#rnli – Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched to assist a family in difficulty after their 17ft motor boat broke down and drifted into Cloondavaun Bay, south of Portumna, on the Galway shore of Lough Derg.

At 14.30hrs this afternoon Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat to launch to assist five people, two adults and three young children, after their 17ft motor boat suffered engine failure and was drifting south of Portumna, on the north western shore of Lough Derg.

The lifeboat launched with Helm Eleanor Hooker, Lian Knight and Tom Dunne on board. Winds were south easterly, Force 2. When the lifeboat came alongside at 15.15hrs, a passing cruiser had noticed the vessel in distress and had commenced a tow. The lifeboat transferred a crew member to the casualty vessel. The five people on board were unharmed, but hot and tired. 

The lifeboat took over the tow and thanked the cruiser for their vigilance and assistance. With a lifeboat volunteer on board, the lifeboat towed the motor boat to Portumna and under the bridge to the slip where the family's car and launching trolley were parked.

Lough Derg RNLI helm Eleanor Hooker thanked the couple on the cruiser for their assistance to the family. She advises boat users to 'ensure their engines are fully serviced and to provision their boats well with water before setting out in hot weather'.

The Lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 17.15hrs.

#rnli – Bundoran RNLI were tasked to assist in the search for a child feared to be missing in the water at Rossnowlagh Beach on Sunday afternoon (9th June 2013).

The 6 year old child was reported missing following a 999 call to Malin Head Coast Guard who tasked Bundoran RNLI, the Rescue 118 Coast Guard Helicopter and The Killybegs Coast Guard Boat to search for the boy who was reportedly last seen near the water at around 4pm.

The Bundoran Lifeboat, paged at 4.15pm, arrived on scene at 4.30pm and commenced a search pattern in conjunction with the other rescue agencies and were also assisted by a number of local boats in the area and up to 5 jet-skis.

On the crowded beach, shore crew from Bundoran also helped in the search. As it continued, another call was received to Malin Head regarding a second child (8 years old) who had gone missing not far from the Sandhouse Hotel but was located soon after.

At around 4.50pm, almost an hour after the initial report, the child was found by a family member and the search was called off.

Volunteer Helm for the RNLI Lifeboat Iarla Carty said 'once again we had another happy ending to a callout and another example of rescue agencies working together for a positive resolution - we would encourage parents to be vigilant with their children around the water, particularly when the weather is so good'.

#RNLI - Stranraer RNLI's lifeboat was dispatched by Belfast Coastguard on Friday evening (7 June) to rescue men from a stranded personal water craft on the rocks at Corsewall Point.

The men had been travelling on the water scooter across the North Channel from Ballycastle in Northern Ireland to Campbeltown in Scotland and back - a round trip of some 130km - but ran out of fuel on the return leg, and drifted to Corsewall on the north point of the Rhins of Galloway.

The RNLI Stranraer lifeboat launched at 5.20pm from Lady Bay and 20 minutes later arrived on scene, where they discovered that two of the men were cold and one had an ankle injury - although a conflicting report via the Belfast Coastguard says only two men were found.

The men were transferred safely on to the lifeboat and taken to Dally Bay, from where they were taken by road to Stranraer Accident and Emergency Hospital.

But as BBC News reports, they were beset by further problems on their return trip to Northern Ireland later that evening, when the private vessel on which they were travelling also ran out of fuel and had to be towed to Red Bay in Co Antrim.

Belfast Coastguard confirmed to the BBC that the men had been travelling on their water scooter with "no navigational aids" and that "they could not get a signal from their mobile phone".

#rnli – A motorsport team from Dungannon in County Tyrone has claimed the Bundoran Lifeboat Soapbox Race perpetual cup following an exciting end to the second annual fundraising event which saw a crowd of 2,500 spectators gather on Astoria Hill in Bundoran on Sunday (2nd June 2013). The winner of the ball race was also from Tyrone with the event itself being part of Discover Bundoran's "Big Weekend".

