#RNLI - A fishing vessel that developed steering trouble in Belfast Lough was towed to safety by Donaghadee RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat Saxon, assisted by Bangor RNLI’s inshore lifeboat.

The Donaghadee lifeboat launched at 3.20pm yesterday (Friday 9 May) after a request from Belfast Coastguard.

At the scene, six miles north-east of Orlock Point, a secure tow-line was established to the stricken trawler, which had a crew of six.

The vessel was towed to Bangor Harbour where the crew of Bangor’s Atlantic class lifeboat Jessie Hillyard assisted, safely guiding the trawler to a berth at the Eisenhower Pier. The Donaghdee lifeboat stood down at 5.40pm.

Donaghadee RNLI’s lifeboat operations manager Alan Couser said: “This rescue was a fine example of swift action and good teamwork by two lifeboat crews. Another potential tragedy has been averted.”

Elsewhere, a 75-foot fishing boat St Claire was finally towed to safety in Cork Harbour by the Courtmacsherry lifeboat last night after a marathon 11-hour operation.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the vessel had got into difficulties earlier in the day some 35 miles off the West Cork coast.

Poor sea conditions with strong winds resulted in a slowed return journey to shore.

Courtmacsherry RNLI deputy launching authority Dermot O'Mahony said: "All aboard the trawler were mighty pleased to be in safe harbour tonight. 

"I would like to commend the volunteer lifeboat crew on their quick response for what has turned out to be a lengthy call-out."

The lifeboat crew on yesterday's call-out were coxswain Sean O 'arrell, mechanic Stewart Russell and crew Dara Gannon, Ken Cashman, Gary Barrett, Ciaran Hurley and Dave Philips.

#lifeboat – Courtmacsherry RNLI All Weather Lifeboat continues to tow a 75–foot fishing vessel that had got into difficulties earlier today 35 miles off Courtmacsherry in West Cork. It is now proceeding to take the trawler to the safefy of Cork Harbour. As the conditions at sea today are poor with strong winds, it will be 7.30 pm this evening before both vessels arrive at the mouth of the Harbour. Following the successful location of the stricken Trawler at 10 am this morning, both vessels are making slow pace in poor conditions. There are six crew on board the fishing vessel.

#RNLI - Red Bay RNLI was involved in the rescue Sunday afternoon (4 May) of a man who fell overboard from a boat near Cushendall in Co Antrim.

The man had fallen from the vessel near Waterfoot pier and was in the water for nearly 30 minutes. Members of the public raised the alarm.

A local fish farm boat located the man in the water and he was then moved to the lifeboat, where he was treated for hypothermia before been transferred to a waiting ambulance crew.

His condition is thought not to be life-threatening.

#sailathon – Had you been walking the East or West Pier of Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Saturday morning around 9pm you would have seen an INSC 1720 rigged as a committee boat make its way out into Dun Laoghaire Harbour's training area. This was to be the committee and mother ship for the Irish National Sailing Schools annual charity Sail-A-Thon, this year in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Approximately an hour later at 10am 75 young sailors aged from as young as 7years took to the waters of Dun Laoghaire Harbour and made their way up to the main harbour. Some INSS instructors took to the piers both East and West with collection buckets to show why so many young sailors were out on the waters of Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

To break up the day there were various games and races throughout the day as the strong easterly winds built up during the day. Our keen sailors took a short break for lunch as many needed to re-energise before heading back out for the afternoon stint.

To wrap up the day, members of the Dun Laoghaire lifeboat unit called in to allow the children to ask them questions and also to be presented with the cheque for the amount raised on the day. There was a BBQ in full swing with many parents of the children also coming down to meet the lifeboat crew.

The presented cheque was €1,855 for the day with many more sponsorship forms and money still to be collected.

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's second call-out this bank holiday weekend – after Friday's early morning tow of a stricken yacht - saw two on board a 13m cruiser brought to safety early today (4 May) after their vessel suffered engine failure.

The station's all-weather lifeboat was launched at 6.44am and located the vessel a short time later, two miles east of Wicklow Harbour.

Volunteer crew member Terry Sillery went on board the motor cruiser to assist with establishing a towline.

