Kilmore Quay RNLI came to the aid of three people this morning (Monday, 12 September) after their becalmed yacht experienced engine failure 30 miles off the Wexford coast

The volunteer crew launched their all-weather Tamar class lifeboat, Killarney, following a request by the Irish Coast Guard shortly after 9:00 am. Weather conditions at the time were fair, with some fog, light winds and calm seas. The conditions prevented the crew of the 10.5m yacht from using sail power. The subsequent engine failure meant the yacht was becalmed and unable to move.

The lifeboat under Coxswain Philip Walsh with five crew members onboard, immediately launched and made its way to the scene 30 miles south of Kilmore Quay, arriving at 11:11 am.

The lifeboat crew checked that all onboard the yacht were safe and well before assessing the situation with the vessel. A decision was made to establish a towline and return to the nearest port, which was Kilmore Quay. The passage back to port with the vessel under tow took just over three and a half hours.

Arriving back in the harbour at 2:50 pm, the casualty vessel was secured alongside the marina, assisted by the Kilmore Quay unit of the Irish Coast Guard. The lifeboat returned to its berth and was made ready for service again by the crew.

Speaking following the call out, Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager John Grace, said: ‘Even the best-maintained equipment can have unexpected problems, which is why it is so important to carry a means of communication when heading out to sea. If you find yourself in difficulty, or you see someone in trouble, on or near the water, call the Coast Guard on 112 or 999.’

The Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat crew involved in the call out were Coxswain Philip Walsh, crew members Sam Nunn, Tom Lambert, Robbie Connolly, Michelle Hinchy and Jack Devereux.

This summer marks 175 years since a lifeboat service was first established in Kilmore Quay. The occasion will be celebrated with an exhibition curated by local author and historian, John Power, over the weekend August 26-28 in the Stella Maris Centre, Kilmore Quay.

In 1846 the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI ) was asked by Inspector General Dombraine to provide a lifeboat for Kilmore Quay. The Institution sent a lifeboat on 28 July 1847. It was put under the care of the Coastguards stationed in Kilmore Quay at the time and so began 175 years of voluntary service to save lives at sea.

John Power is an authority on local maritime history and has published three volumes on the subject as well as the book Above and Beyond the Call of Duty, a tribute to local rescue services published in 1993. This will be John’s 12th exhibition.

Speaking about the upcoming exhibition, John Power said: ‘A lot of material has been collected for this Exhibition through photographs, artefacts, and models of some of the lifeboats that served at the station, including many of the rescues carried out over that period. Hon secretaries, coxswains, engineers and lifeboat crews, volunteers and fundraisers will be features and many more surprises'.

Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, John Grace added: ‘The RNLI lifeboat service is an integral part of Kilmore Quay, and we are thrilled with the exhibition that John has put together and incredibly grateful to him for all his effort. We hope everyone can come down and enjoy the story of how it all started through to today’s modern service and see the tremendous commitment of our volunteer crews through the years.’

The exhibition will open at 6:00 pm on Friday 26 August with the official launch taking place at 7:00 pm. The exhibition will be open on Saturday 27 August from 11 am to 5:30 pm and on Sunday 28 August from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Admission is free.

Venue: Stella Maris Centre, Kilmore Quay
Admission: Free
Opening Times:
Friday 26 August 6 pm (Official Launch 7pm)
Saturday 27 August 11 am to 5:30 pm
Sunday 28 August 11 am to 6 pm

Kilmore Quay RNLI were called in the early hours of Saturday (13 August) to assist a lone sailor whose yacht had run aground just outside Kilmore Quay harbour, having also launched the previous afternoon to assist two people whose yacht experienced engine failure.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather Tamar class lifeboat Killarney by the Irish Coast Guard at 2:34am on Saturday morning in response to a ‘Pan Pan’ call received from a solo sailor whose 10m yacht had run aground in low water just outside Kilmore Quay harbour.

Under coxswain Eugene Kehoe with four crew members on board, the lifeboat immediately launched and made its way to the scene. Conditions at the time were calm and clear.

As the water was too shallow for the Killarney to come alongside, the lifeboat’s inflatable Y-boat was launched to make the final approach to the yacht and check that the crew member on board was safe and well.

With the tide rising, the decision was taken to wait on the tide to refloat the boat. At 3:13am the yacht was refloated and made its way back to Kilmore Quay harbour escorted by the lifeboat, arriving at 3:35am.

On Friday afternoon (August 12), the crew were requested to launch by the coastguard to assist two people aboard a yacht with engine failure.

