For generations, women have saved lives, launched lifeboats and raised millions for the RNLI. At Clogherhead and Dunmore East RNLI, among many others, women are continuing this lifesaving legacy.

In Clogherhead, Co Louth, as far back as March 1904 — because of circumstances at the time — it is reported that local women launched the lifeboat. The usual land crew were not available because of an incident at sea involving local fishermen who would usually have carried out the launch.

Fifty-four years since the first woman qualified as an RNLI crew member, women make up around 12.3% of the RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew, a figure which is steadily growing.

Clogherhead RNLI volunteer Lisa Levins said: “International Women’s Day is all about girl power, but we are one crew and everyone is equal regardless of what role they do for the wider Clogherhead RNLI team. It doesn’t matter if you are female or male, we are all working together to save lives and keep people safe.’

Volunteer Barbara Kirk said: “If we can inspire other women and girls to think that this is something they can do too, then that is a bonus.

“To anyone thinking about joining the RNLI, just give it a go. Even if you haven’t got any background on the water or don’t know your way around a boat, there are roles for everyone and the training and support is comprehensive.”

Raina Freiberg is a volunteer crew members on Dunmore East RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat | Credit: RNLI/Nigel Millard

Elsewhere, Raina Freiberg joined the RNLI in Tramore in 2005 at the age of 18, eager to make a difference in her community.

Now part of the Dunmore East RNLI lifeboat crew in Co Waterford, she is proud to have served on four lifeboats and three different lifeboat classes, gaining valuable experience and skills over the course of nearly 20 years service with the charity.

“As a woman in the RNLI, I feel privileged to be part of the station where Frances Glody paved the way in RNLI history,” Raina said.

In 1981, Dunmore East’s Frances Glody became the first female RNLI all-weather lifeboat crew member in Ireland. Today, women make up around 12.3% of the RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew, a figure which is steadily growing.

Raina is pleased to see the changes over the years, such as the new crew kit designed specifically for women. She says it's the little things that make big differences: “I’m thrilled to see all-female crews saving lives at sea and I believe that there is an opportunity for women to fulfil any role they desire in the RNLI. We are all working together to save lives and keep people safe.”

Frances Glody was Ireland’s first female RNLI all-weather lifeboat crew member when she joined the Dunmore East unit in 1981 | Credit: RNLI Archive

Sue Kingswood, RNLI inclusion and diversity manager added: “Creating an inclusive culture which supports diversity is key to our long-term sustainability. So, we’re working hard to make sure that a wide range of people see the RNLI as a charity where they’re welcome as volunteers, supporters or staff.

“As we approach our 200th anniversary, women are now more evident in operational search and rescue roles throughout the RNLI than they have ever been before. They are also better represented across operational management and in SAR training roles, which is great to see.

“However, we still have a long way to go to achieve the representation we would like, not only where women are concerned, but across a much broader spectrum of diversity too.”

Clogherhead RNLI lifeboat came to the aid of two fishermen this morning (Thursday, 12 January) after their 10m boat encountered steering difficulties and began to drift out to sea.

The volunteer lifeboat crew were requested to launch their all-weather Shannon class lifeboat at 10.30 am following a request by the Irish Coast Guard to go to the fishermen’s aid. The lifeboat launched immediately under Coxswain Sean Flanagan and with four crew members onboard.

Weather conditions at the time were poor, with a constant south-to-south westerly wind gusting 45 knots once the lifeboat arrived on scene some 10 minutes later, two and a half miles northeast of Clogherhead.

The crew on the Razor boat had been fishing along the shore when their boat got into difficulty and was then pushed out to sea by the challenging weather.

The Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 116 from Dublin, was also tasked along with Clogherhead Coast Guard.

Once on scene, the lifeboat crew observed that the fishermen were safe and well but that the boat was lying broadside due to the weather.

