Christmas is a time for family and, for many, a time for sharing stories of times and generations past. For the Chambers family from Portrush, on Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast, these stories often involve saving lives at sea.

Jason Chambers and Karl O’Neill are cousins and are following a long line of their family who have served on Portrush RNLI lifeboats.

Karl and Jason’s great grandfather Karl D Chambers was mechanic at Portrush from 1924 to 1947. Karl had spent 17 years in the Royal Navy serving in destroyers on the North Sea. Gilbert Chambers, Karl’s son, had assisted his father in the engine room took over as mechanic in June 1947. Gilbert received two thanks on vellum and a BEM in the Queen’s Birthday honours in 1975. Gilbert was also second coxswain.

Gilbert’s son Derek was then appointed mechanic and coxswain, becoming one of the few full-time coxswain/mechanics in the RNLI. Derek’s brother Anthony succeeded him as mechanic and subsequently as coxswain/mechanic, serving Portrush RNLI for 40 years until his retirement in 2020. Anthony was awarded a bronze medal from the RNLI in recognition of his rescue of two boys who were trapped in a cave at Castlerock in 2010.

Jason Chambers, carrying on the family tradition, is a helm on the D boat and relief mechanic. Karl O’Neill is a deputy coxswain on the all-weather lifeboat and area supervisor for the RNLI Lifeguards in Northern Ireland.

Both Karl and Jason said: “There’s no feeling quite like bringing someone home safe to their families — especially at Christmas. But as volunteer lifeboat crew we couldn’t launch without kind donations from the public which fund the kit, training and equipment we need to save others and get home safely to our own families.

“We are proud to be carrying on the family tradition serving the community at Portrush RNLI — we like to think they would be very proud.”

On average, RNLI lifeboats launch over 100 times during the Christmas period every year. Whatever weather winter throws at them, RNLI crews are ready to battle the elements to save lives at sea.

These rescues, and others all year round, are only made possible by the RNLI’s generous supporters, helping to fund the essential kit, training and equipment needed by lifeboat crews.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the RNLI is launching its annual Christmas fundraising appeal for 2023 with a focus on the generations of families who have volunteered their time and commitment to ensure the charity’s lifesaving service has continued for nearly 200 years.

To make a donation to the RNLI’s Christmas Appeal, and enable the charity to continue its lifesaving work, visit RNLI.org/WinterAppeal.

Larne RNLI father-and-son duo Frank and Jack Healy plus father and daughter Martin and Sami Agnew have been reflecting on what it’s like to be on call together as both family and fellow crew members.

On average, RNLI lifeboats launch over 100 times during the Christmas period every year. Whatever weather winter throws at them, RNLI crews are ready to battle the elements to save lives at sea.

These rescues, and others all year round, are only made possible by the RNLI’s generous supporters, helping to fund the essential kit, training and equipment needed by lifeboat crews.

Frank Healy has been a lifeboat crew member at Larne RNLI for 29 years, 27 of those as coxswain. Before that he was a crew member at Red Bay RNLI, further north along Northern Ireland’s East Antrim coast, for three years. His son Jack joined the Larne crew in August 2018.

For five years now, Frank and Jack have been regularly training together and have been on a number of the same call-outs.

So, what’s it like to be on the crew with a family member? “I do enjoy Jack being on the lifeboat,” Frank says. “I enjoy seeing him go through the various stages and achieving the different goals — it’s hard to put into words how proud I feel when I see him doing that.”

But like many families who have a loved one on the lifeboat, there is concern too when they put the lifeboat to sea.

“Recently, on one of the shouts,” Frank recalls with a smile, “I had to put Jack aboard another vessel at two o’clock in the morning in a Force 8 gale and everyone thought it was a great achievement and a great job. Except his mother — and she gave me such a hard time for putting his life on the line.”

Father and daughter Martin and Sami Agnew aboard Larne RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat | Credit: RNLI/Larne

For Frank though, it was no surprise when Jack decided to join the crew: “I was absolutely delighted that he was going to be a part of it, but I had no doubt that that was going to happen because Jack had shown such an interest from an early age. When I was going out on shouts he would wait up until I came in and the first thing I would hear was this voice from our little boy’s bedroom: ‘Dad, what was it?’