The lifeboat immediately launched and made its way to the yacht which was anchored on the northeast side of the Great Saltee.

Arriving on scene 11 minutes later, the crew assessed the situation and decided to establish a towline.

Having retrieved the yacht’s anchor and with a towline secured, the lifeboat was soon underway back to Kilmore Quay, arriving back at the harbour 2:48pm.

The Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat crew involved in both callouts were coxswain Eugene Kehoe, mechanic Philp Walsh, Aidan Bates, Michelle Hinchy, Dean Roche, Nigel Kehoe, Mark Power and Shane Devereux.

Kilmore Quay RNLI launched at 9 pm last night (Monday 18 July) to assist three young people on board a four-metre RIB that had suffered engine failure approximately one mile south of the Great Saltee Island.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather Tamar class lifeboat, Killarney, by the Irish Coast Guard at 9 pm yesterday evening to assist a four-metre RIB with three young people on board that had experienced engine failure and were drifting on the tide. Weather conditions at the time were calm.

The lifeboat, under Coxswain Philip Walsh with six crew members onboard, immediately launched and made its way to the scene.

Arriving on scene, the crew checked everyone on board the RIB was safe and well before assessing the situation. It was decided to establish a towline and transfer those on board the RIB to the lifeboat.

With a towline secured and the crew of the RIB safely aboard, the lifeboat was soon underway back to Kilmore Quay, arriving back at the harbour at 10.07 pm

Speaking following the call out, Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager John Grace, said: ‘Thankfully there was a positive outcome to this evening's call out., With such good weather more people are spending more time on the water making it the charity's busiest time of year. Even the best-maintained equipment can go wrong, so it is important to always be prepared for when it does happen. I would urge anyone heading out to sea to tell someone where you are going and when you will be back, carry a reliable means of communication, VHF or a mobile phone in a waterproof case in case you need to call for help and always wear a lifejacket’

The Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat crew involved in the call-out were Coxswain Philip Walsh, Dean Roche, Sam Nunn, PJ Bates, Shane Devereux, Dan Tierney and Tom Lambert.

Kilmore Quay RNLI launched on Friday evening (22 April) to assist a yacht with an injured crew member 20 miles off the Wexford coast.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather Tamar class lifeboat, Killarney, by the Irish Coast Guard at 4:00 pm to assist the crew of a 40-foot ketch that was approximately 20 nautical miles south of Kilmore Quay.

One of the two crew on board the ketch had sustained an injury to his shoulder. Conditions in the area at the time were overcast and squally, with a Force 5 north easterly wind. The sea state at the time was described as moderate.

The lifeboat under Coxswain Aidan Bates with four crew members on board immediately launched and made its way to the scene. Arriving on scene at 5:10 pm, the crew launched their Y-boat, transferring a crew member to the vessel to assess the situation. A decision was made to establish a towline and return the vessel and crew to the nearest port which was Kilmore Quay. At 5:22 pm with the towline secured the boats were underway.

The lifeboat crew member remained onboard the yacht for the passage back to Kilmore Quay, arriving safely back to the harbour at 8:00pm. The local Irish Coast Guard Unit provided assistance to the injured man.

The Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat crew involved in the call out were Coxswain Aidan Bates, mechanic Philip Walsh and crew members Trevor Devereux, Sean Furlong and Nigel Kehoe.

Eleven-year-old Tommy Kehoe was one of around 60 sea swimmers who completed a fundraising challenge on the Little Beach in Kilmore Quay on New Year’s Eve in aid of the Co Wexford village’s RNLI lifeboat.

Organised by local women Melinda Kehoe, Grainne O'Brien and Simmi Duffin, the 20 Dips in December challenge saw local swimmers take part in, not one but 20 sponsored swims in the sea during the month of December.

The weather and sea conditions throughout the month were a key consideration for the swimmers. Even though there were some days where conditions did not allow for a dip, there were enough favourable days to allow for the challenge to be completed safely by the hardy swimmers.

Among them was Melinda’s son Tommy, who even fitted in a dip in the mornings before school. And his efforts have been well rewarded as so far he has raised €1,140 for the local lifeboat. Donations can still be made on the event’s JustGiving page.

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, fundraising in aid of Kilmore Quay lifeboat has taken place throughout the year as guidelines allowed.

Dedicated supporters of the RNLI in the area have organised walks, swims, cycles, vintage runs, online bingo, and head shaves among other activities, raising vital funds to maintain the charity's lifesaving services.

