#RNLI - Arklow RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew were alerted by pager at 6.44pm yesterday evening (14 June) to a call for help from a local fishing vessel in the station's second callout of the week, following the lifeboat's midweek rescue of a stricken sailboat.

The crew consisting of coxswain Ned Dillon, station mechanic Michael Fitzgerald, John Bermingham, Scotty Heaney, Keith Forde and Eddie McElheron launched the lifeboat Ger Tigchleaar and proceeded to the vessel, which had suffered machinery failure and was adrift outside the mouth of Arklow Harbour.

After locating the casualty vessel, the lifeboat crew established a tow line and proceeded back in to Arklow with the vessel alongside. All crew members aboard the casualty remained aboard during the service and all hands came ashore safely.

Speaking following the incident, Arklow RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Mark Corcoran said: "All people who take to the water whether for a living or for pleasure must always wear their lifejackets and should always have a means of raising the alarm."

Elsewhere, RNLI volunteers aboard Donaghadee's all-weather lifeboat Saxon sped to the rescue of a stricken vessel as darkness fell on Friday evening (12 June).

The 10-metre craft with a crew of one developed engine trouble on a passage to Westport in Co Mayo and was adrift in the busy sea lanes at the mouth of Belfast Lough.

The Donaghadee lifeboat launched at the request of the coastguard at 10.15pm and conducted a search in the gathering gloom one mile north of the Copeland Islands until the vessel was located.

In light sea conditions, a member of the RNLI crew boarded the vessel to assist with repairs and the lifeboat then escorted it to the safety of Bangor Marina. Saxon was back on station and stood down shortly after midnight.

Donaghadee RNLI coxswain Philip McNamara advised all boat owners "to conduct a thorough check of their engines, communications and safety equipment before putting to sea.

"If you encounter a problem, call for assistance at the earliest opportunity. We are ready to be of service and It is always better to be safe than sorry."

#RNLI - Dunmore East RNLI is holding a 'blessing of the boats' ceremony and lifeboat open day in Dunmore East harbour next Sunday 21 June at 2pm.

The Dunmore East RNLI all-weather lifeboat will position in the harbour for the ceremony, and all seagoing vessels are welcome to come alongside for the duration.

The flotilla of boats will then head to sea, just outside the harbour wall, where the Dunmore East lifeboat crew will lay a wreath to remember those lost at sea.
 


At 3pm the Dunmore East Lifeboat will be joined by the Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117 for a winching demonstration. On return to the harbour, the lifeboat and station house – and lifeboat shop – will be open to the public. 


The crew of Dunmore East RNLI are also having a BBQ at the station house afterwards, and welcome everyone to come and join them for a burger and light refreshments complements of the crew, along with music by the Matt Tappers and lots of fun with net mending and splicing competitions open to all. 


"The blessing of the boats is a great tradition in Dunmore East and we hope that the fishermen, sailors and all seagoers will join our flotilla to remember those lost at sea," says Dunmore East RNLI's Neville Murphy.

"Our boat will be open to the public, so it a great chance for everyone to get a look inside an all-weather Trent class lifeboat and meet the crew who will answer all your questions.

"Our open day is our way of saying thank you to those who support us in our mission to save lives at sea."

#RNLI - Arklow RNLI came to the assistance of a sailing vessel with sail damage and mechanical failure on Wednesday evening (10 June).

Following a planned exercise, Arklow lifeboat Ger Tigchlearr and its volunteer crew of Eamonn Kavanagh, John Berminghham, Michael Fitzgerald, Jimmy Myler and Trevor Conroy were returning to station around 8.30pm when a distress call was received from the vessel, about one mile south-east of Arklow Harbour.

The lifeboat crew proceeded to the location and took the vessel under tow back to Arklow, where all hands came ashore safely.

Following the rescue, Arklow RNLI sea safety officer Mark Corcoran said: "All skippers of vessels going to sea for work or pleasure should carry a means of calling for help and wear lifejackets.

"Calling for help in good time will lessen the chances of people ending up in the water and increase the chances of successful rescue."

#RNLI - Union Hall RNLI rescued two men this afternoon (Monday 8 June) after their 18-foot pleasure boat got into difficulty off the coast of West Cork.

The volunteer crew was alerted shortly after 1.30pm by the Irish Coast Guard following a report that a pleasure boat was experiencing engine problems south of Castletownshend Harbour.

Within five minutes the inshore lifeboat, helmed by Chris Collins and with Anthony Walsh and Stephen Hurley onboard, was launched and made its way to the scene.

Weather conditions at the time were described as good with a Force 2-3 wind blowing and a moderate sea.

The lifeboat crew located the vessel a short time later at 1.56pm and observed that the two crew members onboard were in no immediate danger.

