittain said the crew were "delighted" at the decision to trial the new lifeboat in the Galway town.

"The new boat will allow us to provide lifesaving cover in all weathers up to 100 miles off the Connemara coast," he said. |This is a significant investment by the RNLI and we are excited to be trialling a Mersey class lifeboat."

RNLI divisional operations manager Owen Medland added: "Our charity’s priority is to save lives at sea and by conducting regular reviews of lifeboat cover around our coastline, we can ensure we provide the best possible search and rescue service.

"After careful scrutiny, the RNLI feels that an all-weather lifeboat may be suited to the service launches that Clifden volunteers get tasked to. The co-location of the new lifeboat for a trial period of 12 months will allow us to assess the long-term value for this type of lifeboat while ensuring that any change at Clifden means the right type, balance and capability of the lifeboats are operating in this location to respond to emergencies."

The timescale for the arrival of the all-weather lifeboat has yet to be confirmed but will coincide with the training of the volunteer lifeboat crew to meet the demands of the new vessel.

#RNLI - Two men who embarked on the first RNLI Station to Station challenge between Bundoran and Arranmore last Saturday (6 April) completed the job in just under 12 hours - raising over €2,000 for both lifeboat stations in the process.

As per their plan reported previously on Afloat.ie, Niall Clancy and James McIntyre both set off from Bundoran Lifeboat Station just after 6am on Saturday morning – Clancy running and McIntyre cycling.

Clancy's route took him through Bundoran, Ballyshannon, Donegal town, Mountcharles, Frosses, Glenties, Gweebarra Bridge, Lettermacaward, Dungloe, Burtonport and finally Arranmore Island via a treadmill on the ferry!

He was joined on various legs of the journey by members of the Tir Chonaill Athletic Club who kept his spirits up on the 100km journey from station to station.

Meanwhile, McIntyre and his team from Mullaghmore Triathlon Club and Donegal Bay Cycling Club took off at the same time cycling as far as Lough Eske, where James then made the lonesome journey himself across the Bluestack Mountains, constantly keeping organisers informed of his progress via text message.

Down into Glenties and from there by bike to Portnoo where, with Bundoran RNLI crewman Killian O’Kelly, he kayaked the remaining 22km to Arranmore Island, where both he and Clancy were greeted by the lifeboat crew and the Arranmore Pipe Band.

Speaking on completion of the challenge at Arranmore RNLI Lifeboat Station, Clancy said: "It’s been a long but great day. The weather conditions couldn’t have been any better for both myself and James – though it was very cold this morning leaving Bundoran!

"I’m looking forward to a few weeks off training before I get back into it for the Athlone Half Ironman in August."

McIntyre added: "We’d both like to express our gratitude to everyone who supported us ahead of the challenge and today – particularly those who sponsored us and those who ran and cycled with us today, our support teams, our chefs, the RNLI crews and sponsors Ormston’s Mace Ballyshannon and All Sports Donegal Town."

Shane Smith, volunteer lifeboat press officer for Bundoran RNLI, said: "We are thrilled at the success of the challenge and delighted that over €2,000 has been raised for both stations.

"We are indebted to James and Niall for their selfless support of our charity and would like to thank them sincerely on behalf of both crews."

Elsewhere, a Wexford family who organised a sponsored swim in memory of a loved one and former volunteer have raised a whopping €5,000 for Kilmore Quay RNLI.

The Hayes family presented the cheque to the RNLI at Kilmore Quay lifeboat station recently, funded by a sponsored swim on St Stephen’s Day organised by the family in memory of the late Paddy Hayes, who was a volunteer with the lifeboat.

#MissingSwimmer - RTÉ News is reporting that a swimmer taken from the water after going missing off Dalkey Island in Dublin Bay this morning (Sunday 7 April) has died.

Earlier this evening The Irish Times reported that the 35-year-old man was in a critical condition in Tallaght Hospital after being recovered from the water off Sorrento Terrace.

Lifeboat volunteers with Dun Laoghaire RNLI and the Irish Coast Guard's Dublin-based helicopter Rescue 116 were involved in the search which began around 11am today after the swimmer failed to return to shore.

#loughdergrnli – This afternoon at the request of Valentia Coast Guard, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat went to the assistance of two people who were in difficulty after their 25ft cruiser grounded on rocks inside the area known locally as the Goat Road, midway down the lake.

The lifeboat launched at 14.50hrs with Helm Eleanor Hooker, Owen Cavanagh and Ben Ronayne on board.  Winds were easterly, Force 4. It was cold with sleet and snow showers.

