RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

Kitesurfer Dylan Green after carrying out the rescue on Friday evening

‘Just Delighted to Help’ Says Kitesurfer Who Rescued Swimmer off Seven Heads Peninsula

25th April 2021 Rescue

A kitesurfer who rescued a swimmer off the Seven Heads in Cork on Friday evening (23 April) said he was “just delighted to help”. As TheJournal.ie reports, Dylan Green was out on his board when he was alerted to a…

Howth RNLI rescue kite-surfer in difficulty

Howth RNLI Lifeboat Rescue Kite-surfer in Difficulty off Sutton Strand

25th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Howth RNLI was on exercise this afternoon Saturday 24th April when it received a call to join the Irish Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue 116 who were tasked to locate a kite-surfer who had got into difficulty off Sutton Strand in…

The Red Bay lifeboat launching on the callout this morning from Cushendall

Red Bay RNLI Rescues Three After a Fishing Boat is Grounded on Rocks Near Glenarm

24th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Red Bay RNLI launched their B class Atlantic 85 lifeboat at 9.20 am this morning (Saturday 24 April) after reports that a small fishing boat with three crew onboard was grounded on rocks one mile south of Glenarm Marina on…

Fethard RNLI at the €37,000 cheque presentation from from Integer New Ross

New Ross Firm Raises €37,000 for Fethard RNLI to help Save Lives at Sea

24th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Fethard RNLI has received a generous €37,000 donation from Integer New Ross this week, after the company’s staff and management chose the lifeboat station as its charity of the year. Volunteers at Fethard RNLI were delighted to be considered and…

The RNLI lifeboat took the vessel under tow and ensured their safe arrival at the Portaferry marina

Yacht Call Out for Portaferry RNLI Lifeboat on Strangford Lough

24th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Portaferry RNLI lifeboat crew was called out on 22nd April to a yacht with engine failure at the entrance to Strangford Lough. The entrance at the southern end of the Ards Peninsula leads to the Strangford Narrows through which the…

Skerries RNLI recovering a lifebuoy from the water during a search for potentially missing swimmers off Balbriggan on Wednesday evening 21 April

Skerries Lifeboat Launches in Multi-Agency Response to Swimmer in Difficulty

23rd April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Skerries RNLI’s volunteers launched their inshore lifeboat on Wednesday evening (21 April) as part of a multi-agency response to reports of a swimmer in difficulty near the Martello tower in Balbriggan. The Atlantic 85 lifeboat Louis Simson was launched within…

Philip McNamara, Coxswain. John Petrie, Crew Member of over 30 years. Michael Field, Crew Member of over 30 years. Mark Nelson, Crew Member of over 20 years

Donaghadee RNLI Volunteers Receive Long Service Recognition

20th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Three Donaghadee RNLI Lifeboat volunteer crew members in Northern Ireland have had their long term service to the institution recognised by RNLI headquarters in Poole in the form of long service medals. The three crew members have together accrued over…

Skerries RNLI approaching the windsurfers off Gormanstown Beach

Concern for Windsurfers Prompts Launch for Skerries Lifeboat

19th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Skerries RNLI launched Saturday evening (17 April) following reports of two windsurfers struggling to return to shore near Gormanstown Beach. Shortly before 6.30pm, Dublin Coast Guard tasked Skerries RNLI following a call from a concerned member of the public. They…

Kilkeel RNLI’s inshore lifeboat taking the stricken yacht under tow

Kilkeel Lifeboat Assists Five on Yacht in Difficulty on Carlingford Lough

19th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Kilkeel RNLI came to the aid of five people on Saturday (17 April) when their 10m yacht became stranded at Narrow Water Castle on the Northern Ireland side of Carlingford Lough. The volunteer crew launched their inshore lifeboat at 4.05pm…

Super Senior – Howth's Muriel McMillan celebrates her socially-distanced hundredth birthday in May 2020

Howth Yacht Club Mourns Death of Oldest Member

19th April 2021 In Memoriam

When Muriel Simpson married Alistair McMillan of Howth, she knew that boats and sailing would become a significant part of her life, as he had become a Junior Member of Howth Sailing Club in June 1941, while by 1967 he…

Ballygally, a village and holiday resort on the Antrim coast where a paddleboarder got into difficulty

Paddleboarder in Difficulty at Ballygally Leads to RNLI Lifeboats Callout

18th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Yesterday's strong southerly wind resulted in a spate of paddleboarding incidents involving lifeboat call outs at Larne and Bangor. Larne RNLI launched both of their lifeboats today to reports of a paddleboarder in difficulty at Ballygally, a village and holiday…

Kilkeel RNLI’s LOM John Fisher receives the cheque from Craig Boucher

48-Mile Fundraiser Raises £800 for Kilkeel RNLI

16th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Craig Boucher of Hybrid Health and Performance in Kilkeel recently completed a 4x4x48 challenge to raise funds for his local RNLI lifeboat station in the Co Down town. Craig ran four miles every four hours for 48 hours and was…

Graham Fitzgerald and Alan Goucher with RNLI Trainer Assessor Alan Pryce after they passed out as Deputy coxswains at RNLI Wicklow

Two New Deputy Lifeboat Coxswains Appointed at Wicklow RNLI

16th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Wicklow RNLI volunteers Graham Fitzgerald and Alan Goucher have been passed out as deputy coxswains by an RNLI Trainer Assessor, after undertaking months of training and completing a rigorous exercise on the all-weather lifeboat in Wicklow bay. Graham Fitzgerald who…

Tramore Lifeboat RNLI Rescue Child Swept Out to Sea

15th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Tramore Lifeboat RNLI was tasked yesterday afternoon to the aid of a child who was swept out to sea. It is the fifth call out this year for the Tramore crew, three of which have involved sea swimmers. The lifeboat…

The inshore Atlantic 85 class lifeboat with the two walkers at Omey Island

Clifden RNLI Assists Two Walkers Cut off by the Tide at Omey Island

12th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Clifden RNLI came to the aid of two walkers who got cut off by the tide yesterday evening (Sunday 11 April). The volunteer crew were requested to launch the lifeboat by the Irish Coast Guard at 5.50 pm following a…

The RNLI lifeboats tow the abandoned GP14 dinghy back to shore at Youghal

Multi Rescue Agency Response off Youghal as Sailing Dinghies Capsize – Five People Rescued

6th April 2021 RNLI Lifeboats

Volunteer lifeboat crew with Youghal RNLI rescued five people from the water off Capel Island near Knockadoon in the Youghal Bay area this afternoon (Monday 5 April) when the two GP14 sailing dinghies they were in capsized leaving one adult…

Start
Prev
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Next
End

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