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Displaying items by tag: 007

#Ex007inDalkey- Pierce Brosnan, the Irish born actor and former 007 James Bond, caused quite a stir on the first day of March in Dalkey. The actor was on a location shoot and was understood to be making a TV advert campaign with scenes from the south-side suburb and at Coliemore Harbour, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Dalkey which is well known for its famous string of celebrities, had greeted the Navan born actor's presence with a distinct buzz in the Spring air, as the cameras rolled at the scenic coastal location facing out to Dalkey Island.

For the shoot Brosnan stood at the public viewing area above the harbour, where there is a binocular-scope which is dedicated in the memory of the life and work of the late Dr. John de Courcy Ireland.The former Dalkey resident, was a maritime historian, teacher and linguist and who is widely regarded as the 'father' of Maritime Ireland.

Brosnan played Bond between 1995-2004 during which four films were produced. It was in his second outing as Bond in 'Tomorrow Never Dies' that a Royal Navy frigate, fictitiously named HMS Devonshire made a brief appearance. The frigate was sunk in the South China Sea by a stealth ship, instigated by the evil media mogul magnate Elliot Carver, head of the Carver Media Group Network (CMGN).

By an uncanny coincidence, only a couple of hours before the shoot at Coliemore Harbour took place, HMS Richmond (F239) a sister of the frigate that played the role in the film (in real life HMS Somerset), had sailed past The Muglins lighthouse off Dalkey Island. As previously reported, HMS Richmond, a Duke class frigate was bound for Dublin Port for a courtesy call over the weekend.

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007 signs autographs for Dalkey fans. Photo: Gail Bonass

HMSRichmond

HMS Richmond passes the Muglins on Dublin Bay. Photo: Jehan Ashmore

Brosnan's visit to Dalkey was certainly a surprise for locals and tourists alike and will no doubt assist in boosting visitor numbers. By another coincidence on the same day, the town's Heritage Centre on Castle Street, the main street of the former port town for Dublin during medieval times, reopened after completion of a major upgrade of the visitor centre.

Unlike the former Bond's notable presence, HMS Richmond slipped quietly out of Dublin Bay today. Having said that, could there be a connection!....According to yesterday's Irish Times –The Social Network column, among his next film projects is 'November Man', an espionage movie. He quoted "...the stage is big enough for Daniel and myself".

Published in News Update

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.

Irish Lifeboat Stations

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland, with an operational base in Swords, Co Dublin. Irish RNLI crews are tasked through a paging system instigated by the Irish Coast Guard which can task a range of rescue resources depending on the nature of the emergency.

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

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.

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

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

 

While the RNLI is dependent on donations and legacies for funding, they also need volunteer crew and fund-raisers.

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