Having assessed the situation, a decision was made to establish a towline which was done successfully despite the weather. The vessel was then towed back to the nearest safe port at Port Oriel. This was done at a slow two knots for the comfort of the fishermen onboard who were facing into the weather. The lifeboat arrived in Port Oriel at 1.15 pm where they were assisted by the shore unit of Clogherhead Coast Guard in taking the ropes of the fishing boat and securing her at the pier.

Speaking following the call out, Clogherhead RNLI Coxswain Sean Flanagan said: ‘Conditions at sea were challenging today, but we were delighted to assist the fishermen and bring them safely back to Port Oriel. We would also like to thank our colleagues in the Coast Guard for their assistance.

‘We are experiencing some poor weather at the minute, so we would encourage anyone planning a trip to sea to check the forecast before venturing out and to attend to their own personal safety. Should you get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard'.

The volunteer crew from Clogherhead RNLI in Mid Louth were called to rescue a lone fisherman and his boat in calm conditions as the sun went down on Saturday evening (10 September).

The fisherman himself had requested help from the Irish Coast Guard who tasked Clogherhead RNLI to come to his aid as his fishing boat was drifting after the propellor became tangled in some lobster pots.

The all-weather Shannon class lifeboat launched under coxswain Gerard Sharkey at 7.11pm and headed to the fishing boat’s confirmed position two miles north of Dunany Point.

The lifeboat reached the drifting vessel at 7.40pm and the crew found the fisherman to be fine himself but anxious because the boat had continued drifting.

The crew assessed the situation before a decision was made to attach a tow rope to the drifting vessel and make the journey back to the nearest safe port at Clogherhead Harbour. The lifeboat, with fishing boat and the fisherman in tow, arrived safely at 9.30pm.

Speaking after the callout, Sharkey said: “The RNLI always advises anyone who needs help at sea to call 999 and ask for the coastguard which is what this fisherman did. Happily, we reached him before anything happened and we had a positive outcome for the fisherman and his boat.”

Volunteers at Skerries RNLI raced into action on Friday afternoon (10 June) around 1pm following a 999 call reporting two children being blown out to sea on an inflatable from Bettystown beach.

The crew encountered heavy squalls heading north to the location in their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat, and with the increased risk to the casualties they requested that Clogherhead RNLI in Co Louth assist in the search.

As the team from Clogherhead were making their way south in their all-weather lifeboat, Skerries RNLI located the casualty vessel — which turned out to be a yellow kayak containing personal belongings but no one on board or in the water nearby.

Dublin Coast Guard issued a Mayday before tasking the Dublin-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 as well as the Drogheda Coast Guard land unit.

The lifeboat from Skerries immediately began a search pattern in the area, while Clogherhead RNLI commenced a parallel search of the shore from the mouth of the Boyne heading south.

Shortly after the search patterns had begun, Rescue 116 requested Clogherhead RNLI to divert from their course to investigate an object in the water near Gormanstown beach.

However, as they were making their way to the coordinates given, Dublin Coast Guard reported that the owners of the kayak had made contact and confirmed that they were ashore in Bettystown and were safe and well.

The Mayday was cancelled and all units were stood down and returned to their respective bases.

Conditions at the time has a Force 4-5 westerly wind with slight swells and good visibility. There were occasional strong squalls with winds increasing to Force 6 and visibility reduced to poor.

Speaking about the callout, Skerries RNLI press officer Gerry Canning said: “There were two black back supports in the kayak so it’s very easy to see how the person who dialled 999 and asked for the coastguard genuinely believed that someone was in difficulty.

“Thankfully in this case it was a false alarm, but they did exactly what we want people to do when they see someone in trouble.”

RNLI crews from Kilkeel in Co Down and Clogherhead in Co Louth launched to the aid of seven people and a dog last week after their 80ft tall ship ran aground in Carlingford Lough.

The lifeboat volunteers launched their inshore and all-weather lifeboats at 3.30pm on last Tuesday 24 May following a report that a vessel had run aground on a falling tide earlier in the day close to Narrow Water Castle while on passage from Newry to Ballycastle in Northern Ireland’s North Antrim coast.

