#Lifeboats - Hundreds gathered on the high wall in Dunmore East on Sunday evening (20 January) to welcome the town’s all-weather lifeboat Elizabeth and Ronald back home after more than a year out of service.
On 1 December 2017, Dunmore East RNLI’s all-weather Trent class lifeboat sustained damage overnight while moored alongside its pontoon. Afterwards, the lifeboat was moved to Falmouth Boat Yard in the UK for repair.
Last week the lifeboat went through extensive sea trials before it was allowed to return on service in Dunmore East.
At 5pm on Sunday evening, people gathered on the high wall in Dunmore East to catch the first glimpse of the lifeboat as it returned home. Refreshments were served to all at the station house after in celebration of the lifeboat’s return.
The service has been maintained in Dunmore East with relief lifeboat 14-06 Windsor Runner on station.
The volunteer crews are having a busy period responding to three separate incidents this week alone. On Wednesday 16 January, the lifeboat crew assisted a 26m fishing vessel with engine trouble 10 miles South of Dunmore East.
And on Sunday afternoon, the crew assisted a 26m fishing vessel with engine trouble six miles South East of Dunmore East, as well as a 15m fishing vessel on rocks a mile north of Hook Head.
Ciaran O’Muaillain, RNLI lifeboat operations manager for Dunmore East RNLI, said: “It is fantastic to have our own lifeboat back again, our volunteer crew are very attached to Elizabeth and Ronald.
“It was a very emotional evening and I would like to thank everyone for coming out to support our lifeboat crew on this special evening.”