A small but dedicated group of volunteers from North Kildare RNLI have raised €117,000 to fund a new D class inshore lifeboat for Wexford RNLI.
The new lifeboat is to be named Cill Dara in recognition of the inland branch’s efforts to save lives at sea.
This initiative began when North Kildare RNLI came together to mark the RNLI’s bicentenary. Although a small committee, members decided to mark the milestone by organising a fundraising campaign.
Over the past year, the North Kildare branch organised a wide range of fundraising events, all of which were widely supported by the local community.
These included street collections, notably at the All-Ireland Fleadh in Wexford last summer, a cooking demonstration, an abseil challenge and a successful concert by the Dublin Welsh Male Voice Choir, the latter of which proved to be one of the highlights of the fundraising calendar.
The branch was first formed over 50 years ago in Celbridge by Lady King-Harman, and early fundraising was an annual tour of the local pubs.
North Kildare RNLI has a special affinity with Wexford Lifeboat Station because a D class was provided in 2005 by the family of one of the branch’s fundraisers who died suddenly. Now 20 years on, the branch is honouring that tradition and memory by bringing a new D class lifeboat to Wexford.
Brian Bradshaw, president of North Kildare RNLI said the achievement was a source of great pride.
‘“This is a wonderful achievement for the branch, and we are proud that due to the significant efforts of many, we have now raised all the funds needed to ensure Wexford RNLI will soon take possession of a new lifeboat and we are equally proud that it will be named Cill Dara,” Brian said.
“We want to thank everyone who supported our events and many collections over the last year; each and every one of those people have made a wonderful contribution to the charity and particularly to the lifesaving service in Wexford.”
With over 60 years’ service, the RNLI’s D class lifeboat has helped to save thousands of lives at sea and continues to be the workhorse of the charity’s fleet today.
The lifeboat is highly manoeuvrable and usually operates closer to shore than all-weather lifeboats. It comes into its own for searches and rescues in the surf, shallow water and confined locations — often around cliffs, rocks and caves.
With a top speed of 25 knots, the D class can endure three hours at sea at this speed on search and rescue missions, a crucial factor when lives are at risk.
Wexford RNLI was established in 2002 and provides search and rescue cover for its part of the south-east coast. The station’s existing lifeboat, Alfred William Newman, has been on service since 2015 and in the last decade launched 142 times, with its volunteer crews coming to the aid of 121 people, four of whom were lives saved.
While it has proudly served the station for 10 years, Wexford RNLI is ready to start a new chapter in lifesaving.
David Sherwood, Wexford RNLI lifeboat operations manager said: “We are so delighted to hear the news that the North Kildare fundraising branch have hit this wonderful milestone that will see our station now receive a new lifeboat.
“We are incredibly grateful to everyone in the branch for all their efforts over the last year and we want to express our sincere thanks to all involved with the branch and to all who supported their events including the people of Wexford, whether that was buying a ticket and attending an event or by putting money in a collection box. These are vital funds that will power our next chapter in lifesaving at Wexford RNLI.”