Greenore Coast Guard and Kilkeel Coastguard were also tasked. But with no one in immediate danger, a decision was made to hold off on launching the lifeboats to assist until the tide came up.

With the rising tide, the ship began to take on water quickly so upon arrival, lifeboat crew transferred on board with two salvage pumps to take the ingress out.

The seven crew of the tall ship and the dog were transferred onto their smaller inflatable tender which was safely escorted to Warrenpoint Harbour by Clogherhead RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat.

Meanwhile, two more pumps were put aboard the vessel and after two-and-a-half hours the ship became level with the sea again. Subsequently the tall ship was towed into the channel where it was able to continue under its own steam to the nearest safe port at Warrenpoint Harbour escorted by both lifeboats.

Speaking following the callout, Kilkeel RNLI helm Gary Young said: “Thankfully, no one was in any immediate danger, but the ship’s crew safely moved to their tender once the vessel began to take on a lot of water as the tide rose.

“There was great teamwork between ourselves and our colleagues from Clogherhead RNLI and Greenore Coast Guard. We had to work quickly to get the salvage pumps on and to remove the ingress of water which we were delighted to see working in order to save the vessel.”

The lifeboat crew at Clogherhead RNLI rescued a lone kayaker over the weekend (Saturday 6 March) after they capsized near the local headland and were unable to get back on their craft due to the sea conditions. A local fishing vessel stood-by as the lifeboat crew made their way to the scene.

The Coast Guard requested the Louth based lifeboat to launch at 1.45 pm and directed them a short distance from the lifeboat station to the local headland, where a lone kayaker had capsized and was struggling to get back on their kayak, due to sea conditions. A local fishing vessel was nearby keeping watch until help arrived, unable to offer assistance as the casualty was dangerously close to the rocks.

On arrival at the scene, the All-Weather lifeboat was manoeuvred into position by the Coxswain and the kayaker was rescued from the water. Conditions were a little challenging with an onshore wind, blowing a force four to five. After taking him onboard, the lifeboat crew brought the kayaker to shore at Port Oriel harbour where they were met by Clogherhead Coast Guard shore-based unit and paramedics.

Commenting on the callout Clogherhead RNLI Deputy Launching Authority Jim Kirk said, ‘Thankfully this was a successful callout that ended well. The kayaker was wearing a lifejacket and had all the correct equipment. With the fishing vessel crew keeping a close eye on him and his short distance from the lifeboat station, the crew were able to reach him quickly and bring him safely ashore. The nearby rocks presented a challenge in reaching him safely but the lifeboat crew train for all types of rescues.’

It is the end of an era at Clogherhead RNLI as long-serving lifeboat crewmember and station mechanic, Padraig Rath, affectionally known as ‘Pops’ has handed in his pager and officially retired from saving lives at sea this week. After four decades with the lifeboat charity, Pops took part in his last exercise on the lifeboat, which was witnessed by a large turnout made up of lifeboat crew personnel and fundraisers past and present, neighbouring lifeboat crew members along with family, friends, and supporters. It was a fitting send-off for the much-loved lifeboat mechanic who has been a constant and dedicated presence at Clogherhead lifeboat station for many years.

Born into a fishing family, Pops first went to sea as a young student in the summer of 1972. Losing his father at a young age, Pops went into fishing full time on completing his Leaving Cert before joining the Clogherhead lifeboat crew in 1982. He took on the role of Second Mechanic at the lifeboat station in 1991, becoming the Station Mechanic and Deputy 2nd Coxswain in 2000, on the retirement of Paddy Levins. With a young family to rear, Pops relished the role which would keep him in the community and doing what he loved. He was responsible for looking after the engines on the station’s Mersey class lifeboat Doris Bleasdale, making sure the lifeboat was ready to go to sea, night, or day and in any weather.

