#RNLI - Arklow RNLI's volunteers were enjoying their Sunday morning (27 September) when their pagers sounded at 10.55am.

Within minutes Arklow’s all-weather lifeboat Ger Tigchleaar had slipped her moorings and was en route to a catamaran that had reported engine trouble, some eight miles off the coast on the outside of the Arklow Bank.

The lifeboat crew located the casualty, who had re-routed across the bank, and a crew member was put aboard the 9m vessel to assist the sailor.

Once aboard, a towline was quickly established and the lifeboat proceeded the long, slow tow back to Arklow.

The stricken catamaran had been on a passage from Holyhead to Kilmore Quay when it got into difficulty.

All hands – including the sailor's pet dog – came ashore safely on the Avoca River at Arklow.

Arklow RNLI’s volunteer crew on this call out included coxswain Brendan Dillon, mechanic Geoff Kearnes, Roger Tyrell, Aidan Downey, David Lee, Jimmy Myler and Craig O’Reilly.

Speaking following the incident Arklow RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Mark Corcoran said: "This man made the call for help early which ensured our crew could get out to his assistance in time.

"No matter how experienced a sailor is, we would always encourage anyone to carry a means for calling for help and plan your passage with sufficient fuel and other required items for the trip."

#RNLI - At a special ceremony held yesterday (Saturday 26 September), Wexford RNLI officially named its new D class lifeboat, Alfred William Newman, at its lifeboat station in the town, adjacent to Wexford Bridge and the Quays.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the lifeboat, which went on service on the 25 June this year, was funded by the late Alfred William Newman from Birmingham who, through a bequest in his will, provided the D class lifeboat to enable crews to continue Wexford RNLI’s lifesaving service.

Welcoming guests at the ceremony Wexford RNLI lifeboat operations manager Nick Bowie said the naming ceremony and service of dedication was a special occasion in the history of the Wexford lifeboat station.

He also welcomed members of the Booth family, who funded Wexford RNLI’s last lifeboat in memory of their beloved son and brother Philip. During its time on service, the Philip Robert Booth launched 112 times, saved eight lives and rescued 86 people.

The honour of naming the new lifeboat went to Yvonne Shields, chief executive at the Commissioners of Irish Lights, an organisation which has for many years enjoyed strong links with the RNLI.

Speaking at the event, she said Irish Lights had a deep admiration for the RNLI and the wonderful work the charity did around the coast.

"It is a remarkable organisation powered by a remarkable network of volunteers, who together are hugely dedicated and committed to the safety of all. At Irish Lights our role is also focused safety at sea through the provision of aids to navigation to ensure safety passage for all.

"We regard ourselves and the RNLI as part of the same family of organisations dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of mariners around the coast and indeed there are many Irish Lights people directly involved in the RNLI. This close and heartfelt relationship between our two organisations is why I was delighted to be asked to participate in today’s ceremony."

RNLI Irish Council member Niamh McCutcheon accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI before handing her over into the care of Wexford Lifeboat Station.

McCutcheon said the demand for the lifeboat service showed no sign of slowing down. "Here in Wexford over the past five years, the volunteer lifeboat crew have launched on average 11 times each year, rescuing a total of 47 people," she said.

"That is an incredible achievement, and I would like to pay a particular tribute to every crew member, shore crew, station manager and fundraiser who has made every one of those launches possible. Each and every one of you had a vital role in that rescue."

Since the new lifeboat went on service in Wexford there have been six callouts and many training exercises.

Accepting the new lifeboat, Bowie said: "Part of my job is to authorise her launch when requested. Through the Irish Coast Guard I have the volunteers paged, asking them to get down to the station as quick as possible and prepare for a launch.

"When they arrive, and get kitted up, and head out to sea, I’ll have peace of mind because I know this lifeboat will help to keep them safe, as they save others. So, on behalf of all the station volunteers, I would like to thank the donors and their family. Your generosity has given Wexford Town a lifesaver."

A crowd of well-wishers turned up to see the lifeboat officially named, with a bottle of champagne poured over the side of the boat before it launched at the end of the ceremony for a demonstration.