“His achievements within the lifeboat also — it’s probably one of the drivers that is keeping me on the lifeboat. I enjoy going out training with Jack and I particularly enjoy when we go on call outs together. It’s really rewarding when you go out on a shout and you come in and everything has gone well but to have your big son beside you when you do it, it’s pretty special.”

Meanwhile, Sami Agnew joined the lifeboat crew in Larne in October 2009 following in the footsteps of her father Martin, who marks 25 years of volunteer service next year.

“Being on the crew with my dad is very special’ following in his footsteps makes me very proud and always having him there when I need him is like an extra safety net,” Sami says.

For both families, Christmas will be no different than any other day on call this year and should their pagers sound, they will be ready to respond.

“There’s no feeling quite like bringing someone home safe to their families,” Sami adds. “But as volunteer lifeboat crew we couldn’t launch without kind donations from the public which fund the kit, training and equipment we need to save others and get home safely to our own families.”

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the RNLI is launching its annual Christmas fundraising appeal for 2023 with a focus on the generations of families who have volunteered their time and commitment to ensure the charity’s lifesaving service has continued for nearly 200 years.

To make a donation to the RNLI’s Christmas Appeal, and enable the charity to continue its lifesaving work, visit RNLI.org/WinterAppeal.

A Little Book of Happy Swimming Locations is a new guide to some of the hidden gems and well-known spots ‘for taking a dip’ all around Ireland.

Launched last month, this is the second book on the theme by open water swimmer Catherine Mulcahy. In 2021 her first book, A Little Book of Swimming Happiness, was a great success and raised over €10,000 for the RNLI.

Speaking of her love for open water swimming, the author says: “As long as I remember I have loved the sea. My mother initially introduced me to sea swimming at The Strand when I was a toddler, a local swim spot near our family home in Cork. This ‘grá’ for the sea has since evolved into a genuinely unconditional love!”

A Little Book of Happy Swimming Locations celebrates swimming around Ireland and features 50 contributors favourite swim spots.

The book is beautifully presented with photographs and commentary from swimmers who share their favourite swimming spots with the readers.

The book has a cover price of €20 with 100% of the proceeds going to the RNLI. It is available online from Nourish at and also available to purchase in-store in south Co Dublin at 64 Wine and Cavistons in Glasthule village and Cafe du Journal in Monkstown. All stockists are selling the book at 0% commission.

The search for a fisherman missing after a small fishing vessel with two on board sank off the coast of Co Louth on Tuesday morning (12 December) has been called off for the night.

RTÉ News reports that a second fisherman was rescued after the incident north of Dunany Point in Dundalk Bay, and is being treated at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

A multi-agency search and rescue operation was launched following at Mayday call at 8.45am from the fishermen’s vessel, with lifeboat and coastguard teams from Clogherhead and Greenore joining the Dublin-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 at the scene.

Clogherhead RNLI says the search will resume on Wednesday morning (13 December), adding: “We are thinking of the family of the fisherman at this difficult time.”

A long-standing volunteer fundraiser for Achill Island RNLI has been honoured by the charity’s chief executive for her generous support of the Co Mayo lifeboat station and its work in saving lives at sea.

Alexandra Van Tuyll, who has been volunteering for the charity that saves lives at sea since 1999, was presented with a framed Certificate of Thanks by the RNLI’s head of region Anna Classon during a recent visit to the lifeboat station.

The award — which was arranged by the chairperson of the Fundraising Branch, Anthony McNamara — came as a surprise to Alexandra, who was honoured in front of many of her fellow fundraising volunteers and the coxswain and mechanic of the island lifeboat station.

The official citation records that Alexandra Van Tuyll is awarded the RNLI’s Certificate of Thanks in recognition of her generous support of Achill Island Lifeboat Station since 1999.

Alexandra Van Tuyll with RNLI head of region Anna Classon, fundraising volunteers and representatives from station management and operational lifeboat crew | Credit: RNLI/Niamh Stephenson

Her contributions have included Christmas card sales, art exhibitions and donations. In 2012, she produced a book titled Sea meets Land: Around Ireland In Aid of the RNLI, showcasing her extensive visits to the stations around the coast of Ireland. Her valued contributions help the RNLI to save lives.