21 year old driver Stewart McClean representing McClean Motorsport got through his heats with ease beating off stiff competition from 25 other soapboxes who were battling it out for the cup, the medals, the bragging rights and with thanks to refreshment partners Mountain Dew Energy, 2 VIP tickets for Sea Sessions Surf Music Festival. The first race of the day was started by newly crowned 'Belle of Bundoran' Rio Carlin Rosanio. Soapbox cars arrived from all over the area and the country to take part in the event which was a fundraiser for the volunteer crew of the Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat with a crowd of almost 2500 people packing onto the Astoria Hill to watch the thrills, spills and crashes from some very creative soapbox cars. McClean Motorsport's entry narrowly beat rival local competitors Good Time Charlies to clinch the title, as the rain started to fall, around 3.45.

Event organiser Cormac McGurren said 'we were thrilled that there was such a large turnout again to support the soapbox race and glad that the light rain which fell didn't put people off staying until the very end. While we are sad to see the cup leaving Bundoran this year, we hope that it might encourage more entries from Northern Ireland next year while giving locals in Bundoran a hunger to win it back for the town'. He also paid tribute to the volunteer lifeboat crew who helped out on the day 'without the teamwork and continued commitment of our volunteer crew to help out with the very important job of fundraising, the whole day wouldn't have happened and on behalf of the organising committee I would like thank them all for their help'.

Amongst the other events on the day was the Huku Boards longboard skate competition, again in its second year. Skaters from all over the country took part and showed off some intricate moves as they took full advantage of the Astoria Road course. Special mention is given to the youngest competitor Aaron Drennan from Dunboyne in County Meath who at just 10 years old proved his worth against the older skaters and won an award for "Grom of the Year".

The much anticipated ball race happened directly after the soapbox race as 1100 balls were dropped out of a tip truck and rolled down the hill. The lucky number that went through the funnel at the end was 565 and belonged to Mary Collins from Castlederg who had just bought her ball that afternoon.

#rnli – Five people had a boat trip on Dublin Bay cut short this afternoon when their motorboat became entangled on a lobster pot off Sandycove, Co. Dublin and were brought to shore by the RNLI lifeboat at Dun Laoghaire.

One of the propellors on the 55-foot Sunseeker motorboat was caught up in the pot line and and was unable to free itself and the lifeboat launched shortly after 5pm this afternoon. A local fishing boat also gave assistance.

The boat was freed from the line and towed to Dun Laoghaire as a precaution in case of damage to the engine.

The  lifeboat crew with Lough Ree RNLI launched today (Tuesday 28 May) at 12.08pm to a sinking cruiser south of Athlone, with six men onboard.

The vessel was reported to have struck an object under the water and was holed and taking in water.  When the lifeboat arrived on scene they moved quickly to take the six men, believed to be in their twenties, off the sinking cruiser.

The lifeboat crew took the first three men off the vessel and brought them the short distance to Athlone before returning to take the remaining three off the vessel.  With all six men safely ashore the lifeboat crew returned to the scene and observed that the vessel was submerged with only the bow visible out of the water.

They alerted the Coast Guard and Waterways Ireland to issue a warning to other marine traffic in the area before returning to the lifeboat station.

Commenting on the callout Lough Ree RNLI Operations Manager Damien Delaney said, "I am relieved that all six people onboard the cruiser were recovered safely as the water was coming in quickly. All the men remained calm and listened to the instruction of the lifeboat crews, which resulted in a safe and speedy evacuation with nobody injured.

#rnli – Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched twice at the weekend to assist two separate cruisers that had run aground.

The lifeboat launched earlier today to assist five people in difficulty after their 43ft cruiser grounded on rocks inside The Goat Road, midway down the eastern shore of Lough Derg.

On Saturday night, May 25, the Lifeboat was requested to assist 6 people when their 33ft grounded on rocks close to Terryglass, at the northern end of Lough Derg.

At 14.20hrs on Sunday afternoon, May 26, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat to launch to assist five people, after their 43ft cruiser grounded on rocks inside The Goat Road, on the eastern shore of Lough Derg.

