RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

Union Hall RNLI's volunteer lifeboat and station crew for the callout on Friday 14 May

Union Hall Lifeboat Assists Seven on Angling Vessel in Difficulty

14th May 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Union Hall RNLI launched this afternoon (Friday 14 May) to assist an angling vessel with seven people on board that was experiencing mechanical difficulty. The volunteer lifeboat crew were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat Margaret Bench of Solihull at…

The RNLI lifeboat arriving back to Courtmacsherry at dawn this morning with the four rescued on board

Four Fishermen Rescued from Liferaft as Fishing Boat Goes on Fire Off Old Head of Kinsale

14th May 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

The Courtmacsherry All-Weather Trent Class RNLI Lifeboat was called out this morning Friday at 1.45 am, to go to the immediate aid of a 60-foot fishing vessel that went on fire while fishing 20 miles south-east the Old Head of…

The fishing vessel was taken in tow by Castletownbere RNLI Lifeboat. Conditions on-scene were described as a 2-3 metre swell and with Force 5 south-westerly winds

Castletownbere RNLI Lifeboat Assists Stricken Fishing Vessel Close to Mizen Head

11th May 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Castletownbere RNLI was launched last night (Monday 10 May 2021) just after 9:00 pm to go to the assistance of a fishing vessel that experienced mechanical failure close to Mizen Head in West Cork. Castletownbere lifeboat was tasked by Valentia…

Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat station has welcomed Stephen Seymour, Ania Skrzypczynska, Ciara Moylen and Richard Nolan as new volunteers to the crew panel

Lough Derg RNLI Welcomes Four Local Volunteers to the Crew

10th May 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

RNLI lifeboat volunteers come from a multiplicity of backgrounds. And though some may have no previous maritime experience before they enrol, this is not an issue as the RNLI provide a comprehensive and rigorous programme that equips trainees to meet…

The fishing vessel and the Coastguard Rescue 117 Helicopter, as the heli crew drop the emergency salvage pumps and winchman on board the trawler in heavy seas. The Courtmacsherry RNLI lifeboat stood by=

Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat in Callout to 75-foot Fishing Vessel in Difficulties off Old Head of Kinsale

9th May 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

The Courtmacsherry All Weather Trent Class RNLI Lifeboat was called out this morning Sunday at 11 am, to go to the aid of a 75-foot fishing vessel that had got into difficulties 27 miles off the Old Head of Kinsale…

The Howth RNLI inshore boat and the rescued inflatable dinghy

Howth RNLI Lifeboat Rescue Four People in an Inflatable Dinghy

9th May 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Howth RNLI in County Dublin rescued four people in an inflatable dinghy who were struggling to make it back to shore against strong winds and tides on Saturday, May 9th. Howth RNLI was requested to launch the inshore lifeboat at 6.50…

Dunmore East RNLI tows home a sailing dinghy

Why Are Lifeboats Orange?

5th May 2021 Tom MacSweeney

I've never given much thought to why lifeboats are orange. It just seemed to me to be the right colour to be seen easily at sea. Now I know that it's also a colour that provides reassurance and relief -…

Youghal RNLI Go to the Aid of Two People in 2.5m Boat

4th May 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

The volunteer crew of Youghal RNLI were paged today (Tuesday 4 May) at 4.31 pm to a report of two people in a small boat who had failed to return from a pleasure trip in the Redbarn area of Youghal…

Dun Laoghaire Harbour RNLI inshore lifeboat

Dun Laoghaire Harbour RNLI Rescue Paddleboarder Who Could Not Get Back to Shore

4th May 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Dun Laoghaire Harbour RNLI rescued a paddleboarder who got into difficulty after he could not get back to shore on Bank Holiday Monday evening. The lifeboat crew were paged following a report made to the Irish Coast Guard by a…

The Irish Coast Guard requested Baltimore RNLI to give medical assistance and evacuation to a man living on Sherkin Island

Baltimore RNLI Carry Out Medical Evacuation from Sherkin Island

3rd May 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Baltimore RNLI was called out to provide a medical evacuation in the early hours of this morning (Monday 3 May) from Sherkin Island off the coast of Baltimore, West Cork. The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 00.28…

Baltimore RNLI Assist Yacht in Difficulty on Second Callout of the Day

3rd May 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Baltimore RNLI was called out to provide assistance to a yacht in difficulty in Baltimore harbour, West Cork this afternoon (Monday 3 May) in a second callout of the day. The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their inshore lifeboat at 12.05…

The UN Resolution recognises the association between drowning and development, as well as the critical inequity between countries and regions. Action on drowning prevention presents an important opportunity to make progress towards targets within several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Irish Water Safety Bodies Welcome UN Adoption of First Ever Resolution on Global Drowning Prevention

2nd May 2021 Water Safety

Irish water safety organisations have welcomed the first-ever UN Resolution on Global Drowning Prevention which was adopted by the UN General Assembly last week. The UN adopted a historic Resolution on drowning prevention, acknowledging the issue for the first time in its 75-year…

Youghal's Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat arrived on scene in less than 10 minutes to tow the angling boat

Youghal RNLI Lifeboat Called to 17ft Angling Boat with Engine Trouble

2nd May 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

For the third time this week, Youghal RNLI responded to their pagers on Saturday, May 1 at 3.08 pm to a report of a 17ft angling boat with engine trouble, half a mile south of the Eastern Cardinal in Youghal…

The call comes following an increase in the number and a broadening in the type of incidents requiring RNLI and Coast Guard intervention

Coast Guard & RNLI Issue Safety Advice for Bank Holiday Weekend After Recent Rise in Callouts

29th April 2021 Coastguard

The RNLI and the Irish Coast Guard are expecting a busy May Bank Holiday weekend on the coasts and inland waters, with more people enjoying the warmer weather and the brighter evenings. The two organisations are asking people to plan…

Arklow RNLI on scene with the grounded yacht at Clogga Bay beach

Arklow Lifeboat Launches to Assist Sailor After 24ft Yacht Runs Aground

28th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Arklow RNLI’s volunteer crew launched their lifeboat within minutes of receiving a report that a sailing vessel was in danger and aground at Clogga Bay last Tuesday afternoon, 20 April. Upon entering the bay south of Arklow Harbour, the crew…

Local athlete David McGaffin (left) with Portrush RNLI’s lifeboat operations manager Beni McAllister

Portrush Athlete to Put In Mayday Miles for Local Lifeboat

27th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Portrush athlete David McGaffin is taking the RNLI Mayday Mile challenge to a whole new level to raise funds for his local lifeboat station. The McGaffin family has a long association with Portrush RNLI on Northern Ireland’s North Coast. David’s…

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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