#RNLI - Three RNLI lifeboats from Wicklow and Arklow launched after 5am on Tuesday morning (23 February) to assist a grounded fishing vessel with seven people onboard.

The volunteer lifeboat crews quickly located the 20m fishing boat, which had run aground on the Wolf Rock near the beach at Brittas Bay.

Weather conditions in the area at the time were described as blowing north-easterly with Force 4-5 winds and rough seas.

Arriving on scene, the lifeboat crews observed that no one was in immediate danger. No leaks or damage were found during an inspection of the hull.

Towlines were quickly established between the casualty vessel using Wicklow RNLI’s inshore lifeboat. The vessel was re-floated by the all-weather lifeboats from both stations and the vessel was towed clear of the rock and onward to Wicklow Harbour, where she was safely secured alongside the East Pier shortly before 11am.

Speaking following the callout, Wicklow RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Tommy Dover said: "Our lifeboat and shore crews had an early call this morning but we were delighted to help and bring this vessel safely to shore.

"The callout was a real team effort this morning where ours crews from both Wicklow and Arklow were able to put their skills and joint training to good use in assisting the fishermen to Wicklow Harbour."

Friends and supporters of Fethard RNLI gathered together at the lifeboat station this weekend on the one hundred and second anniversary of the Mexico disaster, where nine lifeboat crew lost their lives off the Wexford coast, to launch an appeal for a new lifeboat. As the current lifeboat Trade Winds nears the end of its service, an 18-month appeal has been launched to raise the €65,000 needed for a new D class lifeboat.

Opening the proceedings Fethard RNLI Chairman John Hearne remembered those lifeboat crew lost 102 years ago. He said, ‘Walking through the station today you will see pictures of those men and that previous lifeboat (Helen Blake) and you may think that there is a world of difference between then and now. Of course now the lifeboats look completely different and the technology today is a world apart but it all counts for nothing without the crew. The RNLI is still the same charity that it was in 1914 and the work it does of saving lives at sea is still carried out by volunteers in exactly the same tradition.’

‘The technology marches on and soon this lifeboat will have completed ten years arduous service. The very best way that we in the community can support this fine crew is to give them the best equipment and training to do what can be a most difficult job.’

Colin Williams RNLI Divisional Operations Manager acknowledged the role played by the community twenty years ago when the station reopened followed its closure after the Mexico tragedy.

Colin said, ‘When the RNLI looked at reopening Fethard the old lifeboat station was being used by local fishermen. It’s a testament to the community’s feeling toward the lifeboat service that they returned it to the RNLI and Fethard RNLI reopened. Since then there have been many notable rescues. The volunteers crew here today are the custodians of the lifeboat service and we owe much to the local committee, twenty years ago, who lobbied so hard to have the RNLI look again at having a lifeboat stationed at Fethard.

Fethard RNLI Fundraising Chairperson Oonagh Hearne spoke on the challenges of raising €65,000 for the new lifeboat. ‘We have a very strong committee and we are going to do our very best. Everyone who lives on the peninsula knows how much we need this lifeboat and we have already had many expressions of support and interest. We will be keeping everyone updated our events and I want to thank those who have already pledged their support.’

Niamh McCutcheon, a member of the RNLI Council of Ireland travelled especially to Fethard for the launch to officially launch the appeal. Addressing the crowd she said, ‘The community of Fethard and its friends will be the donors of your new lifeboat. You have an eighteen month journey ahead to raise the funding and it will be hard work but rewarding work. After which you will know that every time that new lifeboat launches, every one of you made it possible. Every life saved or person helped to safety by your new lifeboat will be a community effort because your community funded your new lifeboat.’

The occasion also served to recognise the contribution of two Fethard RNLI volunteers who in different ways have served the station with distinction. Hugh Burke a former helm with the lifeboat and a current launching authority was presented with a framed Letter of Thanks from the RNLI Chairman in recognition for his skill and split second decision-making during a daring rescue last March.

The callout was to a young man got into extreme difficulty after he launched a kayak near Baginbun Head when his dog fell down a very steep gully. His kayak overturned and he was trapped in a three metre wide gulley within a pool of water with submerged rocks. He was being pummelled by the broken water and was in imminent danger of being swept out to sea. Under the command of Helm Hugh Burke the lifeboat entered the gulley and along with his fellow crew, Nicolette Perrella and Stephen Byrne, they rescued the man.