Weather conditions in the area at the time were blowing a westerly force three wind and there was poor visibility.

The motor cruiser was on passage to Wales when it developed engine trouble. The owner put down an anchor so the vessel would not drift and contacted the Irish Coast Guard for assistance.

The stricken motor cruiser was towed into Wicklow Harbour and safety secured alongside the East Pier at 7.40am.

The crew on the call-out were coxswain Dave O'Leary, mechanic Tommy Murphy, Terry Sillery, Carol Flahive, Brian Sinnott, Connie O'Gara, John Vize and Alan Goucher.

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI launched in the early hours of yesterday morning (Friday 2 May) to bring a yacht and its crew of three to safety.

The volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 2.57am in response to a call for assistance from an English yacht with three people on board some 23 miles north-east of Wicklow Harbour.

The alarm was raised after the skipper of a yacht contacted the coastguard to say he was unable to make any headway due to insufficient wind, and was having difficulties after the boat’s engine had failed.

The lifeboat, under the command of coxswain Tommy McAulay and five volunteer crew members, located the vessel at 4.20am. A towline was passed and the casualty was towed into Wicklow Harbour, arriving safely at 6.55am.

Speaking following the call out, Wicklow RNLI lifeboat operations manager Des Davitt said: "Our volunteers are always on call and prepared to respond to any emergency at any time. 

"We were delighted to be of assistance at this early hour and were glad to be able to bring these three people and their yacht safely to shore."

The lifeboat crew on the call out were coxswain Tommy McAulay, mechanic Brendan Copeland and crew members John Vize, Tommy Murphy, Connie O Gara and Alan Goucher.

#lusitania – The Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Lusitania Centenary Committee is appealing to anyone or any organisation that may have Lusitania artefacts, stories and memorabilia or know of any family members of those lost or saved in the tragedy to get in contact.

Next Wednesday 7 May, marks the 99th anniversary since the sinking of the Lusitania and Courtmacsherry RNLI's lifeboat will be visiting her resting place to lay a wreath to remember those lost.

The RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner, launched in 1907 by the Cunard line, a holder of the Blue Riband and briefly the world's biggest ship. On 7 May 1915 on passage from New York, she was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat South of Courtmacsherry Bay, West Cork, Ireland with the tragic loss of over 1,200 lives.

Shortly after she was hit, Courtmacsherry RNLI's lifeboat, Ketzia Gwilt which was then stationed at Barry's Point under the command of Coxswain Timothy Keohane and his crew of 14 men, was requested to respond to reports of a large four funnel steamer in distress south east of the Seven Heads.
Courtmacsherry's lifeboat was launched, but in calm conditions without any wind, the sails were of no use so the entire distance of over 12 nautical miles to the casualty had to be rowed by the lifeboat crew.

Next year, to commemorate the centenary of the sinking, the crew of Courtmacsherry RNLI will perform a re-enactment of their call to service on that tragic day in 1915 and will row out to the site of the disaster in a restored original pulling and sailing lifeboat from 1900.

This commemoration event will be held during the May Bank holiday weekend and will be accompanied by a Lusitania exhibition in the lifeboat station and other related events at local venues.

Tadgh MacCarthy, Courtmacsherry RNLI second mechanic and committee member said: 'My ambition to join the lifeboat crew came at a very young age, shaped by the stories that my grandmother told me of watching the Lusitania sinking from the school yard in Butlerstown. As I grew older this enthusiasm also grew so eventually I followed in my grandfather and grand uncle's footsteps and joined the lifeboat crew to keep the tradition of providing help to those in need at sea.'

Dara Gannon from the Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Lusitania Centenary Committee added: 'The loss of the Lusitania is a huge part of Courtmacsherry history and it's not long since some retired lifeboat crew from that day in 1915 were around to recall it. Every Courtmacsherry crew member today holds admiration for all the hardy crewmen of long ago that responded in the attempts to rescue life that tragic day and hope that this centenary commemoration not only makes people think of the loss of life but also the gallant efforts made to save it.'