Speaking on presenting Alexandra with her award, Anna Classon said: “I feel I have come full circle in presenting this award. I started my career with the RNLI as a fundraising manager on the West Coast of Ireland and Alexandra was someone I came to know early on in that role.

“The lifeboat is a hugely important part of this community and having a fundraising group who will step up and support the lifeboat crew, to ensure that they can save lives at sea, means that this work continues. From the range of fundraising activities that Alexandra has supported and continues to champion, that future is in good hands. This recognition is very much deserved and I am delighted to be here to present it.”

Adding his thanks on behalf of the Achill Island RNLI fundraising branch, Anthony McNamara said: “This is a fitting tribute to the work Alexandra does on behalf of the lifeboat service here in Achill. We have a wonderful team and the community are very generous in their support of our lifeboat crew. We couldn’t do it without volunteers like Alexandra and her endless enthusiasm and dedication for raising vital funds for saving lives at sea. Long may it continue.”

As the RNLI launches its annual Christmas fundraising appeal, with a focus on the generations of families who have volunteered their time and commitment to ensure the charity’s lifesaving service has continued for nearly 200 years, there will be a new coxswain this Christmas on the Aran Islands.

Aonghus Ó hIarnáin started volunteering with the RNLI at 17 and always had a desire to move up in the organisation and become a coxswain.

“When my fiancée Treasa and I had moved home from Australia and then had our daughter, I had to start working away on ferries and research vessels as an engineer again,“ he says. “This wasn’t ideal as I was spending a lot of time away.

“When the coxswain job came, I committed myself to training and preparing for the job. I was fortunate to be offered the job then which I gladly accepted. It suits us as we want to stay on the island to raise the family and stay close to both our parents and this job allows us to do so.”

As coxswain, Aonghus is in charge of the lifeboat and her crew at sea and as such, he is all too aware of the importance of training.

Aran Islands RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat | Credit: RNLI/Aran Islands

“Regular training for everyone on the crew is important,” he says. “Everyone needs to get familiar with the person they are onboard with so that when a call out comes, you know that the person next to you is going to do their part correctly and safely.

“It is rare that the same crew do two call-outs after each other, so knowing that no matter who shows up, they have the same standard of training is important for the search and rescue capability of the station. It allows the coxswain on the day to have full confidence in the crew and allows the crew to have full confidence in whichever coxswain is in command on the day.

“Allowing the crew to get as much time on the lifeboat as possible is important. Practice makes perfect and when you see a trained person in an emergency, its shows by the level of calmness they have at that critical time.”

The role of full-time coxswain can be busy, says Aonghus: “The job is demanding time-wise, and it is difficult for the family more so. There have been several times where we plan on going for dinner, for example, only for the pager to go off and then you are gone for a few hours.

“There is a need to know where somebody is at all times. For example, on a weekend if Treasa goes for a walk or to the shop and I have our baby on my own, if the pager goes off then we need a plan for where Treasa is gone so that I can collect her with our baby and then they come to the station with me and take my car or that I bring the baby to the station and get Treasa’s parents, who are living close the station, to collect her. This is the side that people don’t see when you are full-time on call.

“Credit goes to Treasa for adapting to this and having patience with me as the demands of the job take me at uncertain times day or night. Without her support, it wouldn’t have been possible to take this job and make it work. She understands how vital the RNLI is to the island and the west coast and that we signed up to help keep it going.”

‘For the time you give at the RNLI, you will receive good training, good memories, and a great sense of achievement after every call as you know you are making a difference’

As for what he finds most rewarding, Aonghus says it’s a combination of the people you meet, the training and skills you gain and the opportunity to make a difference.

“You also have the chance to work alongside members of the community ranging in ages and experiences and backgrounds that you would normally never get the chance to work with,” he says. “Along with this, you are keeping a vital lifesaving service going on an island which needs it.

“For the time you give at the RNLI, you will receive good training, good memories, and a great sense of achievement after every call as you know you are making a difference. I started my journey in the RNLI 13 years ago and I have never looked back and it has served me well.”

Whatever weather winter throws at them, RNLI crew members like those on the Aran Islands are ready to battle the elements to save lives at sea. Their rescues are only made possible by the RNLI’s generous supporters, helping to fund the essential kit, training and equipment needed by lifeboat crews.