Accepting the Letter of Thanks from the RNLI Hugh spoke of his time on the lifeboat crew and the affection for the station’s inshore lifeboat.

‘I remember coming down to the station 20 years ago to view the new D class inshore lifeboat. I wondered what can a little boat like this do to make a difference as I was used to bigger boats. But after training on it I was amazed at what this little boat can do. We have 12 lifeboat launching sites in the area and have carried out 258 launches on it. If our pagers went off now we have three lifeboat crew on standby to launch immediately and we know we have the right tool for the job.’

Also honoured was former Fethard RNLI Fundraising Chairman Hugh Stafford who recently stepped down from his role and who had been honoured with the Institution’s Gold Badge for his services to the charity.

The afternoon concluded with a wreath laying at the memorial for the nine lifeboat men who lost their lives during the rescue of the Mexico and was followed by a minutes silence by the assembled crowd.

#RNLI - Newcastle RNLI had their third call of the week last night (Thursday 18 February) with volunteers involved in a three-hour search operation after flares were sighted off the Co Down coast.

Newly appointed coxswain Alan Jones had the opportunity to put his RNLI training and skills to good use launching the lifeboat on service for a second time this week when the volunteer crew was requested at 7.30pm after flares were sighted from St John’s Point, in the Dundrum Bay area off Annalong.

The station’s all-weather lifeboat, which only an hour earlier had returned from passage after routine repairs, launched with six crew members on board. Weather conditions were described as good with a light swell and little wind as the lifeboat made its way in the dark but clear night.

Once on scene some eight miles from the lifeboat station and three miles off Annalong, the crew conducted an intensive search for three hours. Nothing untoward was found and the lifeboat was stood down at 10pm.

Earlier this week, Newcastle RNLI were requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat at 5.52am on Tuesday 16 February to assist injured crew member on a 70ft fishing vessel 18 miles south-west of the Isle of Man and 25 miles south-east of Newcastle.

On the first callout for coxswain Alan Jones, the lifeboat launched at 6.05am. Weather conditions at the time were described as gusty with southerly Force 6 winds blowing and rough seas.

The casualty was airlifted by the Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 from Dublin, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

The crew were also in action on Saturday evening (13 February) when they rescued four people after a 36ft angling boat suffered engine failure eight miles south east of St John’s Point.

Speaking following what has been a busy period for the station, Jones said: "Our volunteer lifeboat and shore crew responded with great enthusiasm to all three call outs this week, one of which was in the early hours of the morning.

"They all volunteer to save lives at sea and are prepared to drop what they are doing to help anyone who may be in difficulty in the water.

"We would always encourage anyone who finds themselves in trouble or thinks someone maybe in difficulty to raise the alarm. We would always rather launch and find nothing untoward than not launch at all."

#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew at Portaferry RNLI launched yesterday evening (Thursday 18 February) to go to the aid of two men on board an angling boat experiencing engine problems off the Co Down coast.

The volunteer crew of Portaferry's Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat launched at 6.45pm having received a launch request from Belfast Coastguard concerning two on board a 36ft angling boat in South Bay, north east of Ballyquinten Point.

The two on board the stricken vessel had been en route to Carrick Marina when they started to lose power and contacted the emergency services for assistance.

Weather conditions at the time were described as clear with a slight sea swell with excellent visibility and a Force 1-2 westerly wind.

The lifeboat crew arrived on scene at 7.10pm. Having assessed the situation and with nobody in immediate danger, the RNLI crew established a towline and brought the casualty vessel in to Portaferry Marina in Strangford Lough, Co Down.

Speaking following the callout, Portaferry RNLI lifeboat operations manager Brian Bailie said: "Once again it has been a great outcome and testament to the hard work and training the RNLI volunteers put in to answer calls for help at sea.

"The two men on board the casualty boat took the right decision to call for assistance before their situation could become potentially more serious."

#RNLI - Volunteer lifeboat crew from three RNLI stations in Dublin were in Dundrum on Wednesday evening (17 February) for the Irish gala screening of Disney's latest action film The Finest Hours.

Volunteers Gerry Canning and Eoin Kelly from Skerries RNLI, Manus O’Donnell from Howth RNLI and Paul Cummins and Jack Shanahan from Dun Laoghaire RNLI were invited to swap lifeboats for the limelight as they shared the red carpet with guests at the high-action movie premiere at Dundrum Town Centre.

