RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

Wexford RNLI’s new inshore lifeboat and crew in surf

Wexford Lifeboat Called to Assist Windsurfer in Difficulty During Storm Boelo

28th October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

Wexford RNLI volunteers were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat by the Irish Coast Guard at 3.20pm on Saturday (24 October 2026) following reports from members of the public on the shore of a windsurfer in difficulty near Ardcavan beach…

Against the Odds – Rescue 118 hovers above Poll na bPéist on Inis Mór as huge Atlantic waves break against the cliffs during the dramatic rescue of US visitor Justin Francisco

Poll na bPéist: US Visitor On His Near-Death Experience

26th October 2026 Coastguard

The US visitor who nearly lost his life after a wave swept him off the middle ledge at Poll na bPéist, Inis Mór, last month has described the details of his rescue. As he recounts in an interview with RTÉ…

Tramore RNLI’s inshore lifeboat towing the stricken fishing boat to safety on Friday 16 October

Tramore Lifeboat Assists Two Fishermen After Vessel Suffers Engine Failure

20th October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

Tramore RNLI volunteers launched their inshore lifeboat last Friday (16 October) to assist two people aboard a small fishing boat that had suffered engine failure off the Waterford coast. The crew’s pagers sounded at noon following a request to launch…

Shannon-class all-weather lifeboats under construction at the RNLI's Poole manufacturing centre ahead of Howth's 2027 replacement

Howth RNLI's New Shannon Lifeboat Under Construction for 2027

17th October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

Howth RNLI has confirmed that construction is underway on its new Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat, which will replace the station's Trent-class Roy Barker III next year after almost 25 years of service. Howth RNLI's new Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat is already under…

Enniskillen RNLI's John and Jean Lewis inshore lifeboat underway on Lower Lough Erne

Enniskillen RNLI Assists Six People in Two Lough Erne Callouts

15th October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

Enniskillen RNLI volunteers assisted six people during two separate callouts on Lower Lough Erne over 48 hours after mechanical problems left two boats requiring assistance. Enniskillen RNLI's inshore lifeboat, John and Jean Lewis, was launched twice on Tuesday, 6 October,…

Close-up illustration of the RNLI's new coastal lifeboat, allocated to four Irish lifeboat stations between 2028 and 2030

RNLI Confirms Coastal Lifeboats for Four Irish Stations

12th October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

Dún Laoghaire, Rosslare Harbour, Wicklow and Sligo Bay are to receive the RNLI's new coastal lifeboat class between 2028 and 2030, under a major restructuring of rescue capabilities around Ireland and Britain. The RNLI has confirmed that four Irish lifeboat…

New Arrival – RNLI trustee Paddy McLaughlin with Jennifer and Richard Kendrick and Lough Swilly Lifeboat Operations Manager Joe Joyce at the naming ceremony for the new Atlantic 85 lifeboat Davdot

Lough Swilly RNLI Names New Atlantic 85 Lifeboat Davdot

11th October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

The new lifeboat, operational since April, replaces the Minnie and Ernest George Barry, which launched 265 times over almost 19 years at Lough Swilly and rescued 233 people, including five lives saved. As previously reported by Afloat.ie, Davdot arrived in Buncrana on 8…

Artist's impression of the RNLI's new coastal lifeboat, with Irish east coast stations expected among early recipients

RNLI Plans Eight New Coastal Lifeboats for First Year

11th October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

The RNLI plans to build eight of its next-generation coastal lifeboats in the first year of production, with two prototypes scheduled for 2027 and the first operational vessel expected to enter service in 2028. The charity has outlined the next…

Two Centuries Strong — President Catherine Connolly and her husband Brian McEnery join Arklow RNLI volunteers and representatives outside the lifeboat station to celebrate its 200th anniversary. Photo: Eamon Bermingham/Arklow

President Connolly Marks 200 Years of Lifesaving at Arklow RNLI

9th October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

President Catherine Connolly visited Arklow RNLI in Co Wicklow on Friday (9 October) to mark the lifeboat station's 200th anniversary, recognising two centuries of volunteer service during which crews have been credited with saving more than 443 lives. Accompanied by…

Shallow waters: Carrybridge RNLI approaches a 10-metre vessel which had run aground near Naan Island on Lough Erne

Carrybridge RNLI Responds to Two Incidents in 90 Minutes

7th October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

Carrybridge RNLI volunteers assisted three people in two separate incidents within 90 minutes on Saturday, 3rd of October, including a grounding near Naan Island and a person who fell into the water close to the lifeboat station. The first call…

Portrish RNLI’s inshore lifeboat The Ken Blair and crew on the water

Portrush Lifeboat Launches to Reports of Kayakers in Difficulty Off White Rocks

4th October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

Portrush RNLI was requested to launch by the coastguard at lunchtime on Sunday (4 October) to reports of kayakers in difficulty at White Rocks on Northern Ireland’s North Coast. The two persons with their inflatable kayak had entered the water…

On call: Donaghadee RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat Macquarie, which launched after a fishing boat and cargo vessel collided east of the Copeland Islands