Also among the platform party were Cllr Ger Carty, Mayor of Wexford, who opened proceedings; Owen Medland, RNLI divisional operations manager, who described the lifeboat and her capabilities during the ceremony; Jack Higginbotham, lifeboat boathouse manager, who delivered the vote of thanks; and Sophie Gulliver, daughter of volunteer crew member Simon Gulliver.

Father Aodhan Marken and Canon Arthur Minion lead the Service of Dedication, with music provided by the Wexford Male Voice Choir.

#RNLI - At 8.38am this morning (Saturday September 26), the Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard to assist four people on board a 32ft cruiser that had run aground just outside the Urra Channel markers at nightfall the previous evening.

At 8.58am, the lifeboat launched with helm Ger Egan, Eleanor Hooker, and Keith Brennan on board. Winds were southerly Force 1-2, visibility was fair with a low mist and rising fog.

The lifeboat located the cruiser on a rocky shelf just outside the green navigation mark at the Urra Channel. The four adults on board were safe and unharmed. They were requested to put on their lifejackets.

One of passengers was quite anxious, and was reassured by an RNLI volunteer who had transferred across to the casualty vessel.

The skipper informed the lifeboat that despite their best efforts to navigate through the channel, they had missed the mark in the dark and run aground. They had remained there all night, dropping anchor incase there was a change in weather overnight.

The RNLI crew checked under the floorboards and established that the boat was not taking on water and, after the anchor was recovered, prepared a tow.

After two unsuccessful attempts to get the cruiser off the rocks, three of the people aboard the casualty vessel were taken on to the lifeboat and transferred to the Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Station at Dromineer.

With the skipper and an RNLI crew member still on board, a further attempt to get the boat off the rocks proved unsuccessful.

The skipper was requested to gather his belongings and was taken to the lifeboat station where lifeboat operations manager Liam Maloney and deputy launching authority Brian Hanly were making arrangements to help the four people.

Handy advises boat users "not to delay and call 999 or 112 and ask for marine rescue if you find yourself in difficulty on the lake."

The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 10.20am.

#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew with Dunmore East RNLI launched on Tuesday morning (22 September) following reports that a 10m yacht was aground two miles north of Hook Head.

Fethard RNLI and Waterford's Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117 were also called out to the scene, where the Dunmore East lifeboat crew saw that the vessel was sitting deep in the water and was perilously close to the rocks.

There was nobody on board the yacht, which may have drifted after coming free of its moorings.

First on scene was the Fethard RNLI inshore lifeboat, whose crew established a tow with the yacht. However this proved unsuccessful.

Shortly after, Dunmore East arrived and put two crew on board the casualty vessel with a pump to try and drain the water from the yacht and establish another tow to recover it to a nearby harbour.

But once on board, the lifeboat crew discovered that the yacht had taken on a large amount of water and that it was in danger of sinking. When they attempted to establish a tow the vessel dangerously dipped low into the water and the attempt was abandoned.

The decision was then made to leave the vessel as it was determined that the crew were in danger if they stayed on the yacht.

Commenting on the callout, Dunmore East RNLI lifeboat press officer and crew member Neville Murphy said: "The yacht had taken on a huge amount of water and as such it proved too difficult to safely recover her.

"Once it was established that there was no threat to life and it was clear it was too dangerous to safely recover the vessel we made the right decision to step away.’

Las of late in Tuesday the vessel was still aground, but an attempt may be made to recover her at low water.

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat slipped her moorings shortly before midday yesterday (Tuesday 22 September) to assist a fishing vessel with mechanical problems about nine miles offshore.

The fishing vessel with four crew lost propulsion and was unable to make any headway due to problems with the propeller. The skipper contacted the Irish Coast Guard by marine VHF radio for assistance.

Under the command of coxswain Nick Keogh, the lifeboat was alongside the drifting vessel at 12.30pm. Conditions on scene were described as having a northerly Force 4 wind with a moderate sea state.

