#RNLI - Clogherhead RNLI in Co Louth officially launched the station’s €150,000 Shannon lifeboat appeal on the final day of the Drogheda maritime festival yesterday (Sunday 11 June).

The total cost of Clogherhead’s new Shannon class all-weather lifeboat will be in the region of €2.5 million, the majority of which will be provided through an Irish legacy.

However, the lifeboat station must raise €150,000 towards the cost of the project through a community appeal before the lifeboat is due to go on service in 2019.

The current Clogherhead lifeboat, Doris Bleasdale, is a Mersey class that can reach a top speed of 15 knots.

In the last five years, the lifeboat crew in Clogherhead have launched their lifeboat 58 times and brought 60 people to safety.

With a Shannon class lifeboat, designed by Derry man Peter Eyre, those launches will be even faster with its top speed of 25 knots, and improved range and manoeuvrability thanks to its waterjet propulsion, which also allows the vessel to operate in shallow waters and be intentionally beached.

The official launch took place in the presence of the Mayor of Drogheda Oliver Tully and the Drogheda Harbour Master Captain Martin Donnelly on the new pier for visiting yachts at Drogheda Port, which was itself launched at the weekend during the Irish Maritime Festival.

Speaking at the launch, Drogheda Mayor Oliver Tully paid tribute to the Clogherhead lifeboat crew.

“When we hear of the RNLI going to sea we think of Clogherhead and we think of the all the lives you have saved and your predecessors before you. I would like to thank you for the tremendous work that you do. It is the Clogherhead lifeboat but is supported by everyone in the surrounding area.”

The Mayor also hailed lifeboat mechanic Padraig Rath for keeping the current lifeboat in pristine condition for 24 years.

Coxswain Tomas Whelehan added: “We are delighted that this day is finally here and we can announce the news of a Shannon class lifeboat for the east coast. We have been overwhelmed with the goodwill of people and offers of support. This new lifeboat will represent everyone in our communities as well as those who visit our shores for work or pleasure.

“Our lifeboat crew launch in all conditions at any time of night or day to bring loved ones home. The least we can do is give them the very best in lifeboat technology. Not all callouts are rescues and sometimes there is tragedy but whatever the call, our crews are always ready to answer it and our lifeboat always ready to be launched.”

For further details of how to get involved with the Clogherhead RNLI Shannon project, contact the station at 041 982 2600 and follow the Facebook page for updates.

#RNLI - Lough Derg RNLI rescued three people from two grounded yachts in two separate callouts on Sunday (4 June).

At 11.22am, as the lifeboat crew were returning to station following morning exercise, they were requested by Valentia Coast Guard to assist two people on a 22ft yacht aground 1km above Killaloe on the Tipperary shore, at the southern end of Lough Derg.

The lifeboat responded immediately with helm Eleanor Hooker, Darragh Quinn and Barry Morkan on board, and was alongside the casualty vessel at 11.48am. Visibility was good with winds at a westerly Force 3-4.

The yacht was under sail when it was pushed ashore by a severe gust. Both passengers were found to be safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets.

The RNLI volunteers checked the boat and when satisfied that it was not holed, set up bridle and tow to take it safely off the rocks.

Before removing the tow, the lifeboat crew made certain that the boat was not taking any water and the rudder was not damaged. The yacht then made way using its outboard motor to its berth at Killaloe.

The second callout came later that afternoon at 3.50pm, following a distress call for assistance on the emergency VHF Channel 16.

Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI to assist a lone yachtsman whose yacht was aground by Stick Rock, at the northern end of Lough Derg on the Co Clare shore.

At 4.04pm, the lifeboat launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, Ger Egan and Kevin Dooley on board. Winds were south-westerly, visibility was fair to poor with low clouds, rain and frequent squalls.

At 4.38pm, the lifeboat located the yacht at Stick Rock. The yachtsman was safe and unharmed and wearing his lifejacket. An RNLI crew member was transferred to the yacht to assess it for any damage before it was lifted off the rock and back in safe water 11 minutes later.