Union Hall RNLI proceeded to establish a tow line and bring the two men and their boat safely to Union Hall.

Speaking following the callout, John Kelleher, lifeboat operations manager at the station that's been operational since last September, said: "The crew onboard the pleasure boat did the right thing this afternoon by alerting the emergency services once they found themselves in difficulty.

"Our volunteers, who responded quickly, were delighted to be able to assist and we are pleased that everyone has now been returned safe and well to Union Hall."

#RNLI - On Friday 5 June, Bangor RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew, fundraisers and supporters gathered at the Marine Court Hotel to celebrate 50 years of saving lives at sea.

Records held in the archives of Bangor lifeboat station indicate that a lifeboat in Belfast Lough was first established at Groomsport in 1858, following the wrecking of a vessel near Bangor, with the loss of all the crew and in full view of local people standing on the shore.

Groomsport lifeboats launched 55 times and saved 87 lives over a period of 62 years from 1858 to 1920, when the station was closed.

It was reported that the number of lifeboat services were not more numerous due to the great number of fisherman and pilots in the area "of a fine and hardy type, who are not slow to risk their lives in their own boats, in which they have great confidence."

Some 45 years after the closure of Groomsport Lifeboat Station, an ever-increasing demand for lifesaving services along the coast led to considerations of re-establishing a lifeboat service in the Belfast Lough area.

Under the guidance of Ernie Hay, the first honorary secretary and North Down Borough Council officer, the RNLI chose to place a D-Class inflatable lifeboat at Bangor Harbour, opening for business on 15 May 1965.

With the co-operation of North Down Borough Council, the lifeboat was stored in the Tower House yard and was launched on a trolley at the slipway beside the old Harbour Masters Office. The co-operation between North Down Borough Council and the RNLI has continued without a break since those times.

The service of the lifeboat continued under the care of local volunteers and the demands put upon her volunteer crew increased year on year. Successive honorary secretaries managed the operational demands and the branch fundraising committee and ladies’ guild worked hard behind the scenes, raising the funds to cover operational costs. Over 40 local businesses also contributed to the funds by maintaining collecting boxes on their premises.

In 1984, following the construction of the Eisenhower Pier, North Down Borough Council built a new boathouse and slipway, which allowed for the subsequent upgrading of the boat to an Atlantic 21 class lifeboat, the then ‘Rolls Royce’ of fast inshore lifeboats.

The Youth of Ulster, a new boat funded by local donations, was put on station in 1990 and was formally named by HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex in 1991.

In 2002 the RNLI invested £250,000 in building a new boathouse and crew facilities on a site kindly granted by North Down Borough Council. This boathouse was designed to accommodate the latest class of fast response inshore lifeboat.

Bangor RNLI celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2005 and, as a reflection of its fine service record since its foundation, in 2006 Bangor took delivery of the first Atlantic 85 class lifeboat in Ireland, the Jessie Hillyard. The new class of fast response inshore lifeboat costing over £120,000 was made possible through a legacy from Eileen Freeman in memory of her late mother Jessie Hillyard.



That same year, Bangor RNLI was the busiest lifeboat station out of all the 43 stations in Ireland, launching 53 times. From 2007 RNLI Bangor Lifeboat has been the busiest lifeboat out of the eight coastal stations in Northern Ireland.

Since the foundation of the station 50 years ago, over 110 local people have served as crew members. To date, over the years, Bangor lifeboats have launched 1,252 times, rescued over 1,000 people and saved 191 lives.

Everyone connected with Bangor RNLI – the crew, station management, fundraisers and helpers – are all volunteers, giving freely of their time, braving all weathers, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help save life at sea.

Currently there are 20 crew members, male and female, from all walks of life including, among others, a council officer, a restaurateur, a plumber, a solicitor, a care worker, a satellite television engineer, a lorry driver and an orthopaedic surgeon.

RNLI volunteers continue to support annual seafront events, raise funds for other RNLI lifeboats and local organisations and, for 50 years, have played a vital part in Bangor’s maritime and community affairs.

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI assisted two fishermen on a six-metre fishing boat in difficulties off Kiloughter beach on Friday morning (5 June).

The lifeboat, with three volunteer crew, launched at 8.55am following a report that the boat had a rope caught in its propeller.

After locating the fishing vessel drifting four miles north of Wicklow Harbour, they managed to free the rope from the propeller allowing the fishermen to get underway and resume fishing.

The lifeboat crew returned to station once the Irish Coast Guard was satisfied the fishing vessel required no further assistance.

The crew on this callout were helm Graham Fitzgerald, Alan Goucher and Terry Sillery.

#RNLI - Clifden RNLI carried out its first medical evacuation off Inishbofin island today (Thursday 21 May).