Last one - Pops (centre) on his last exercise with Clogherhead RNLI Photo: Thomas Caffrey

His years as lifeboat crew have seen many changes and, in his time, the station has had three classes of lifeboats. When he joined the Oakley class was on station, which was followed by the Mersey class, before the latest Shannon class arrived in 2019. The Oakley lifeboat did 8 knots, the Mersey’s speed increased to 16 knots, while the Shannon reaches speeds of 25 knots. Each lifeboat bringing big changes and demands.

Pops has been on many callouts during his time on the lifeboat but the callout that stands out is the one he didn’t make. On holidays with his family in 1999, he rang home for the result of a local match when his mother told him about the Dunany tragedy, where four people drowned and four were rescued, when the boat they were in capsized. It was an enormous tragedy for the community. There was also a callout in 2011, where a group of primary school children who went kayaking, capsized, and ended up in the freezing water, not far from the lifeboat station. The large group were rescued by the lifeboat crew and taken to hospital, after being spotted in the water by the station’s Lifeboat Operations Manager. One of the parents keeps in touch to this day.

Pops has no plans to leave the RNLI behind. He is the station’s GAA Ambassador, a volunteer role for the partnership between the charity and the GAA, which sees the RNLI talking to clubs and supporters locally about water safety. He is also a passionate fundraiser for the lifeboat. While he will now relish the time he can spend with family and the extended breaks he can take time away from the station now that he is not on call.

Commenting on his retirement Clogherhead RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Declan Levins said, ‘I don’t think there are enough words to do justice to Pop’s legacy. The respect and affection the lifeboat crew and fundraisers have for him is clear and he has been the heart of this station for many years. He is so passionate about lifeboating and his enthusiasm for it was infectious. We are indebted to him for all his service, and I’m delighted he is staying involved with fundraising and the GAA/RNLI water safety work.’

Reflecting on his retirement Pops said, ‘I’ve had an amazing time being part of this incredible lifeboat crew and remarkable station. With each new class of lifeboat came new challenges. We were doing twice the speed and I was thinking twice as fast, but I loved it. It was a huge responsibility to make sure that the lifeboat would always bring the crew out to sea and always bring them and all casualties home safe. I’m proud of that. I’ll miss being out on the water but I’m leaving it in the very best of hands. I wish the very best of luck to the Crews, all involved with the station, their families and my successor Barry Sharkey and his family. May they always be safe when answering the “call” and return safely to their families.’

‘The Clogherhead lifeboat doesn’t belong to any one person, it’s the community’s lifeboat. They own it and every time we launch, we do it because they support us, and I hope they are proud of what we do.’

Lifeboat crew with Clogherhead RNLI had an early morning call out today (Wednesday 2 March) when they were requested to launch by Dublin Coast Guard to a 16m fishing vessel with five people onboard, that had suffered machinery issues a mile and half from Clogherhead.

Conditions were good with a force five to six onshore breeze. The volunteer crew launched the lifeboat at approximately 6.30 am and were quickly on scene. After making an assessment on the safest course of action, they took the vessel under tow and brought it to the nearest safe port at Port Oriel. They were back at the lifeboat station in under an hour, having brought the vessel to safety.

Commenting on the call out, Clogherhead RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Declan Levins said, ‘this was an early shout for the lifeboat crew and I’m grateful to them for getting the lifeboat launched so quickly to help the fishing crew. Thankfully conditions were not too bad out there but with the fishing vessel losing power, we needed to get them back to the safety of the shore as soon as possible.’

A busy mother of two young children is among five new volunteers who will be carrying pagers and on call for the first time this Christmas at Sligo Bay RNLI.

As the charity continues its Christmas Appeal, Rachel Wirtz is preparing to swap turkey and pudding and run to the lifeboat station should her pager go off.

She is urging people across Sligo to help her crew, and the thousands of other volunteer crews on call over the Christmas period, to continue their lifesaving work.

Rachel joined the crew over a year ago but due to the pandemic and restrictions, she couldn’t work on completing her assessments face-to-face until this year. While she has been involved in callouts as shore crew, she hasn’t yet made a lifeboat callout to sea.