A towline was quickly established and the trawler was towed back to Wicklow Port. The lifeboat crew secured the fishing vessel safely alongside the South Quay before 2pm.

The crew on the callout were Keogh, mechanic Brendan Copeland, Tommy McAulay, Tommy Murphy, Carol Flahive, John Vize and Dean Mulvihill.

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI responded to reports of a car submerged on Gormanston beach yesterday afternoon (17 September) following an emergency call to the coastguard.

Shortly before 2.30pm, Skerries RNLI were tasked by Dublin Coast Guard to investigate a submerged car on Gormanston beach after they received a 999 call from a concerned member of the public.

The lifeboat – with Joe May at the Helm and crewed by AJ Hughes, Laura Boylan and Ian Guildea – launched and made their way directly to Gormanston Beach. Conditions at the time were relatively calm with Force 3 westerly winds.

After arriving on scene, the crew located the car and were able to confirm that it was unoccupied.

As a precaution, Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 carried out a sweeping search of the coastline while the lifeboat carried out a search of the immediate area. Skerries Coast Guard unit also conducted a search of the shoreline.

Nothing was found and Gardaí later confirmed that the car had been reported as abandoned.

Speaking after the callout, Skerries RNLI lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning said: "This was a positive outcome as it turned out nobody was in danger. The member of the public did the right thing by dialling 999 and asking for the coastguard."

#RNLI - Clifden RNLI launched to an emergency medical situation at 12.50pm yesterday (Thursday 17 September) in Clifden Bay.

A male angler had become unwell and as a result sustained a head injury, leaving him in need of urgent assistance.

The Irish Coast Guard requested the immediate launch of both Clifden RNLI’s Atlantic 85 and all-weather lifeboats.

Clifden RNLI volunteer crew members Kenneth Flaherty and Barry Ward boarded the angling boat and administered first aid to the casualty. Oxygen was administered and the casualty was placed in the recovery position.

Lifeboat helm Thomas Davis then requested two more crew members from the all-weather lifeboat, which was standing nearby, to assist in the transfer of the casualty to a stretcher.

Speaking after the callout, Clifden RNLI helm Thomas Davis said: "The lifeboat crew responded quickly and calmly to this situation, in which the casualty was seriously unwell.

"Having the additional crew members nearby in the second lifeboat was vital and the total time between the pagers going off and recovery to shore was around 38 minutes."

The casualty and another angler were transferred to shore where an ambulance was waiting. At this point the coastguard helicopter Rescue 118 had also landed and with the assistance of Cleggan Coast Guard, he was transferred to University College Hospital Galway.

Clifden RNLI lifeboat operations manager John Brittain added: "Well done to the Clifden volunteer crew members for a seamless rescue and for once again working well in conjunction with the coastguard and other emergency services."

#RNLI - The Pistol Benefit Fund, set up in memory of Frederick (Fred) and Theresa (Terry) Pistol, has funded the new Larne RNLI D-class lifeboat, which will be named in an official ceremony at the East Antrim Boat Club this Saturday 19 September at 2.30pm.

All are welcome on the day for the decication of the lifeboat, which is to be named Terry in memory of Fred Pistol’s beloved wife Theresa.

The Pistol Benefit Fund has its origins in Frederick Pistol’s incredible life story. Fred arrived in the UK as a 19-year-old refugee fleeing the Holocaust in Austria, with nothing more than the clothes on his back, and worked as a fitter until the Second World War started.

He joined the army, eventually becoming a major, and returned to England in 1946 after serving abroad. He married Theresa, a pianist born in Westcliff-on-Sea, and discovered a passion for sailing, one that has been passed down through the family.

Every boat Fred bought was named Terry after his wife, and Larne RNLI’s new D-class lifeboat will also proudly bear the name.

The Pistol family has supported the work of the RNLI for many years, and Fred and Theresa’s son Neil will attend the naming ceremony in Larne along with his wife Viveca and two of their three children, Benjamin and Joshua.

Other close friends will also be travelling to Larne for the special occasion, which, in a happy coincidence, is being held on the date of Fred’s birthday, something which has delighted the family.