The lifeboat launched at 14.30hrs with Helm Gerry O'Neill, Robbie Garland and Tom Dunne on board.  Winds were south westerly, Force 4. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel at 15.00hrs.  An RNLI crew member was transferred to their boat; he found all five people to be safe and unharmed and asked them to put on their lifejackets.   After it was established that the vessel was not holed, the RNLI crew set up for a tow, and the lifeboat took them off the rocks and out into safe water.  Once in safe water and all controls were confirmed in working order, the cruiser made way, in company with a lake cruiser, under it's own power to it's next destination.  The Lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 16.15hrs.

Lough Derg RNLI Helm Gerry O'Neill advises boat users to 'be attentive to the navigation marks when fishing from a cruiser, as, with wind shifts, it is easy to drift inside the mark and into shallow water.'  Lough Derg RNLI crew member Robbie Garland advises water users to 'always wear their lifejacket'.

On Saturday night the Lifeboat was requested to assist 6 people when their 33ft grounded on rocks close to Terryglass, at the northern end of Lough Derg.

At 20.55hrs on Saturday night, May 25, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested  by Valentia Coast Guard, to go to the assistance of six people on board a 33ft cruiser, aground close to Terryglass at the northern end of Lough Derg.  There was a light southerly breeze, with good visibilty.

When the call was received the lifeboat was already afloat on exercise with Helm Lian Knight, Tom Dunne and Jason Freeman on board.  At 21.17hrs the lifeboat arrived on scene.  An RNLI crew member boarded the cruiser and after reassuring the six people on board, checked the vessel for damage.  Once satisfied that the boat was not holed, the lifeboat took the cruiser off the rocks and out into deep water.  The cruiser proceeded under her own power to Terryglass Harbour.

The lifeboat returned to Station and was ready for service again at 22.30hrs

#rnli – lifeboat crew with Larne RNLI launched this afternoon when three people got into difficulty at Portmuck near Islandmagee. A male swimmer tried to help when he witnessed a woman and child being blown out to sea on an inflatable dinghy. However the swimmer was unable to reach the pair who were drifting dangerously out to sea.

Larne RNLI were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat at 5pm and were on scene minutes later.  They located the dinghy with the two onboard about a mile from shore and were alerted to the position of the swimmer some distance away.  They immediately went to the exhausted man and recovered him onto the lifeboat before taking the woman and child onto the lifeboat.

The three were met on shore by members of Portmuck coastguard, where they were checked for injuries.  All three were shaken but not hurt by their ordeal.  The lifeboat crew destroyed the dinghy and brought it back to shore.

Speaking on the callout Larne RNLI lifeboat helm Pamela Dorman said, "Thankfully all three people involved were safely brought home.  The swimmer saw what was happening and tried to help but the dinghy was acting as a sail and being blown further out to sea with the occupants unable to control it.  He was exhausted, which is why we recovered him first into the lifeboat before returning to the dinghy and rescuing the woman and child.

While the weather was good there was a strong wind. Inflatables can easily be blown out to sea and are not ideal for the coast."

Larne RNLI volunteer crewmembers Christopher Dorman and Barry Kirpatrick were the two other lifeboat crew on the callout.

#RNLI - A man has drowned after attempting to rescue three teenagers who got into difficulty while swimming in Courtown Harbour yesterday 25 May.

The Irish Times reports that the man entered the water after the boys started to struggle in the cold water around lunchtime yesterday.

But despite helping the teens to safety - one of them believed to be his son - the man himself succumbed to the cold.

According to RTÉ News, the Courtown RNLI lifeboat attended the scene within minutes and recovered the 39-year-old from the water, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Asgard Angling Club in Howth presented Howth RNLI with a cheque for €750 on Monday (20 May 2013).

In total €1500 was raised through the annual sale of the club's calendar which was sold through local shops and featured images of Howth. Half of the money was donated to the RNLI and the rest to the Howth Active Retirement group.

Gus Quigley, President of the Asgard Angling Club said, "The RNLI is a local charity, and as boat users it gives us great peace of mind to know that the volunteer lifeboat crew will always be there if we ever need them. My own father, Lawrence was a member of the lifeboat crew in Howth for 42 years".

"The Asgard Angling Club in Howth are great supporters of the RNLI and the funds raised will ensure that our lifeboat crews go to sea with the best equipment and training available to ensure their safety when saving lives at sea", according to Rose Michael, Howth RNLI Fundraising Chairperson.