Santa arrived by sea into Rosslare Europort at the weekend. Rosslare-Europort, being the closest point from the southern part of Ireland to the UK and the European Mainland, is a hub of all the major RORO Passenger and Freight services operating the southern Irish Sea and Continental routes.

As Afloat.ie reported last month, shipping lines have been notified by Rosslare Harbour that it is to waive charges for cruise ships for 2017, 2018 and 2019. The initiative is to establish the south-east as a destination for what is Europe’s fastest growing tourism sector.

Crosshaven RNLI crew in Cork Harbour received a presentation of €5,100 from the Royal Cork Yacht Club, being the proceeds of the Volvo Cork Week RNLI Ladies lunch and Fashion Show
organised by Mary Jones (pictured above) which took place in the summer. Also pictured are John Roche, Admiral and Gavin Deane, RCYC Manager. The Lifeboat crew pictured are Alan Venner, JP English, Mick Canty and Ian Venner.

#RNLI - Castletownbere RNLI was requested to go to the aid of a 36m vessel with mechanical difficulties north of the Bull Rock off the coast of West Cork on Friday evening (16 December).

The lifeboat, under the command of deputy coxswain Sean Bawn O’Sullivan, was launched within minutes and located the vessel at anchor about one hour later.

The vessel, the Ocean Guardian, was on passage from Castletownbere to Burtonport when it contacted Valentia Coast Guard.

With light winds and a 3-4m swell, RNLI volunteers passed a tow rope to the crew onboard, and the lifeboat took the vessel under tow to Castletownbere.

When off Crow Head some time later, the tow rope broke and had to be reattached. The tow was then completed without further difficulty.

The vessel was berthed alongside the pier in Castletownbere at 2.30am yesterday morning (Saturday 17 December).

Arranmore RNLI rescued four fishermen this morning after their 70ft boat got into difficulty off the Donegal coast.

The crew of the vessel which was travelling from Greencastle to Killybegs, raised the alarm before 7am after the boat developed steering problems some six nautical miles from Killybegs.

The all-weather lifeboat under Coxswain Jimmy Early launched at 7am and made its way to the scene which was approximately an hour and a half’s journey from Arranmore.

Once on scene, the volunteer lifeboat crew put a rope onboard the boat and worked with the fishermen to set up a tow line. However, due to a swell up to a metre and a half and south to south westerly Force 6-7 winds, the tow rope broke following set up. Once it was re-established, the lifeboat proceeded at slow speed due to the size of the fishing vessel, and made its way to Killybegs where it arrived with the vessel in tow at 11am.

Speaking following the call out, Tony Ward, Arranmore RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: ‘The fishermen did the right thing this morning and called for assistance when they started to encounter difficulties. Weather conditions made the tow challenging but using their skills and training, our lifeboat crew were able to get the line re-established and bring the men safely to shore.’

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI volunteers launched their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Louis Simson for the second time in two days on Tuesday evening (29 November 29) after Dublin Coast Guard received reports from a fishing vessel of a boat on fire.

Shortly before 9pm a fishing vessel contacted Dublin Coast Guard and reported seeing a boat on fire, providing GPS co-ordinates for the location.

The lifeboat, with Emma Wilson at the helm and crewed by Joe May, Philip Ferguson and Ian Guildea, made its way directly to the area indicated.

Once on scene they carried out an initial search but there were no vessels in the immediate area. There was however, a marine survey vessel operating in the area with bright orange working lights.

After a further search it was decided that it was a false alarm with good intent and the lifeboat was stood down.

Speaking after the callout, Skerries RNLI lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning said: “The crew of the fishing vessel genuinely believed that there was someone in danger and contacted Dublin Coast Guard.

“Our volunteers will respond to any call for help, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

On Sunday evening (27 November) the lifeboat launched after several people dialled 999 to report sighting distress flares near Balbriggan. However, with no sign of anyone in difficulty, the lifeboat was stood down.

This Saturday, Union Chandlery in Cork city will be hosting an RNLI pop–up shop where 100% of the proceeds will be going directly to the RNLI.

These funds are vital for keeping RNLI boats on the water and providing the crews with the lifesaving equipment they use.