Anyone with information, questions or contributions are asked to email [email protected] or contact the station at +353 23 8846600. If you would like to learn more about Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat's call to the sinking of the Lusitania, please visit our website at www.lusitaniacentenary.ie

#Lifeboat - The famous lifeboat Mary Stanford, which was saved from being scuttled earlier this year, has returned to her spiritual home in Ballycotton, as the Irish Examiner reports.

Afloat's Jehan Ashmore previously recounted the story of the Barnett-class lifeboat renowned for her role in the daring rescue of crew from the Daunt Rock lightship in 1936.

In recognition of that tremendous effort, the Mary Stanford became the first and only RNLI lifeboat ever to be awarded a hold medal for gallantry.

In more recent years, however, she lay abandoned all but forgotten at Dublin's Grand Canal Dock, next to the similarly neglected Naomh Eanna.

But some did not forget - and the efforts of campaigners have literally put her on a pedestal at the East Cork village's cliff walk, where she was unveiled last weekend.

Work is now getting underway to restore the classic lifeboat to her former glory. The Irish Examiner has more on the story HERE.

#rnli – The Irish National Sailing School's (INSS) Sail-a-thon 2014 in aid of the RNLI is taking place this Saturday the 3rd of May. The first question readers of this may have is what is a sail-a-thon? Effectively, it's a sponsored sailing-marathon where participants raise money in aid of our chosen charity. The Sail-a-thon is an annual event at the Irish National Sailing School and since 2007 we have raised over €20,000 for Crumlin Children's Hospital. With this year's event falling on Saturday the 3rd of May, during the RNLI's MayDay Campaign we thought that the RNLI was the perfect charity to run the event is aid of. After all, it's the RNLI that all sailors depend upon in circumstances where things go wrong!

The Sail-a-thon will be on Saturday the 3rd of May and runs for 7 hours, for which participants from the Irish National Sailing School's Junior Club which sails throughout the school term on Saturday's will be taking part.

We are aiming to get over 100 junior club members out sailing in over 50 boats for over 7 hours (split into shifts) whilst enjoying non-stop races, regattas (15+ Group), and all out fun! At the end of this busy day all sailors can look forward to a celebratory BBQ in the INSS Clubhouse and a prize giving ceremony with dozens of prizes. All parents are invited to attend the BBQ and prize giving where we will be presenting a representative from Dun Laoghaire RNLI with a cheque for all funds raised!

So if you're on the water in Dun Laoghaire this Saturday make sure to pop over to the West Pier and say hello! The training area of the outer harbour will be home to our 15+ years age section who take part in their annual regatta as part of the Sail-a-thon. The 11-14 years age group will be sailing their highly decorated toppers, adorned with balloons and flags in the vicinity of the marina and outer harbour. Our 7-10 years age group will be heading up and down the West Pier, taking part in races, games and all out fun!

Collectors will be based on the West Pier, where donations can be made on the day, or alternatively those wishing to support Sail-a-thon 2014 in aid of the RNLI can make donations online at http://www.mycharity.ie/event/rnlisailathon2014/ .

#RNLI - Crew members from the training ship Astrid that sank on 24 July 2013 visited Kinsale RNLI lifeboat station to thank volunteer crew and support the RNLI’s Mayday campaign.

Some 30 young people were brought to safety by RNLI lifeboat Miss Sally Anne Baggy when the tall ship hit rocks between Oysterhaven and Kinsale.

Volunteer crew members Liam O’Connell, Nick Searls and Jim Grennan, who were on the Kinsale RNLI lifeboat on the day Astrid sank, were on hand to welcome the visitors and present them with iconic Yellow Welly key rings to mark the occasion.

Undeterred by their experience last summer, the youngsters were taking part on a training exercise on 70ft schooner Spirit of Oysterhaven, the flagship of The Oysterhaven Centre.

The Astrid rescue was just one of more than 40 rescue missions launched by Kinsale RNLI last year.

Voice of Ireland judge and former Westlife member Kian Egan has lent his support to the Mayday campaign which runs from this Thursday 1 till Monday 5 May, when the charity’s volunteers will be selling yellow welly pin badges and key rings for a €2 donation, in cities, towns and villages throughout Ireland.

And as previously reported on Afloat.ie, there will also be a number of welly-themed events held to raise funds for the lifesaving charity in Ireland.