The D-class lifeboat remains the workhorse of the RNLI as it has for nearly 50 years. The inflatable craft is highly manoeuvrable and specifically suited to surf, shallow water and confined locations – often working close to cliffs, among rocks or even in caves. Importantly it can also be righted manually by the crew in the event of capsize.

Equipment includes fitted and hand-held VHF radio, night vision equipment and first aid, including oxygen. It has a maximum speed of 25 knots and can carry three crew members and five survivors.

Allan Dorman, Larne RNLI lifeboat operations manager, said: "We are grateful to the Pistol Benefit Fund for the generous gift which has funded our new lifeboat and we look forward to welcoming Neil and his family, along with friends of the Pistols to Larne.

"The funding that made our new lifeboat possible has come through a wonderful couple with an incredible history. We in Larne RNLI will remember Frederick and Theresa through the work of the lifeboat and the volunteer crew and we will be the proud custodians of it for many years to come."

#RNLI - Wicklow's all-weather lifeboat slipped her moorings at 11.42am yesterday morning (Sunday 13 September) to assist a broken-down fishing boat off Wicklow Harbour.

The fishing vessel, on passage north out of Arklow, sustained gearbox failure about one mile off Wicklow Port.

Wicklow's RNLI crew were alongside the drifting vessel three minutes after launch, and a towline was quickly established.

Conditions in the bay at the time recorded a sea state slight, overcast with squally showers and a southwesterly Force 4 wind.

The fishing vessel, with two crew, was towed into Wicklow Harbour and safely secured alongside the south quay shortly after noon.

This was the second callout in 24 hours for the volunteer crew, which on this mission comprised second coxswain Ciaran Doyle, second mechanic Lisa O'Leary, Terry Sillery, Kevin Rahill, Carol Flahive, Dean Mulvihill and Peter McCann.

#RNLI - The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival has chosen the RNLI to be its 2015 official charity partner.

The announcement was made in Cork city yesterday (Thursday 10 September) as the RNLI launched a fundraising prize draw that will see raffle tickets sold throughout Cork and beyond in the run up to this year’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival from 23-26 October.

Tickets cost €5 with entrants in with a chance of winning one of three top prizes: a trip for two for five nights to New Orleans including flights and accommodation; two tickets to Van Morrison and one night's bed and breakfast at the Radisson Blu St Helen’s Hotel in Dublin; and a two-night midweek bed and breakfast break at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney.

The RNLI has eight lifeboat stations in Co Cork located in Youghal, Ballycotton, Crosshaven, Kinsale, Courtmacsherry, Union Hall, Baltimore and Castletownbere. Last year alone, Cork RNLI lifeboats launched 163 times to a variety of callouts bringing 255 people safely to shore.

Mary Creedon, RNLI community fundraising manager, said the lifesaving charity was delighted to be chosen as the festival's 2015 charity partner.

"We are delighted to be associated with the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival which brings thousands of people to Cork every year.

"The RNLI’s fundraising raffle will take place on Sunday 25 October and the proceeds raised will go a long way in helping the RNLI to equip its lifeboat stations and train its volunteer crews in Munster so they can continue to save lives at sea.

"In addition, the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival will provide an excellent platform for the RNLI to raise awareness of its search and rescue service and safety education and we are pleased with that."

Crosshaven RNLI helm Ritchie Kelleher added: "As volunteers we rely on the generosity of the public to fund the work we do - to train, to respond to our pagers, to fuel our lifeboat, to run our station, and most importantly to help anyone who gets into difficulty at sea."

Meanwhile, Fiona Collins, chair of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival said: "The RNLI plays a huge role in Co Cork with lifeboats spread from Youghal to Castletownbere as well as across the surrounding counties of Kerry, Waterford and Clare.

"We felt it was a good time to show our support for a charity that does such great work in saving lives at sea and it is our hope that people will show their support for the RNLI in Munster by digging deep and buying a raffle ticket ahead of the upcoming festival."