The RNLI do not charge for their services and their crews give their time free of charge to save lives at sea. By buying gifts and cards from the RNLI, you are helping to ensure their invaluable service continues to benefit the seafarers of Cork and the rest of Ireland.

Cork has eight lifeboat stations along its coast from Youghal to Castletownbere.

Drop in to Union Chandlery, Penrose Quay on December 3rd to show your support for the amazing work the RNLI do in Cork and further afield. See poster below.

#RNLI - Fethard RNLI was presented with a cheque for €1,140 following a Gala Evening of Music & Song towards the charity’s special appeal in aid of a new inshore lifeboat, which is due on service at the end 2017.

The latest fundraiser was held at Colfers Pub in Carrig-on-Bannow, Co Wexford on Friday 21 October and was arranged by a local man in support of Fethard lifeboat station who were involved in his rescue this past summer.

Pat Murphy, spokesperson for the event, said: “I had need to call on the services of the Fethard RNLI in August of this year. The service the volunteer lifeboat crew provide is outstanding. In return it is with delight that I can support the station with their appeal in aid of a new inshore lifeboat.

“I wish to thank the musicians and sponsors without their support the night could not have happen. The night was kindly hosted in Colfers Pub, Carrig-on-Bannow and we wish to extend our thank you to John and Kate Murphy, together with Marcus Redmond for providing the sound and Deskin Design for designing posters, all of which ensured a tremendous evening of enjoyment for all who attended.”

Oonagh Hearne Messette, Fethard RNLI fundraising chair, added: “The community support behind our appeal is truly outstanding. Pat Murphy and his team created a night to remember all in aid of supporting his local lifeboat station.”

This latest fundraiser comes just weeks after charity cyclists presented a cheque for over €5,700 to the Co Wexford lifeboat station, not long after the Waves Music Festival raised some €35,000 towards the costs of the new lifeboat.

#RNLI - Jimmy Early has taken over as coxswain of the Arranmore RNLI all-weather lifeboat following 41 years of service.

Early, who is just weeks into the job, is currently furthering his training at the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset.

The new coxswain can recall his first call out 41 years to a medical evacuation from the island when, coincidently, the patient was the then coxswain of the lifeboat.

At that time it was mainly fishermen who manned the lifeboats, and the crew responded to the call on seeing flares and rockets going off to alert the crew.

Today, only 10% of RNLI volunteers come from a maritime background.

Potential crew members apply to serve on the lifeboat and have to serve a one-year apprenticeship and undergo rigorous training in all aspects of lifeboat disciplines, from boat handling, communications and radar to first aid and navigation.

“The lifeboats are more efficient now with much more technology in order to provide a faster response to the casualty, so the crew have to be able to manage each call out competently to ensure the best possible outcome,” says Early. “Crews are equipped with the training skills, protective clothing and the best lifeboats to save lives at sea.”

On Arranmore Island off the Donegal mainland, the RNLI has a dedicated crew of 21 volunteers who are equipped with pagers and the necessary skills and training to provide a professional response.

Early remembers the most challenging call out he was involved in back in July 2006.

Sailor Keith White, who had the use of only one arm, was sailing around the British Isles and Ireland when he got into difficulty in a force 10 gale with 10-12 metre swells 50 miles northwest of Arranmore.

It took the lifeboat six hours to reach White and get a tow rope on board in order to bring him to safety.

“At one stage a huge swell washed Keith overboard and we thought he was lost,” says Early. “After several minutes the lifeboat crew was both amazed and delighted to see an arm clutching on to the side of the boat. Keith had managed to haul himself back into his boat to the relief and joy of us all on the lifeboat.”

White’s boat was towed to safety and finally arrived in Burtonport some 22 hours after the lifeboat was first called. The sailor later returned to Arranmore to thank the crew and has since sailed to America.

The latest crew members to join the lifeboat are Martin Proctor and Fr Liam Boyle.

Proctor is following the family tradition of serving the lifeboat, as his father and uncle are both crew members. He is studying marine engineering at Cork and comes home as often as possible in order to continue his crew training with the lifeboat.