Speaking following the final swim on Friday, Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat operations manager John Grace said: “There is a fantastic community spirit here today. Tommy has raised an incredible sum of money for the RNLI, as have all the participants.

“We cannot thank everyone who took part and all who support Kilmore Quay RNLI throughout the year enough for all their efforts and generosity.”

Those taking part in the 20 Dips in December challenge swim regularly in the sea throughout the year. If you are considering doing so, please check out the safety tips on Swim Ireland’s website regarding winter swimming in Ireland or contact a local open-water swimming group.

Fethard RNLI joined Kilmore Quay’s coastguard unit in a multi-agency operation to rescue local residents trapped in their homes by heavy flooding on Christmas Day, according to RTÉ News.

It’s reported that a number of people in the village of Bridgetown were safely removed by lifeboat, while motorists who were either cut off by the flooding or trapped in the water were also assisted.

Wexford Civil Defence and Wexford Fire Service also joined in the rescue effort on Saturday 25 December, as Kilmore Quay Coast Guard acknowledged on social media.

Heavy rainfall delayed the arrival of the Waterford-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117 — and was also responsible for the erosion of bridges near Enniscorthy due to the swelling of the River Borough (Boro), a tributary of the River Slaney.

In a statement, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said his department “will provide full support for Wexford County Council and other councils as they address and repair the damage caused by the flash floods”.

RNLI lifesavers from Dunmore East, Kilmore Quay and Rosslare Harbour to feature in new series of TV documentary Saving Lives at Sea

The volunteer lifeboat crews of Dunmore East, Kilmore Quay and Rosslare Harbour RNLI will be taking to the small screen on Tuesday 12 October as they feature in the eighth episode of the BBC TV series Saving Lives at Sea.

Real-life rescue footage gives a frontline view of how the charity’s lifesavers risk their own lives as they go to the aid of those in danger at sea and strive to save everyone.

Now in its sixth series, the 10-part documentary showcases the lifesaving work of the RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crews from around Ireland and the UK. The series is on BBC Two on Tuesdays at 8 pm as well as being available on BBC iPlayer following broadcast.

Real rescue footage is accompanied by emotive interviews from the volunteer lifeboat crews alongside the people they rescue and their families.

This forthcoming episode, on Tuesday 12 October, sees Dunmore East, Kilmore Quay and Rosslare Harbour RNLI, along with Rescue 117, conduct a joint rescue operation off the Wexford coast. As Afloat reported at the time, The Lily B, a 100m general cargo vessel with nine crew onboard and carrying 4,000 tonnes of coal, lost all power two nautical miles from Hook Head last October. Conditions on scene were Force 8 with severe Force 9 gusts and wave heights between eight and 10 metres. The Lily B was drifting and in danger of striking rocks on Hook Head or capsizing in the heavy seas.

The 12-hour service in challenging conditions saw multiple attempts by the lifeboat crews involved to establish a tow between the casualty vessel and the lifeboats. With the crew of the Lily B unable to stay on deck for long in the poor conditions and with language difficulties, two of the lifeboats were eventually successful in passing a rope on deck by using a rocket line and pulling the cargo vessel clear of the rocks. The lifeboat tow was maintained for three hours with waves continually crashing over the decks until the tug vessel Tramontine from Waterford Port arrived on scene and took up the tow. The three lifeboats stayed with the Lily B until they reached the safety of the Waterford Estuary. The rescue operation was finally stood down after 12 hours at sea for the lifeboat crews.

The three lifeboat crews involved are now to receive gallantry awards from the RNLI for their role in the rescue.

Neville Murphy, one of the Dunmore East RNLI lifeboat crew members featured in the forthcoming episode, said: ‘It's great that we can showcase the lifesaving work of RNLI volunteers in a TV programme like this. Without the generous support and donations from the public, we wouldn’t be able to save lives at sea and it’s great to be able to share what we do with our supporters from the comfort of their own home’

During 2020, RNLI lifeboats in Ireland launched 945 times with their volunteer crews coming to the aid of 1,147 people, 13 of whom were lives saved.

Kilmore Quay RNLI rescued three people on Saturday afternoon (28 August) after their 6.3m cruiser got into difficulty 50 miles off the Wexford coast while they were on an angling day trip.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather Tamar class relief lifeboat Victor Freeman, by the Irish Coast Guard at 1.30pm to assess the situation where the vessel was reported to be taking on water 50 miles south of Kilmore Quay. Tenby RNLI in Wales was also requested and the station’s all-weather lifeboat, also a Tamar, launched too.

