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#ThunderCats - Thousands of onlookers visiting the Dublin Riverfest watched as ThunderCat powerboats whizzed past tallships lining the North WaII quay, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The thunderboats from the UK that are making their debut in the capital, raced along a circuit that involved making tight turns around the marker buoys. To enjoy this spectacle and much more, the Dublin Riverfest (concluding today) notably features a purpose built spectator stand to watch these small yet fast boats.

On either side of the stand there are also elevated views of the tallships that include a new participant to Dublin Riverfest, the Shtandard, a replica of the Russian warship of Peter the Great dating 1703. The newcomer shares the quay's tallship line of larger tallships.They are a quartet of square-riggers, the Phoenix, Kaskelot, Earl of Pembroke and Pelican of London.

Also entertaining the crowds was the water-jet performer passing the tallships and at close proximity!

Smaller tallships in the form of schooners, in which the UK flagged Bessie Ellen made an appearance having only arrival yesterday afternoon. The West Country schooner moored close to the Irish owned, Brian Boru, a converted Tyrrell built trawler. These vessels however over the weekend were unfortunately not open to the public.

The larger aforementioned Tall Ships though are open to the public and for free. Boaring times (tidal permitting) are between noon and 6pm on this final day of the Riverfest. In total 100,000 visitors are expected to flock the quays that also have food venues, craft stalls, a funfair including a rock-climbing wall and wakeboarding.

Also in port is the Irish ketch, Celtic Mist of the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group, though the vessel is berthed in Grand Canal Dock basin. Tours of the vessel which carries out scientific research cruises on cetaceans are open to the public too.

If travelling by DART, the nearest station that is to the Celtic Mist is the Grand Canal Dock which is only a five-minute walk. The dock basin with its barges, is conveniently located en-route to the Liffey, from where the Samuel Beckett bridge connects to the North Wall. 

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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.

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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