With the skipper unable to get his inboard engine started, the lifeboat escorted the boat under sail to Cloondavaun Bay, where the RNLI crew took the yacht under tow through the narrow channel to its berth.

Brendan O’Brien, deputy launching authority at Lough Derg RNLI, reminded boat users: “Check weather conditions on the lake before going afloat and to carry up to date charts of the lake.”

#RNLI - A busy June bank holiday weekend for Lough Ree RNLI continued yesterday (Monday 5 June) with the rescue of six people across two grounded cruisers in a single callout.

The lifeboat crew were first alerted by the Irish Coast Guard after 10.20am to two people on board a 25ft motor cruiser that ran hard aground on rocks south of Bantry Bay near the eastern shore of the lake.

Lifeboat operations manager Tony McCarth, assisted by shore crew Denis Buckley and Eamon Flynn, had the inshore lifeboat The Eric Rowse launched and underway in less than 15 minutes, with crew members Kieron Sloyan, Emmet Devereaux and Kieran Scullion onboard.

Weather conditions at the time were calm and dry with spells of sunshine and a light Force 2 breeze.

The lifeboat crew were on scene near the casualty vessel at 11.01am. Due to the numerous rocks in the vicinity of the cruiser, crew member Emmet Devereaux left the lifeboat and waded to the cruiser to check that all onboard were uninjured and that the boat was not taking on water.

After walking the area around the boat, a deeper channel was located to safely tow the vessel to navigable water. The vessel was undamaged and the two men aboard were able to continue their journey north to Lanesborough under their own power.

As the lifeboat departed the scene, the crew noticed a 34ft motor cruiser aground a short distance away and approached the vessel to offer assistance to the two men and two women on board.

The cruiser in this case was not very hard aground and, after performing the usual checks, the vessel was towed to safe water and the four aboard continued their journey north to Lanesborough.

Speaking after the callout, Tony McCarth said: “We were happy to be able to assist both vessels today and to help these six people continue to enjoy their weekend on Lough Ree.

“Navigation markers on the lake are located so that each one can be seen from the one before. If you cannot see the next marker, slow down, check your location on your navigation chart and proceed with caution in its approximate direction until you see it.”

Yesterday’s callout was the third in as many days for the Lough Ree lifeboat, following an assist for a grounded cruiser on Sunday afternoon and a medevac for an island resident on Saturday.

#RNLI - Lough Ree RNLI assisted two people aboard a grounded motor cruiser yesterday afternoon (Sunday 4 June) on the eastern shore of Lough Ree.

The alarm was raised at 12.19pm when two people on board the 34ft cruiser went aground in St Mark’s Bay.

Lough Ree lifeboat volunteers were quick to respond, with launching authority Billy Henshaw and shore crew launching The Eric Rowse in under 10 minutes with helm Kieran Sloyan and crew onboard.

Weather conditions at the time were breezy with a south-westerly Force 2-3 and occasional heavy downpours.

Upon arrival on scene, the lifeboat crew ensured that the two people on board were uninjured before assessing the boat which was hard aground on some rocks.

A tow line was established and the vessel was towed into deeper waters where the crew once again assessed the boat.

Although the hull appeared undamaged, there were some vibrations on driving which suggested possible damage to the propeller or rudder. A member of the lifeboat crew remained on board with the two people and the lifeboat escorted them to Quigley’s Marina.

The callout came less than 24 hours after the Lough Ree lifeboat assisted in the medevac of an island resident in need of emergency medical care, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

#RNLI - The volunteer crew of Lough Ree RNLI were alerted by the Irish Coast Guard yesterday afternoon (Saturday 3 June) to attend a medical emergency on an island in Lough Ree.

The alarm was raised shortly after 1pm on behalf of an island resident suspected to have suffered a stroke.

Volunteer launch authority Billy Henshaw got Lough Ree lifeboat The Eric Rowse launched and underway within nine minutes. The lifeboat, helmed by volunteer Tom Bradbury, reached the island less than 15 minutes later.

Conditions at the time were mostly dry with occasional heavy showers of rain and a strong south-westerly Force 5 wind with a moderate swell on the lake.