As he prepares for his first Christmas on call as coxswain, Aonghus says: “There’s no feeling quite like bringing someone home safe to their families — especially at Christmas. But as crew we couldn’t launch our lifeboat without kind donations from the public which fund the kit, training and equipment we need to save others and get home safely to our own families.”

To make a donation to the RNLI’s Christmas Appeal, and enable the charity to continue its lifesaving work, visit RNLI.org/WinterAppeal.

Courtown RNLI volunteers invite everyone in the community to their ‘Jingle Mingle’ event this Saturday 9 December.

The fundraising committee is hosting the Christmas afternoon from 2pm-5pm on the North Pier in Courtown, Co Wexford.

It’s an opportunity to gather and meet neighbours and friends from the community and enjoy some festive cheer.

Christmas carols, homemade mince pies and heart-warming hot chocolate will be on offer, and Santa will be arriving at 4pm to great the children and give them a little gift.

The team will also be hosting the annual ‘Light a Light’ remembrance ceremony. Candles of love, hope and remembrance are currently on sale in the Taravie at €3 each, with all proceeds going towards the Courtown lifeboat. The candles will be lit at 4.45pm, a lovely way of remembering loved ones.

The lifeboat shop will also be open on Saturday from 11am to 5pm with lots of Christmas cards, calendars, diaries and gifts on sale.

Courtown RNLI’s fundraising committee and the volunteer crew look forward to welcoming everyone to their Christmas get-together this Saturday.

Dun Laoghaire RNLI crew member Gary Hayes has been named the Christine Buckley Volunteer of the Year for 2023.

Hayes picked up the overall honour at the Volunteer Ireland Awards ceremony in Limerick on Saturday night (2 December) after he was nominated by a fellow crew member for his work with both Dun Laoghaire RNLI and Dalkey First Responders.

The Volunteer Ireland awards are the annual initiative to celebrate volunteers in Ireland. The awards shine a light on the remarkable achievements of volunteers around the country by honouring them at a national level. Every year one truly exceptional volunteer is named Christine Buckley Volunteer of the Year in her memory.

Hayes, who works as operations manager at Dun Laoghaire Marina, has been a volunteer at Dun Laoghaire lifeboat station for 21 years — currently serving as a helm and inshore lifeboat mechanic — while he has been a volunteer with Dalkey First Responders for nine years.

His nomination described the crucial role he played in saving lives at sea: “As a helm, Gary operates the lifeboat during dangerous rescue missions, navigating through challenging conditions to reach those in distress. His skills and experience are essential in ensuring the safe and effective execution of rescues. Gary’s commitment and dedication have undoubtedly resulted in countless lives being saved and families being reunited.

Gary Hayes with his Christine Buckley Volunteer of the Year award trophy | Credit: Alan Hayes/Facebook

“Additionally, Gary's role as a community first responder demonstrates his commitment to the welfare of his local community. Community first responders are trained volunteers who provide immediate care to those suffering from medical emergencies before professional help arrives.

“Gary’s willingness to step up in times of crisis and offer his medical expertise helps to bridge the gap between an incident occurring and the arrival of emergency medical services. By providing prompt medical attention, Gary significantly increases the chances of positive outcomes for those in need.

“Furthermore, Gary’s volunteer work directly contributes to building a safer and more resilient community. His involvement in both the RNLI and as a community first responder helps raise awareness about water safety and emergency preparedness. By sharing his experiences and knowledge with others, Gary inspires individuals to become more vigilant around water and encourages them to consider volunteering themselves. This multiplier effect further strengthens the community’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to emergencies.”

Speaking on being nominated and shortlisted in the Safety and Emergencies category, and then being named the overall winner on the night, Hayes said: “To be nominated for one was a shock. It was a real privilege to be nominated and shortlisted among everyone else who was there on the night and I was definitely not expecting to be announced as the overall winner — everyone else was more than deserving so it was a big surprise.”

A group of three Irish friends have joined together to write and produce a song honouring lifeboat volunteers throughout the RNLI, which they hope will raise vital funds and awareness of the work carried out by the charity that saves lives at sea.

Eamon O’Brien, Bill Shanley and Ed Jackson, known collectively as The Islands Project, wrote “The Shout” after being inspired seeing the work of lifeboat volunteers at home in Ireland and in the UK.