The film tells the incredible true story of the heroic 1952 SS Pendleton rescue mission carried out by the US Coast Guard which is still regarded as one of the greatest sea rescues of all time.

The Finest Hours is based on the acclaimed non-fiction book of the same name by Michael J Tougias and Casey Sherman, which tells the tale of true events that took place 64 years ago this week.

Presented in Digital 3D and IMAX 3D, the film will transport audiences to the heart of the action, creating a fully-immersive cinematic experience on an epic scale.

Owing to the long and close relationship that the RNLI holds with the US Coast Guard, it was highly appropriate for Disney and the RNLI to work together in Ireland, while helping to raise awareness of the charity’s lifesaving work.

The Dublin crew, dressed in full all-weather lifeboat kit, ushered guests to their cinema seats where ahead of the movie, they watched a hard-hitting advertisement from the RNLI’s national drowning prevention campaign, Respect the Water.

The campaign which was first launched last summer warns people that coastlines and waters can be dangerously unpredictable.

The 60 second commercial entitled ‘Breathe’ is shown from the point of view of the casualty, played by an actor. The narrator Andy Serkis invites the audience to hold its breath while watching the film, as the casualty struggles and succumbs to the effects of cold water shock in the time the audience is holding their breath.

The film reveals that, on land, the average person can hold their breath for 45 seconds – but in cold water, they might not last 10.

Speaking following the gala screening, Gerry Canning from Skerries RNLI said: "It was great to see such strong parallels between the bravery, selflessness and community spirit shown by the characters in the film which is mirrored by RNLI lifeboat crew all around Ireland.

"It’s not unusual for us to be woken up by our pagers on a normal week night, so an evening of glitz and glamour was a nice change."

In 2015, RNLI lifeboat crews – who are on-call 24/7, 365 days a year – launched 1,098 times rescuing 1,244 people.

The RNLI has been operating since 1824 and has continually shared expertise, advice and training knowledge with the US Coast Guard for over 100 years.

RNLI volunteers also attended gala screenings of the film in Galway, Cork and Limerick last night.

The Finest Hours will open in Irish cinema today (Friday 19 February). Watch the trailer below.

#RNLI - Galway's inshore lifeboat has had a €100,000 upgrade, as the Connacht Tribune reports.

The Atlantic 85 RIB has been kitted out with some of the latest in lifesaving technology – and all of it was funded by public donations to the RNLI.

“You’re looking at two new engines, a new navigation system, and a new chart plotter," says Galway RNLI lifeboat operations manager Mike Swan on the boat, named 'Binny' upon its introduction in late 2012.

The Connacht Tribune has more on the story HERE.

#RNLI - Newcastle RNLI rescued four people on Saturday night (13 February) after their angling boat got into difficulty off the Co Down coast.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat at 7.30pm on Saturday following a request from Belfast Coastguard to go to the aid of a 36ft angling boat, which had suffered engine failure eight miles south east of St John’s Point while on passage from Howth to Carrickfergus.

Under coxswain Aidan Riley and with five crew members on board, the lifeboat launched within minutes and made its way to the scene some 16 nautical miles from the station.

Weather conditions at the time were described as fresh with rough seas and Force 5-6 winds blowing.

With the vessel losing battery power, Newcastle RNLI advised the crew to switch the boat’s lights off until the lifeboat was closer to their location.

Once on scene 80 minutes later, the lifeboat crew assessed the situation and once confident that no one was in any immediate danger, the lifeboat crew began to work with the angling crew to set up a towline.

The vessel was then taken under tow and brought safely back to Ardglass.

Speaking following the callout, Newcastle RNLI coxswain Aidan Riley said: "The vessel was quite a bit away from the shore when it sustained engine difficulties and the crew made the right call to ask for assistance.

"We were delighted to help and glad to see the boat and her crew returned safely to Ardglass."

#RNLI - Lough Ree RNLI has announced its Lap of Lough Ree charity cycle will take place on Sunday 6 March.

As it has for the past two years, the cycle will start and finish at The Bounty at Buccaneers Rugby Club in Athlone, and will travel north through Ballymahon, cross the Shannon at Lanesboro Bridge and complete the 85km lap of Lough Ree travelling south on the Roscommon side, via Kilteevan, to cross again at Athlone Bridge.