Upon reaching the island, the lifeboat crew assessed the casualty’s condition as not immediately life-threatening, but prepared to administer emergency aid should the casualty’s condition deteriorate.

The crew continued to monitor the casualty until the medevac helicopter Rescue 112 landed on the island a short time later.

The lifeboat crew transferred the casualty to the care of the paramedics, and remained on scene to assist with moving the casualty to the helicopter for airlift to hospital for further assessment and treatment.

Speaking after the callout, Lough Ree RNLI lifeboat press officer Sarah Groarke said: “Our volunteer crew members are trained to assess and monitor casualties and to administer emergency care, such as CPR and oxygen, if necessary.

“We were happy to assist the Rescue 112 paramedics in this case and hope that the casualty will make a full recovery.”

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI launched on Tuesday evening (30 May) after the Irish Coast Guard received reports of a distress flare fired from a trawler near Balbriggan.

The lifeboat — with helm David Knight and crew Stephen Crowley, AJ Hughes and JP Tanner — proceeded towards Balbriggan Harbour, where they soon spotted a fishing trawler with another fishing vessel alongside and went to investigate.

The fishing trawler had suffered a serious electrical problem and lost all power, lowering anchor and firing a flare to signal that they required help. The second fishing vessel had responded to the distress call and come to their assistance.

With the low tide making entrance to Balbriggan Harbour difficult, the broken-down trawler was taken under tow by the lifeboat and brought to the safety of Skerries Harbour.

Speaking after the callout, Skerries RNLI lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning said: “It doesn’t matter how prepared you are, things can go wrong at sea. Thankfully they were carrying flares and didn’t hesitate to use them to raise the alarm.

“We’d also like to say well done to the other vessel that responded immediately to the call for help.”

The incident came just days after a fishing vessel sank off Skerries, taking the life of one of its two crew, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

#RNLI - Dunmore East RNLI rescued two divers who got into difficulty off Hook Head in Co Wexford on Sunday afternoon (28 May).

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat at 1.19pm following a report from the Irish Coast Guard that two divers were in the sea and holding on to a buoy off Hook Head.

The two men had been doing a shore dive when they drifted offshore in tidal conditions.

Launching under coxswain Michael Griffin with four crew members onboard, the lifeboat was on the water within minutes. The Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117 from Waterford was also tasked.

Weather conditions at the time were good as the lifeboat made its way to the location around half a nautical mile from Hook Head.

On scene, the lifeboat crew observed orange smoke deployed by the helicopter overhead to guide the crew to where the divers had been located.

The divers, who were thought to be in the water for some 30 minutes, were assessed with one showing early signs of hypothermia.

Casualty care was administered on the lifeboat and the two divers were transferred safely back to shore at Slade Harbour, where they were made comfortable and not found to require any further medical attention.

Speaking following the callout, Dunmore East RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Neville Murphy said: “We were happy to help the divers and would like to wish them both a speedy recovery.

“As we approach the summer months, we would remind anyone planning any activity at sea to respect the water. Always wear the appropriate clothing for your activity and always wear a personal floatation device.

“Check the weather and tide times before you venture out and remember to always carry a means of calling for help and tell someone else where you are going and when you are due back.”

#RNLI - Lough Ree RNLI’s lifeboat crew were alerted by the Irish Coast Guard to two separate incidents on Saturday 27 May.

The first alarm was raised at 11.04am when two people on board a 32ft motor cruiser ran aground north-west of Inchbofin Island, near the eastern shore of the lake.

Lifeboat operations manager Tony McCarth, assisted by shore crew Bernard Larkin and Denis Begley, had Lough Ree lifeboat The Eric Rowse launched and underway in less than 15 minutes with crew members Stan Bradbury, Kieran Scullion and Stewart McMickan on board.

Weather conditions at the time were difficult, with heavy rain and a strong Force 4 breeze from the north-west. Visibility was poor and there was a moderate swell on the lake.