The lifeboat located and was alongside the cruiser within thirteen minutes of launching. The two people on board were safe, unharmed and warm. They had mis-read their charts and glanced off a rock. While they were dealing with that situation, they became disorientated and passed the wrong side of the navigation mark and grounded.

An RNLI crew member went on board and assessed the boat and once it was established that it was not holed, the cruiser was taken off the rocks and out into safe water.  A line which had fouled the boat's propellors, was removed with some difficulty.  The drives, propellors and rudder were checked again and and found to be undamaged.  En route to Dromineer, two RNLI members remained on board to make sure the skipper and his crew were certain of their charts and course.

Lifeboat Operations Manager, Pat Garland, said that 'coming up to the holiday season, it is important for lake users to be familiar with their charts, and not to deviate from the recognised routes'.

The Lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 16.30hrs.

#rnli – A father and daughter had to be rescued early this morning by Howth RNLI off the East Pier, after they became stranded and were forced to take shelter from breaking waves. The two were out walking on the pier at high tide when they realised they could not safely continue.  The dangerously surging sea had resulted in waves crashing over the pier and into the harbour and the area was unsafe to walk in.

Howth RNLI's inshore lifeboat launched and went to the aid of the two stranded casualties. A volunteer lifeboat crew member got on to the pier and walked them through the crashing water and into the safety of the lifeboat. Both were brought to the Lifeboat station and were checked over by paramedics. There was no serious injury but the pair were extremely cold and wet; neither needed treatment.

Howth RNLI inshore lifeboat helm Fred Connolly said 'they were lucky to have taken shelter as they would have most definitely have been washed into the sea while trying to make their back. We would urge caution when people are out walking near exposed areas such as piers or cliffs as the waves can be quite high and powerful'

#rnli – Mine Head Coast Guard received a call for assistance at 3:30am this morning from a lone sailor on passage from the UK.
Ballycotton lifeboat launched at 3:45am and proceeded to the known position of the 6.5 metre vessel, which was approx. 38 miles east south east of Ballycotton off the East Cork coast.
The yacht was still under steam and the RNLI lifeboat reached the vessel at 5:25am.
Two crew members were placed aboard the yacht and the yachtsman was transferred to the Ballycotton RNLI lifeboat where his condition was assessed.
It was decided to have the casualty air lifted and the Waterford based Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 117, has been requested to launch.

The helicopter was expected to reach the Ballycotton lifeboat at approx. 07:00am.

Update at 0740

The helicopter rendezvoused with Ballycotton lifeboat at 06:50am, approx. 25 miles off Ballycotton. The casualty was air lifted to Waterford airport where an ambulance has been requested for 07:30am. The yacht is sailing under its own steam, with two lifeboat crew members aboard and the Ballycotton lifeboat accompanying it.

#rnli – A joint training exercise between the RNLI lifeboats at Dun Laoghaire, an Irish Air Corps helicopter from Baldonnel and the Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard Unit will take place this afternoon on Dublin Bay from 2.30pm for approximately two hours.

#rnli – Wicklow RNLI has rescued four fishermen from a 26m French fishing trawler which got into difficulty in the early hours of this morning (Friday 22 March).

The volunteer lifeboat crew responded rapidly and in severe weather conditions when requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard at 3.15am.

The Mayday call was to go to the aid of a 120 tonne French fishing trawler, the Bara An Aod, which had suffered engine failure two and a half miles east off Wicklow Head.

The four crew members aboard the French boat had been on a delivery passage from France to Ireland when the vessel got into trouble.

Weather conditions at the time were blowing a strong south easterly force nine gale with torrential rain and a three to four metre breaking swell.

Arriving on scene at 3.55am on what was its first call out of the year, the all-weather lifeboat the Annie Blaker, and her crew under Coxswain Nick Keogh, located the trawler and proceeded to establish a towline.

The stricken vessel was subsequently towed safely back to Wicklow Harbour by the lifeboat where it arrived at 5am.

Speaking after the call out, Tommy Dover, Wicklow RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer commended the efforts of an experienced lifeboat crew who he said was met with challenging weather conditions in the dark hours of the morning: 'The crew responded very quickly to the Mayday call and had the lifeboat launched within 10 minutes of being alerted. It was such a bad night but the experienced crew confident in the lifeboat's ability to meet the conditions, skilfully responded and were thankful and delighted to be able to assist the four crew members and their vessel safely to shore this morning.'

The lifeboat crew on this call out included Coxswain Nick Keogh, mechanic Brendan Copeland, Ciaran Doyle, Tom McAuley, John Vize, Connie O'Gara and Graham Fitzgerald.