RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

The Clann Lir was blessed in a service of dedication

Ballyglass RNLI’s New Inshore D Class Lifeboat Named 'Clann Lir'

14th October 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

At a special naming ceremony and service of dedication held yesterday (Saturday 13 October), Ballyglass RNLI officially named its new D class lifeboat, Clann Lir, in the Mayo coastal town. The honour of naming the lifeboat went to Derek Moran,…

Castletownbere RNLI's all-weather lifeboat Annette Hutton

Castletownbere Lifeboat Rescues Six From Fishing Boat Drifting Towards Shore

11th October 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

#Lifeboats - Castletownbere’s all-weather lifeboat launched last night (Wednesday 10 October) to a Mayday from six fisherman whose boat lost power and was drifting rapidly towards the shore. Pagers sounded for the volunteer RNLI crew at 7.30pm following the alert…

Arklow RNLI tows a yacht with three crew who lost engine power near the Co Wicklow harbour on Saturday

Arklow Lifeboat Rescues Four In Busy Early October Weekend

8th October 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

#Lifeboats - Arklow’s volunteer RNLI crew rescued four people in two separate callouts over the weekend. The first launch was on Saturday afternoon (6 October) to a yacht which had gotten into difficulty and was without power about one mile…

Baltimore RNLI To Lay Wreath On Centenary Of Thomas Joseph Wreck

5th October 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

Next Wednesday evening (10 October), Baltimore RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew will lay a wreath at the Catalogues to commemorate the centenary of the wreck of the Thomas Joseph. The 60ft lugger was wrecked on the Catalogue Rocks between Sherkin Island and…

Lough Ree RNLI Assists Two Fishermen in Difficulty

1st October 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

Lough Ree RNLI came to the aid of two fishermen who had lost engine power while enjoying the last day of the fishing season. At 2.05pm yesterday Lough Ree RNLI Volunteers were alerted to two fishermen whose 17 foot fishing…

Holyhead’s all-weather lifeboat Christopher Pearce returning to shore with the stricken Irish vessel

Irish Fishing Vessel Rescued By Holyhead Lifeboat

30th September 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

#Lifeboats - Holyhead’s all-weather lifeboat launched yesterday morning (Saturday 29 September) to the rescue of an Irish fishing boat adrift in the Irish Sea with mechanical failure. Pagers sounded for the Holyhead RNLI crew just after 8am following a distress…

Jack Lowe and camera alongside Castletownbere’s all-weather lifeboat Annette Hutton

Photographer Reaches Halfway Mark On Epic Project To Capture Lifeboat Stations With Victorian Camera

27th September 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

#Lifeboats - After almost four years, Jack Lowe will this week reach the halfway point of his epic ambition to photograph all 238 stations in the RNLI network when he visits Dover Lifeboat Station. Since he began The Lifeboat Station…

The Rita Daphne Smyth officially entered service last Thursday 20 September

Baltimore RNLI Welcomes Inshore Lifeboat On Service

27th September 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

#Lifeboats - Baltimore RNLI has welcomed its new Atlantic 85 class inshore lifeboat on service in the West Cork village. The inshore lifeboat arrived at Baltimore lifeboat station on Thursday 13 September and replaces the Atlantic 75 class lifeboat, Patricia Jennings,…

Skerries RNLI bring a 22m fishing vessel into Skerries harbour

Weekend Callouts For Arklow & Skerries Lifeboats To Fishing Vessels In Difficulty

25th September 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

#Lifeboats - Arklow RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat crew left their Sunday lunch on 23 September to attend to a fishing vessel in difficulty east of Cahore Point in Co Wexford. Once the vessel and its crew of three were located, it was…

Newcastle RNLI’s volunteers check out the first stricken vessel of their marathon seven-hour storm callout

Three Yachts Rescued In Strangford Lough During Storm Ali

21st September 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

#Rescue - Newcastle RNLI was involved in the rescue of three yachts in Strangford Lough during Storm Ali on Wednesday (19 September). The lifeboat volunteers were first alerted at 11.40am to go the aid of a stricken yacht at Newtownards Sailing…

Larne lifeboat volunteers will raise a cuppa for Macmillan later this month

Larne Lifeboat Crew To Open Their Doors For Macmillan Charity Coffee Morning

17th September 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Larne’s volunteer RNLI crew are throwing open the doors of the lifeboat station as they host a coffee morning to raise funds for Macmillan, the cancer support charity, from 10.30am to 2pm on Saturday 29 September. The crew…

Two Callouts In 24 Hours Keep Portaferry Lifeboat Volunteers Busy

16th September 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Yesterday evening (Saturday 15 September) at 4.45pm, a volunteer RNLI crew from Portaferry launched to the aid of two men in trouble in the water just off Ballyhenry Island. The two men had been using a personal watercraft…

The Courtmacsherry All Weather RNLI Lifeboat crew

Courtmacsherry Lifeboat in Rescue of Two Anglers in Pleasure Boat off The Old Head of Kinsale

14th September 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

The Courtmacsherry All Weather RNLI Lifeboat was called out at 2pm yesterday to go to the aid of an 18–foot pleasure boat with two anglers on board who got lost and sought assistance two miles south of the Old Head…

Baltimore RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat assisted the search for a missing swimmer in the Ilen River on Tuesday morning 11 September

Baltimore Lifeboat Called Out To Search For Missing Swimmer

12th September 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Baltimore RNLI launched yesterday morning (Tuesday 11 September) to a swimmer reported missing on a swim from Skibbereen to Baltimore in West Cork. The inshore lifeboat was called to search the Ilen River for the swimmer after a safety…

Lough Derg’s inshore lifeboat approaches the grounded boat above Victoria Lock

Busy Sunday For RNLI Lifeboats At Lough Derg, Baltimore & Portaferry

10th September 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Lough Derg RNLI assisted four people after their boat ran aground when they took a wrong turn above Victoria Lock on the River Shannon yesterday (Sunday 9 September) Water levels at the casualty vessel’s location were very low when…

Baltimore Lifeboat Launches To Speedboat With Engine Troubles

5th September 2018 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Baltimore RNLI was called out last night (Tuesday 4 September) to a speedboat with engine trouble near Bird Island in West Cork. The volunteer lifeboat crew were on exercise in their inshore lifeboat when the request came in from…

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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.

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