The Eric Rowse was alongside the casualty vessel at 11.31am, with the lifeboat crew checking that all on board were uninjured and wearing life jackets. Once established that the vessel was not taking on water, the lifeboat towed it off the sandy shoal to safe navigable water.

All equipment on the boat was confirmed to be in good working order, and the people on board were able to continue their journey to Lanesboro at the north end of Lough Ree.

The lifeboat crew returned to station at Coosan Point, where the shore crew prepared The Eric Rowse for service once again by 12.30pm.

Less than three hours later, 3.15pm, the volunteers were alerted again – this time to assist eight people aboard a hire cruiser aground north of the Black Islands, at the north-east shore of Lough Ree.

Launch authority Billy Henshaw and shore crew member Bernie Larkin launched the lifeboat at 3.26pm, crewed again by volunteers Bradbury, Scullion and McMickan.

The lifeboat crew reached the cruiser at 3.49pm and proceeded to conduct the usual checks before towing the cruiser to safety. The eight people on board then continued their journey south to Athlone, and the lifeboat crew returned to the station, where The Eric Rowse was reported ready for service again at 4.50pm.

Speaking later on the day, Tony McCarth said: “We were happy to be able to assist in both callouts today and to help these 10 people continue to enjoy their weekend on Lough Ree.

“Heavy rain leads to poor visibility on the lake, which can make locating navigation markers difficult, even in calm conditions. We remind all users of the lake to ensure they check the weather forecast and seek local advice on likely conditions on the lake before leaving harbour.”

#SeaKayaking - Belfast Lough escaped the rain as the fifth Bangor Bay Sea Kayak Race was held in great conditions yesterday afternoon (Saturday 27 May).

Organised by Jackie Patton of Ballyholme Yacht Club and members of Belfast Kayak Club, and with all proceeds going to the RNLI, more than 70 kayakers and paddle boarders took to the water in a wide variety of craft, and were seen on their way by a volunteer crew from Bangor RNLI.

Before taking to the water, each kayak was checked by organisers to make sure it met the required safety standard, and that every competitor was suitably attired.

Delighted by the turnout, Jackie Patton said afterwards: “This event gets better every year, with more boats taking part, and the pre-race checks give us a perfect opportunity to reinforce key safety messages with the kayakers.”

RNLI community safety officer Peter E Bullick was also on hand to offer safety advice to competitors.

Following the event, the prizegiving was held in Ballyholme Yacht Club, and Bangor RNLI lifeboat operations manager Kevin Byers thanked everyone for their generosity and said it was events like this that provided vital funds to the RNLI.

Unfortunately, the start of the race was delayed by an unrelated accident on one of the yacht club’s slipways, as safety boats were being launched.

The Bangor RNLI crew were among the first to attend, and were able to put their first aid training into practice by helping to lift the casualty into the ambulance.

Helmsman Gareth Whan said: “There are always danger points when launching boats, and this accident highlights the fact that accidents happen off the water as well as on.

“The crew and I were delighted to be able to offer some assistance to the casualty, and we wish him well for a full recovery.”

#RNLI - Holyhead RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat was launched last evening (Monday 22 May) after a man fell ill on board his sailing boat in the Irish Sea.

The station’s Severn class Christopher Pearce launched at 6.25pm after the man, who was sailing for the port of Holyhead in North Wales, had become ill and made the correct decision to call for help.

Due to the vessel’s location, a large tanker diverted from its course to shelter the stricken craft.

Once the lifeboat arrived minutes later, one volunteer was transferred onto the boat with the lone sailor, who was able to rest while the RNLI crew took his 27ft vessel in tow.

About 20 minutes into the tow, the crew member aboard reported the sailor’s condition was worsening and he was developing chest pains and breathing issues.

The tow was then released and the lifeboat went back alongside to transfer another crew member aboard with more medical equipment.

The casualty’s condition continued to worsen and the need for an immediate evacuation of was needed, so the casualty was transferred to the lifeboat ahead of a medevac by helicopter from HM Coastguard while his boat was brought into Holyhead.

Coxswain Tony Price said: “All at Holyhead RNLI are hoping the man made a swift recovery.”