#WaterfrontProperty - The Old Coastguard Station in Dromard, Co Sligo is back on the market for anyone interested in owning a piece of Ireland's maritime heritage..

The historic five-bedroom property on seven acres with some 1,000ft of sea frontage and spectacular views over Sligo Bay "would make an ideal home for both busy and creative people" says agent Ganly Walters, which is seeking €1.8 million - down from the €2.175 million asking price in the summer of 2014.

Independent.ie has more on the history of the building, which dates from 1873 but was recently completely refurbished internally though retains its Gothic windows and entranceway, as well as the old station watchtower that now serves as a utility room, and a stone boathouse and slipway with boat moorings.

#Rescue - RTÉ News reports that a large group of children in a sailing course were rescued today (Monday 12 August) when their boats were caught in a surprise swell in Sligo Bay.

The 17-strong group of children ages 9 to 12 and their instructors from Sligo Yacht Club were divided between five small sailing dinghies when the sea suddenly turned rough, capsizing two of the boats.

But the instructors acted swiftly in calling for help, with the Sligo Bay RNLI lifeboat arriving on scene quickly to rescue those who had not already made it to shore.

RTÉ News has more on the story HERE.

#RNLI - Sligo Bay RNLI will celebrate its 15th anniversary this Sunday (16 June) with an open day at the lifeboat station in Rosses Point.

There will be an opportunity to chat to the crew, have a look around the station, visit the lifeboat shop and enjoy the seafaring music provided by the groups involved in the Sea Shanty Festival which is also taking place this weekend from 14-16 June.



Sligo Bay RNLI began life in a prefab cabin at Sligo Yacht Club back in 1998. Construction on the new lifeboat station situated at the pier in Rosses Point was completed in 2002. It houses a D Class lifeboat named Elsinore and has 22 volunteer crew members, along with a fundraising team and a lifeboat shop. 



As part of the Sea Shanty Festival there will a gala concert in the Yeats Country Hotel on Saturday night (15 June), all proceeds from which will go the Sligo Bay lifeboat station. Tickets are available from the lifeboat station shop, Bay View Stores, Rosses Point and Source on John St in Sligo.

Elsewhere, RNLI volunteers and supporters from around Ireland were recognised for their role in supporting and raising funds and awareness for the lifesaving charity and its crews at the RNLI Annual Presentation of Awards in the Great Hall at Trinity College Dublin.

Guest of honour was the outgoing chairman of the RNLI, Admiral the Lord Boyce, who handed out awards to 51 volunteers throughout Ireland.

Irish Coast Guard director Chris Reynolds and his wife Geraldine along with Irish Water Safety CEO John Leech were also in attendance at the ceremony, presided over by the chairman of the RNLI Council of Ireland, John Coyle.

Awards presented on the day included two Gold Badges, four Silver Badges, 19 statuettes, 17 Bronze Badges, one pair of RNLI binoculars and eight Supporter Awards.   

The Gold Badges were received by Jackie O’Grady from Clifden RNLI branch for his work over 25 years with the station, and to Hugh Stafford in Wexford for his role in the setting up of the Fethard-on-Sea lifeboat station in the early 1990s and his work since then in raising funds for the charity.

Also receiving an RNLI statuette was former lifeboat man at Rosslare Harbour, Fergus Wickham, who was recognised for almost five decades of volunteering with the RNLI, first as a lifeboat man and then as a launching authority at the station.

#LIFEBOATS - The crew of the Sligo Bay RNLI lifeboat rescued two people from a 31ft Norwegian flagged yacht at the weekend.

The volunteer lifeboat crew was tasked by Malin Head coastguard shortly after 3.30pm on Saturday 18 August following a report that the vessel had got into difficulty.

Crew on board the inshore lifeboat Elsinore proceeded to the scene eight miles off Ballyconnell in Co Sligo. Weather conditions were good at the time with strong tides.

A man and a woman onboard the yacht had been on passage from the Labrador Coast in Canada on the final stretch of a voyage from their home in Oslo via the Caribbean and the east coast of America when they got into difficulty across the Atlantic.

Both of the yacht’s main sails were shredded in a gale and it subsequently suffered engine failure.

Arriving on scene, the lifeboat crew established a tow and took the vessel into Sligo Harbour, arriving after three hours. When the yacht was safely secured, the couple were brought into the Sligo Bay station where they were made comfortable.

Sligo Bay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Willie Murphy said: "The couple were tired after being at sea for 21 days but were in good spirits. They were extremely grateful to the crew for their service and to all at the station for their assistance after."

This is the second time this summer that Sligo RNLI has had connections with Norwegian sailors. 

In June, a 30-strong Norwegian shanty choir attended Rosses Points RNLI Shanty Festival to sing a song they had specially composed to commemorate the saving of a Norwegian crew off a shipwrecked sailing barque in the late 1800s on Coney Island in Sligo Bay.

Ever dreamt of owning your own coastguard station? Now you have the chance!

The Old Coastguard Station in Dromard, Co Sligo is an historic five-bedroom property on seven acres with 1,000ft of sea frontage and stunning views across Sligo Bay, on the market for €2,175,000.

Within, the preserved stone building - which dates from 1873 - has been refurbished as bright and spacious accomodation, with all internal woodwork in solid light oak. 

Rooms are spread over two levels, comprising three reception rooms, a study, an office, library and the watchtower, as well as five bedrooms (for en suite), five bathrooms, the kitchen, utility room, pantry and other rooms once used for storing equipment and munitions during the building's former life.

The front of the property hosts a split-level lawn enclosed by stone walls and shrubbery to give protection from the elements. At the rear is a 300sqm sheltered courtyard with an original freshwater well and a number of modernised outbuildings, such as garages and a greenhouse.

The property also comes with its original boathouse and slipway to a small sandy beach. 

Prospective owners can stay connected with full broadband and landline service, while the internet-accessible CCTV system will give extra peace of mind.

The Old Coastguard Station is located south of Ballisadare Bay just five minutes from Beltra and 18 minutes from Sligo town in an area known for its top-class golf courses and fishing spots. Yachtsmen especially will be pleased to know that Sligo Yacht Club is just a short sail away. 

More details including photos are available from Waterside Properties and Knight Frank Estate Agents.