Donaghadee RNLI Responds After Fishing Boat and Cargo Ship Collide

3rd October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

Donaghadee RNLI launched late on Wednesday night (30 September) after a fishing boat was reported to have collided with a cargo vessel east of the Copeland Islands. HM Coastguard paged the volunteer crew at 11.20 pm after a report that…

Portrush RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat and crew meet daybreak at Inishowen on Thursday 1 October

Portrush Lifeboat in Daybreak Launch to Fishing Vessel in Difficulty at Inishowen

1st October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

Portrush RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat was requested to launch by the coastguard early on Thursday morning (1 October) to reports of a fishing vessel in difficulty at Inishowen. The vessel with five persons on board had run aground and Greencastle Coastguard…

File image of Baltimore RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat Alan Massey

Baltimore RNLI Evacuates Injured Child from Cape Clear Island

1st October 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

Baltimore RNLI’s volunteers were called out on Wednesday evening (30 September) to a medevac on Cape Clear Island off the coast of West Cork. Following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to provide a medical evacuation for a child…

Seafood Support: Sligo Bay RNLI’s annual Seafood Night fundraiser returns to The Strand Bar in Strandhill on 16 October

Sligo Bay RNLI Seafood Night Returns to Strandhill in October

29th September 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

Sligo Bay RNLI’s annual Seafood Night will return to The Strand Bar in Strandhill on Friday, 16 October, bringing the volunteer crew and local community together for one of the station’s established fundraising events. The evening gets under way at…

Dunmore East RNLI’s volunteer crew pictured after their third call-out of the week

Busy Week of Call-Outs for Dunmore East Lifeboat Crew

29th September 2026 RNLI Lifeboats

Dunmore East RNLI’s volunteer crew responded to four call-outs over the past week, including three launches within a 24-hour period. The first call came on Tuesday evening (22 September) following a report from a member of the public of a…

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Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) in Ireland Information

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a charity to save lives at sea in the waters of UK and Ireland. Funded principally by legacies and donations, the RNLI operates a fleet of lifeboats, crewed by volunteers, based at a range of coastal and inland waters stations. Working closely with UK and Ireland Coastguards, RNLI crews are available to launch at short notice to assist people and vessels in difficulties.

RNLI was founded in 1824 and is based in Poole, Dorset. The organisation raised €210m in funds in 2019, spending €200m on lifesaving activities and water safety education. RNLI also provides a beach lifeguard service in the UK and has recently developed an International drowning prevention strategy, partnering with other organisations and governments to make drowning prevention a global priority.

Famous Irish Lifeboat Rescues

Irish Lifeboats have participated in many rescues, perhaps the most famous of which was the rescue of the crew of the Daunt Rock lightship off Cork Harbour by the Ballycotton lifeboat in 1936. Spending almost 50 hours at sea, the lifeboat stood by the drifting lightship until the proximity to the Daunt Rock forced the coxswain to get alongside and successfully rescue the lightship's crew.

32 Irish lifeboat crew have been lost in rescue missions, including the 15 crew of the Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) lifeboat which capsized while attempting to rescue the crew of the SS Palme on Christmas Eve 1895.

FAQs

Which is Ireland's busiest lifeboat station?

While the number of callouts to lifeboat stations varies from year to year, Howth Lifeboat station has aggregated more 'shouts' in recent years than other stations, averaging just over 60 a year.

Do the RNLI get paid?

Stations with an offshore lifeboat have a full-time mechanic, while some have a full-time coxswain. However, most lifeboat crews are volunteers.

How many RNLI Lifeboat stations in Ireland?

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland

How many lifeboat crew have been lost in rescue missions?

How many people are rescued by the RNLI?

In 2019, 8,941 lifeboat launches saved 342 lives across the RNLI fleet.

What type of boats does the RNLI have?

The Irish fleet is a mixture of inshore and all-weather (offshore) craft. The offshore lifeboats, which range from 17m to 12m in length are either moored afloat, launched down a slipway or are towed into the sea on a trailer and launched. The inshore boats are either rigid or non-rigid inflatables.

How are lifeboats called out?

The Irish Coast Guard in the Republic of Ireland or the UK Coastguard in Northern Ireland task lifeboats when an emergency call is received, through any of the recognised systems. These include 999/112 phone calls, Mayday/PanPan calls on VHF, a signal from an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) or distress signals.

What is the relationship between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI in Ireland?

The Irish Coast Guard is the government agency responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue operations. To carry out their task the Coast Guard calls on their own resources – Coast Guard units manned by volunteers and contracted helicopters, as well as "declared resources" - RNLI lifeboats and crews. While lifeboats conduct the operation, the coordination is provided by the Coast Guard.

What is a coxswain?

A lifeboat coxswain (pronounced cox'n) is the skipper or master of the lifeboat.

What training do RNLI lifeboat crews get?

RNLI Lifeboat crews are required to follow a particular development plan that covers a pre-agreed range of skills necessary to complete particular tasks. These skills and tasks form part of the competence-based training that is delivered both locally and at the RNLI's Lifeboat College in Poole, Dorset