Arranmore RNLI is also breaking new ground in recruiting as, following the recruitment of its first female crew member, the station is delighted to now have its first priest join the crew.

Fr Liam Boyle took up the curacy role at Arranmore church in 2015 having served in his first parish in Ardara after ordination for six months.

Fr Liam wanted to integrate into the community and decided the best way he could serve the community outside of his ministerial duties was to join the lifeboat crew.

The priest, who had no previous seafaring experience prior to his RNLI training, said the nearest he ever got to operating a boat was on the pond in Dunlewey in a little tub.

His first callout was to a boat in difficulty at Loughross Point, where nerves and any potential seasickness were soon put to one side as the lifeboat approached the casualty vessel and Fr Liam played his role as a crew member in the rescue.

At present, crew are undergoing first aid training with Nick Darlison, a former paramedic with the NHS and now a first aid tutor from the RNLI.

In keeping with the Arranmore community and family tradition of crewing the lifeboat, many of the crew have relatives serving on the lifeboat. Early’s son Lee is the second coxswain, while mechanic Philip McCauley’s grandfather and uncles were all members of the crew.

Former crew have also returned to the crew years after spending time in England working as Tunnel Tigers.

Crew member John McHugh returned home two years ago and promptly re-joined the lifeboat. After serving his one-year apprenticeship, he is now a fully-fledged lifeboatman.

#RNLI - Castletownbere RNLI’s lifeboat was tasked just before noon yesterday (Sunday 13 November) to go to the aid of a man trapped a ledge on the shore in the Dursey Sound.

The lifeboat, under the command of second coxswain Paul Stevens, was launched within seven minutes and arrived on scene 35 minutes later, where the casualty was located at the bottom of a cliff on a narrow ledge and suspected to be suffering from hypothermia.

Given the dangerous 3-4m swell on the shoreline, the lifeboat was unable to launch its inflatable Y-boat.

The Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 was also on scene but unable to deploy a winchman given the adverse conditions.

However, the lifeboat was able to provide the coastguard with details of the casualty's location through radio contact.

The local Castletownbere Coast Guard shore-based rescue unit lowered one of its team down the rock face who was able to secure the casualty before both were carefully brought up the cliff.

On receiving a medical assessment from ambulance crew, the casualty was transferred to Tralee General Hospital by helicopter.

#RNLI - RNLI lifeboats from Wicklow and Courtmacsherry have responded to two separate calls from fishing boats in difficulty around the Irish coast in recent days.

A trawler with three fishermen onboard was towed to safety by Wicklow RNLI yesterday morning (Thursday 10 November) after it lost all power 10 miles offshore.

The all-weather lifeboat, under the command of coxswain Nick Keogh and a volunteer crew, launched shortly after 10am and were alongside the stricken fishing vessel 40 minutes later.

The skipper had dropped an anchor, but it had dragged and the vessel had drifted a short distance south with the tide. Conditions in the area had a slight sea state, with northwesterly winds of Force 2-3 and good visibility.

The Naval Service patrol vessel LÉ Orla and the work vessel Wildcat 2 also stood by the trawler as the lifeboat crew established a towline.

The trawler, with three crew on board, was then towed back to Wicklow and brought safely alongside the South Quay at 12.15pm.

The previous evening (Wednesday 9 November), Courtmacsherry RNLI's all-weather lifeboat was called out at 10.15pm to aid a 65ft fishing vessel in difficulty 25 miles south of the Old Head of Kinsale in West Cork.

The lifeboat, under coxswain Sean O'Farrell and a crew of six, launched immediately and located the casualty at 11.25pm. Conditions at sea were reasonable, with winds in the area blowing 26 knots.

The fishing boat, with three people on board had encountered trouble with its power while trawling in the area and required assistance.

On scene, the lifeboat quickly assessed the difficulties and for the next two hours, the lifeboat and stricken vessel proceeded back at low speed to Kinsale, where the boat was safely berthed at 1.45am.

The crew on board Wednesday night’s callout with O'Farrell were mechanic Stewart Russell, Ken Cashman, Donal Young, Ciaran Hurley, Denis Murphy and Conor Tyndall.