In what was the fourth callout this week for the station, the volunteer lifeboat crew was paged shortly after 11.30am following a report that a casualty required assistance.

The inshore Atlantic 85 lifeboat helmed by Bernard Whelan and the all-weather Mersey class lifeboat under coxswain John Mullan launched immediately and made their way to the scene. The Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 from Shannon was also tasked.

Weather conditions at the time were foggy and visibility was poor. There was a Force 4-5 south westerly wind and a heavy swell.

The Atlantic 85 with crew members James Mullan, Daniel Whelan and Dermot Clancy onboard arrived on scene first. Mullan, a first aider with Clifden RNLI, went ashore and assisted the island nurse who was attending to the casualty.

When the all-weather lifeboat arrived at 1pm, the casualty was transferred to this lifeboat and brought to the mainland at Cleggan Pier where there was an ambulance waiting.

Speaking following the callout, Mullan said: "We have assisted with many medical evacuations in the past but today was the first time that our crew transported someone from Inishbofin island and brought them safely to the mainland.

"Both lifeboat crews worked well together today and we were happy to assist the island nurse in bringing this person to safety."

This was the fourth callout for Clifden RNLI this week. The crew assisted with two other medical evacuations and also went to the assistance of a yacht which got into difficulty on the shore.

#RNLI - The volunteer crew of Bundoran RNLI were called out on Saturday evening (16 May) to reports of swimmers in trouble near the diving boards in Bundoran.

The emergency call was received by Malin Head Coast Guard just after 7.40pm by a member of the public at the nearby golf course. They immediately requested the launch of the lifeboat as well as tasking the Irish Coast Guard's Sligo-based Rescue 118 Helicopter. 


Minutes later, the Bundoran lifeboat was in the water en route to the scene while other volunteer crew members went to the diving boards area by shore.

As there was a heavy swell running, the lifeboat was forced to sit off Roguey as the shore crew gave an update on the casualties from the scene. 

The initial 999 caller had used the ring buoy located on the Roguey walk to throw to the two teenagers to assist in their rescue, and by the time the crew had arrived they had made it to safety.

Moments afterwards Rescue 118 arrived on scene, landing on the beach to allow a paramedic to check over the casualties before they were given the all clear.
 


Speaking on their return to the lifeboat station, volunteer Killian O’Kelly said: "The two lads were very lucky that they were spotted so quickly by the person on the golf course and that the ring buoy was available so close to where the incident happened – otherwise we could have had a very different outcome.

"We would remind swimmers to be mindful of conditions they are setting out into and to passers by if you see anyone in trouble at the coast please dial 999 or 112 immediately."

#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI assisted two crew members on board a 40ft yacht which got into difficulty on Sunday night (10 May).

The alarm was raised by a member of the public at approximately 8pm who saw a boat making circles in the water and going side on to the weather, two miles inside of Tuskar Rock.

The volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 8.05pm and were on scene four miles east, north east of Rosslare Harbour, within 20 minutes.

The yacht, with two crew members on board, had broken its main sail which then became tangled on deck. There were huge swells and breakers at the time.

On arrival, the lifeboat crew observed that the yacht’s crew had managed to disentangle the main sail. The lifeboat stood by until the yacht was free from danger and went to a safe anchorage.

Speaking following the callout, Rosslare Harbour RNLI lifeboat operations manager Dave Maloney said: "We would like to commend the member of the public who raised the alarm when they saw that the yacht was experiencing some problems.

"The sea was quite rough at the time but the crew of the yacht managed to bring the situation under control and we were happy to stand by until they were safe to proceed."

#RNLI - Kilkeel RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew Ernest McKee (helm), William Charleton, Suzanne McCullough and Gerry Smyth responded to a call at 8pm last night (Sunday 10 May) to go to the aid of the 25ft yacht Sundancer in difficulty south of the Hellyhunter Buoy, off Carlingford Lough.

The Sundancer, which had left Howth with a crew of three, had suffered a ripped headsail along with reported engine failure and an exhausted crew. There was a Force 6 northerly wind with a moderate sea and moderate visibility.



On coming alongside, Kilkeel RNLI crewmember Charleton managed to get onboard the yacht and assessed the state of health of the crew, one of whom was suffering from violent seasickness. He gave appropriate assistance to the casualty, making him as comfortable as possible using the ripped sail to keep the wind off. 



Meanwhile, McCullough maintained contact with the yacht's crew to reassure them they were safe. When the sails were lowered, a towline was established and the vessel was towed to Carlingford Marina.



Following the callout, Smyth stated that "the rescue was carried out under difficult and trying conditions and helm Ernest McKee did a great job manoeuvring the lifeboat into position to allow William to get onboard the yacht.

"It was a textbook location and recovery operation; we train regularly for such tasks and everything went smoothly."