Kilmore Quay RNLI’s lifeboat under Coxswain Philip Walsh and with four crew members onboard launched within minutes and made its way to the scene where a fishing trawler was also standing by to assist.

The cruiser had launched earlier that day from Kilmore Quay for a day’s deep-sea fishing. Weather and sea conditions were good at the time. However, when the crew noticed their boat was taking on water, they turned to return to shore and called for assistance.

Both lifeboats arrived on scene within minutes of each other with the crews first checking that all onboard were safe and well. Having assessed the situation, a decision was made to allow the cruiser to continue to make its way back to port under its own power escorted by the Kilmore Quay RNLI while Tenby RNLI returned to their station.

All arrived safely back to Kilmore Quay at 7.05 pm.

Fishing boat

Meanwhile a week earlier, Kilmore Quay RNLI came to the aid of the crew onboard a 24m fishing trawler that had run aground on their return from fishing grounds to their home port. On this occasion on Saturday 21 August, the crew were requested to launch at 6.22am and assess the situation two miles east of Kilmore Quay.

The lifeboat under Coxswain Eugene Kehoe and with five crew members onboard arrived on scene within 10 minutes of launching and again checked that all onboard were safe. A decision was made to establish a towline to free the vessel, but the falling tide made it impossible to move the vessel at that time. It was agreed to return later when the rising tide would allow the vessel to be more easily released. The crew of the fishing vessel remained onboard to monitor their boat.

At 4pm, Kilmore Quay RNLI returned and re-assessed the situation before successfully establishing a towline and freeing the vessel. The boat returned to Kilmore Quay under escort by the lifeboat and another fishing vessel as a precaution.

Speaking following both call outs, Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager John Grace, said: ‘During the first call out, the falling tide did not allow for the boat to be freed so it became a waiting game until the tide came back to a level to allow us to safely try again and on the second attempt the crew were successful. The fishing crew did a great job monitoring the situation onboard until it became possible to free it again with assistance from our lifeboat crew.

‘In what was the second call out in a week, we were happy to see that the boat’s crew was able to return safely to Kilmore Quay under the boat’ own power. The crew made the right decision to call for assistance when they did as they were in a precarious position taking on water in a busy shipping lane.

‘We would remind anyone planning a trip to sea to always wear a lifejacket and to always carry a means of calling for help. If you do get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.’

Kilmore Quay RNLI rescued four people early this morning (Thursday 12 August) after their yacht got into difficulty and subsequently sank 50 miles off the Wexford coast.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather Tamar class lifeboat Killarney at 2.44am to attend to the 14m yacht which had sustained a damaged rudder 50 miles south of Kilmore Quay while on passage from Dublin to Vigo in Spain.

Under coxswain Eugene Kehoe and with four crew onboard, the lifeboat immediately launched and made its way to the scene. They were updated on the way that the yacht’s crew had made the decision to turn back and slowly make their way to Kilmore Quay.

Arriving at the location at 5.30am, the lifeboat crew checked that all onboard the yacht were safe and well before assessing its situation. It was decided to set up a towline and return the vessel to the nearest port which was Kilmore Quay.

As the yacht began to take on water, the lifeboat crew placed a salvage pump on the vessel. But such was the speed at which the vessel was taking on water, it was not enough to deal with the situation.

A second salvage pump was requested by the Irish Coast Guard helicopter from Waterford, Rescue 117, which was also tasked to the scene.

However, it was decided at this stage to remove the four people from the yacht and transfer them safely onto Kilmore Quay RNLI’s lifeboat. The yacht subsequently sank.

The lifeboat brought the four casualties safely back to Kilmore Quay where they arrived at around 11am.

Speaking following the call out, Kilmore Quay RNLI’s lifeboat operations manager John Grace said: “It is always sad when a vessel is lost at sea but thankfully the crew onboard the yacht was safely rescued and are now back on shore.

“The casualties did the right thing in raising the alarm when they encountered problems in the early hours of this morning which helped to prevent the situation from becoming much worse.

“Despite the best efforts of everyone on scene, the vessel took on a lot of water. Our priority then was to ensure that the casualties were taken off the yacht and transferred safely on to the lifeboat.

“We would like to wish the casualties well following their ordeal this morning and we would like to commend our volunteers who despite the early call and darkness of night, did not hesitate to respond.”

The lifeboat crew involved in this callout were coxswain Eugene Kehoe, mechanic Philip Walsh and crew members Aidan Bates, Sean Furlong and Nigel Kehoe.