Lough Ree RNLI relies entirely on public donations to fund its operation, and the Lap of Lough Ree is an important fundraising event for the charity organisation.

Lough Ree Lifeboat Station was the busiest station in Ireland in 2014 and rescued the highest number of people in 2015, so maintaining a high standard of service in the area is vital.

Brendan Finnegan, Lough Ree RNLI fundraising committee chairman, said: "We run a variety of events throughout the year to raise funds and we are privileged to have a huge level of support in the community.

"The cycle has proved very popular since we first organised it two years ago and it is a pleasure to run events that participants can get actively involved in. We are hoping for a big turnout again this year."

Registration for the event will take place from 9am on Sunday 6 March at The Bounty, with the cycle starting at 10am. Snack packs will be provided to all entrants and refreshments will be provided midway, at Lanesborough and also at The Bounty afterwards on return. Subject to numbers interested, an extended route may be arranged for cyclists who enjoy a more challenging ride.

The fee for entry is €25 on the day, but early entry is €20 via the Facebook entry form.

#RNLI - Howth RNLI was unveiled this week as SuperValu Sutton’s Charity of the Year for 2016.

A series of fundraising activities will take place in store throughout 2016 to support the work of the local lifeboat station, contributing to the training of the volunteer lifeboat crew members, the provision of lifejackets and crew kit, the maintenance of the two lifeboats and the station's running costs.

Rose Michael, chair of the Howth RNLI fundraising branch, expressed her thanks and gratitude to the management, staff and customers for their support.

"We are delighted to be announcing a local fundraising partnership with SuperValu Sutton," she said. :Their support and the generosity of their customers will help us to continue our lifesaving work in the community this year.

"We have a fantastic group of people who devote their time and energy, and make sacrifices to enable us to launch the lifeboats. Our volunteer crew are incredibly brave and we want to make sure that when they go to sea to save lives that they are highly trained with the best of equipment.

"When they go out on a recue they don’t know what risks they will face, and it is our priority that they come home safely."

Neville Raethorne, store manager at SuperValu Sutton, also commented: "The lifeboat in Howth provides an important service to our customers in the locality and many of the crew members shop here. We look forward to developing a successful fundraising partnership with Howth RNLI over the coming year."

With 60 launches, rescuing 58 people, Howth RNLI was the busiest coastal lifeboat station in Ireland in 2015 – a year that saw stations nationwide launch to more than 1,000 incidents.

Dun Laoghaire RNLI rescued six fishermen in challenging weather conditions this morning after a 25m trawler was disabled off the coast of Dublin.

The volunteer lifeboat crew was requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat at 2.50am following a request by the Irish Coast Guard that a 25m Beam trawler with six on board was in difficulty outside the Kish Bank. The crew had been fishing for scallop when a rope got caught in the vessel's propeller.

The lifeboat under Duty Coxswain David Branigan and with six crew members on board, launched shortly after 3am and made its way to the scene some 12 nautical miles south east of Howth Harbour.

In the darkness, the lifeboat crew were met by difficult weather conditions including a Force 9 strong gale and three to four metres waves.

The crew arrived on scene shortly before 4am where they assessed the situation and checked that the casualty's crew were safe. With no one in immediate danger, the lifeboat crew started working with the fishermen to set up a tow.

The high winds, poor visibility and difficult sea conditions made this task challenging and numerous attempts were made before a towline was successfully established.

In winds gusting up to 50 knots, the lifeboat began the long passage towards Howth Harbour. Despite a slow speed of two to three knots, the towline parted on three occasions along the passage.

Due to the winds and the size of the casualty vessel, Howth RNLI was requested to launch at 9.40am to provide assistance with bringing the vessel into the harbour.

The trawler and her crew were safely returned to shore at 10.40am.

Speaking following the call out, David Branigan, Dun Laoghaire RNLI Duty Coxswain said: 'Our lifeboat crew deserve full credit for their efforts in the early hours of this morning which have seen us spend some eight hours at sea. We launched in the darkness and were met by difficult weather. The high winds and rough seas made this call out particularly challenging especially when establishing and keeping a tow but we persevered and thankfully were able to return the fishermen and their vessel safely to shore.'