“The standard and extent of the training has been excellent, and I am learning terrific new skills,” says the mum-of-three who lives in Rosses Point. “There was a rush of adrenaline and excitement rather than apprehension for my first call out. I am excited about being able to contribute and I feel very lucky to be a part of it.”

Among the other new lifeboat crew members at Sligo Bay RNLI are Reece Meldrum and Aisling Murphy, while Noah Canham and Caroline Collery have joined the shore crew. Yvette Carter, meanwhile, will be spending her first Christmas as a lifeboat helm.

Like Rachel, each RNLI crew member signs up to save every one from drowning — it has been the charity’s mission since 1824.

Rachel adds: “This is my first Christmas on call, and I know even over the festive period, our lifesavers are ready to drop everything at a moment’s notice and rush to the aid of someone in trouble on the water. At this time of year, the weather can be at its worst and lives can be on the line.

“We know that every time our crews go out, they hope for a good outcome, but sadly this sometimes isn’t the case. We hope that this year’s Christmas appeal will show people just how tough it can be, but also that with their help we can get so much closer to our goal of saving every one.”

The four men taking on new roles with Clogherhead RNLI this Christmas

Meanwhile, on the East Coast, Clogherhead RNLI have appointed four people to new lifesaving roles as this Christmas the station stands ready to launch at a moment’s notice to save lives at sea.

Sean Flanagan, a pilot boat coxswain at Dublin Port, and Denis Levins, an officer with P&O Ferries, have been passed out as lifeboat coxswains, while Raymond Butterly has joined the station to become shore crew for launching the station’s impressive Shannon class lifeboat.

Barry Sharkey has also been appointed as the new full-time mechanic for the station, taking over from the retiring Padraig Rath.

The four men helped the charity launch its Christmas appeal at the Co Louth-based lifeboat station and are calling on the public to support the RNLI’s lifesaving work this Christmas, as they remain on call and ready to launch.

“We know that every time our crews go out, they hope for a good outcome, but sadly this sometimes isn’t the case,” says Barry, who comes from a well-known local fishing family. “Through people supporting this year’s Christmas appeal, with their help we can get so much closer to our goal of saving every one.”

To make a donation to the RNLI’s Christmas Appeal, visit RNLI.org/Xmas

RNLI lifeboat crews from Skerries and Clogherhead launched yesterday (Monday 25 May) to retrieve a number of adults and children who had become stranded on rocks near Mornington Beach, east of Drogheda.

The lifeboats were launched shortly before 3pm after Dublin Coast Guard received emergency calls about the group’s welfare.

Also tasked were the Irish Coast Guard’s Dublin-based helicopter Rescue 116, the Drogheda Coast Guard boat, and a coastguard land unit, with all arriving on scene within minutes.

Two women, a man and three children were located on the breakwater on the Mornington side of the River Boyne. It’s understood that the women and children had managed to climb up onto the rocks after they were pulled out to sea by a strong current, and the man had come to their assistance.

Working together, Skerries RNLI and Drogheda Coast Guard used their inshore boats to transfer the woman and one of the children to Clogherhead’s all-weather lifeboat for a possible transfer to the helicopter.

However, after consultation with the woman and Rescue 116, it was decided to bring them to a waiting ambulance on Mornington pier to be assessed and treated for their injuries.

The two inshore boats then recovered the remaining casualties from the rocks and brought them to be checked out by ambulance paramedics.

Subsequently the lifeboat crew were informed that another child had also been in the water and had suffered cuts and bruises.

However, they had made it back to shore with assistance from one of the adults. That child was picked up from the beach with another adult and brought for assessment by the ambulance crews.

Speaking about the call out, volunteer lifeboat press officer for Skerries RNLI, Gerry Canning, said: “Any incident involving multiple casualties has the potential to be serious.

“This was another great example of how well our volunteers work alongside our colleagues from our flank stations, from the coastguard and indeed all the emergency services.

“We hope all the casualties involved make a full and speedy recovery.”