For Eamon O’Brien, originally from Cork but now living in Dublin, songwriting started as a pandemic project which quickly took hold and became a passion. He started writing lyrics in 2020 and when he met with Ed Jackson, sailing on the Shannon, he already had the idea for a song about the work of the RNLI.

Ed, a part-time musician from Mayo living in Dublin, and Eamon took their idea to well-known guitarist and music producer Bill Shanley of Cauldron Music, whose father was a friend of Eamon’s, and between the three of them, the lifeboat song “The Shout” was born.

Taking its inspiration from the term the lifeboat volunteers use for a search-and-rescue call-out, “The Shout” takes the listener on a journey around Ireland and the UK, name-checking many of the institutions’ lifeboat stations including Dun Laoghaire and Castletownbere in Ireland and Cowes, Cromer, Llandudno and Stornoway across the water.

The group launched the song at Dun Laoghaire lifeboat station in Dublin, which is not far from where Eamon lives. The lifeboat volunteers were due to go on their weekly training exercise and showed the group around the busy station. The crew were then presented with CD copies of the single before giving their seal of approval to the song.

Commenting on the project and his hopes for it, Eamon O’Brien said: “This has been a real labour of love. We are all involved with the water in some way, either through where we live or taking part in water-based activities. You see lifeboats in the water and you know they are there to go out when others are seeking shelter and returning to shore.

“The work the volunteers do is incredible and it is replicated at over 200 lifeboat stations throughout Ireland and the UK. Each man and woman is trained to the highest standard and is responsible for saving lives in some of the most challenging conditions.

“Conscious of the fact that 2024 is the 200th anniversary of the RNLI lifeboat service, I would love people who listen to this song to think about the incredible service the RNLI provides and consider donating to the charity to support their work.”

Speaking at the launch of the single, Dun Laoghaire RNLI coxswain Mark McGibney added: “We were delighted to welcome the group to our station to mark the release of ‘The Shout’. You can walk into any lifeboat station and the kit and the training is exactly the same. I’m very proud of our crew here, who give up so much of their time and never fail to turn up when the pagers go off. But it wouldn’t be possible without the support we get from the public and from our fundraisers.

“I hope that the song gives people a little bit of an insight into the work we do and that it helps raise some funds for the charity. Thank you so much to Eamon, Bill and Ed for writing this song — we hope everyone enjoys it.”

“The Shout” is available on all major music streaming platforms.

James Corballis and Aaron O’Reilly, two trainee crew members with Galway RNLI, have completed their training programme and passed their final assessments which means that they can progress to fully fledged crew.

Lifeboat training covers a range of skill sets such as seamanship and boat handling, navigation and search and rescue. Trainee crew must complete 15 training modules and 49 different assessments of activities in the lifeboat station and on the water to ensure that the lifeboat and crew aboard are ready to handle a wide range of situations when saving lives at sea.

James Corballis is originally from Kilkenny and has been living in Galway for the past 15 years. “The RNLI has been a big part of my family growing up and from where I live in Galway I could see the lifeboat launching at all hours day and night. It was something that I always I hoped I would do and in 2020 I was able to join the RNLI,” he said.

“I’m delighted to have now completed my trainee plan, completed and passed the final assessments which means I can now move on to be ‘substantive’ crew and take on more responsibilities when we head out to sea when the pager goes off.“”

Aaron O’Reilly grew up on the water and has always been involved in sailing and powerboating. He said: “I’ve been involved in water-based sports all my life and I know how important it is to have assistance if you need it, if there is an accident or medical emergency out on Galway Bay.

“I joined the RNLI so I could give back to the community and now that I have passed all my assessments, I’ll be able to play a greater part in providing a 24-hour rescue service for the people who need our assistance.”

Frankie Leonard, lifeboat training coordinator with Galway RNLI said: “James and Aaron started volunteering with the RNLI in late 2020 and once they completed their training as shore crew, moved on to the training plan that would enable them to become crew on the lifeboat.

“It is a real credit to both of them that they were able to complete the training modules, put the skills learned into practice on shore and on the boat and prepare for and pass their assessments while also dealing with the challenges we all faced during the pandemic.

“We are delighted to have two crew with their expertise and enthusiasm on board. Crew training is a continuous process and the learning never stops.”