RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

Ballycotton Lifeboat Rescues Swimmer In Difficulty

13th July 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Ballycotton RNLI was launched around 2.30pm yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 12 July) to aid a man who had got into difficulty while swimming in East Cork's Ballyandreen Bay and called for help. A member of the public heard the man's call…

Wexford Lifeboat Brings Yacht To Safety In Third Callout This Week

9th July 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - A visiting yacht which ran aground on the way into Wexford Harbour was rescued by Wexford RNLI on Thursday afternoon (7 July) in what was the third callout for the volunteer crew this week. The previous evening, the…

The large yacht had sustained engine failure a mile north east of Muck Island

Larne RNLI Rescue Four People from Yacht in Difficulty off Antrim Coast

8th July 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

Larne RNLI came to the aid of four people yesterday evening after their 16m yacht got into difficulty off the County Antrim coast. At approximately 6.30pm yesterday (Thursday 7 July), the volunteer crew was requested by Belfast Coastguard to launch…

Larne Grammar School year 8 pupils with their cheque for well over £1,000 to the Larne lifeboat

Local Community Raises Vital Funds For Larne RNLI

4th July 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Over the last few months the generous people of Larne have raised over £2,000 for their local lifeboat station. More than £600 was raised by the Great Northern Retro car rally that left Larne at 9am on Saturday…

Lough Derg RNLI assist one person on their vessel aground

Lough Derg RNLI Launches for Cruiser On The Rocks

4th July 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched to assist a person on board a 30ft–cruiser, aground at Gortmore Point, at the north-eastern shore of Lough Derg yesterday morning. Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat to launch to assist a person…

Lough Derg Lifeboat Launches To Cruiser With Dragging Anchor

1st July 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Lough Derg RNLI's lifeboat launched this morning (Friday 1 July) to assist four people on board a 40ft cruiser whose anchor came loose and dragged beneath their boat in severe weather. At 11.20am Valentia Coast Guard requested the…

Valentia RNLI and Ballinskelligs CRBI go to the aid of the 10m fishing vessel

Valentia Lifeboat Launches To Fishing Vessel Off Bolus Head

30th June 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Valentia RNLI launched on Monday afternoon (27 June) to a 10m fishing vessel going aground off Bolus Head in Co Kerry after fouling its propeller. The call for assistance came from Valentia Coast Guard at 3.44pm with Ballinskelligs…

Courtmacsherry's all-weather lifeboat as seen of Roches Point

Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Rescues Two From Cruiser Off Seven Heads

28th June 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Courtmacsherry RNLI's all-weather lifeboat was called out at 12.20pm yesterday afternoon (Monday 27 June) to aid a 40ft pleasure cruiser in difficulties just off the Seven Heads in West Cork. The cruiser, with two people onboard, was on…

Crosshaven Lifeboat Helm Appointed To RNLI Council

26th June 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Crosshaven RNLI has announced that Ian Venner, a helm with the crew, has been appointed to the RNLI Council for Ireland as one of its 15 members. Venner has been a member of the lifeboat crew and a…

Some of the Lough Swilly RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat crew on board their Shannon class lifeboat Derek Bullivant

Lough Swilly RNLI Officially Name New Shannon Class Lifeboat 'Derek Bullivant' in Buncrana, Donegal

25th June 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

The first Shannon class RNLI lifeboat to go on service in Ireland was officially named today in a special ceremony attended by crowds of people in Buncrana, county Donegal. The €2.4m life-saving vessel has already been on nineteen callouts since…

Fishing Safety Event to be Held in Kilkeel

23rd June 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) have joined with the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA), the Fishermen’s Mission and Seafish, the group responsible for the promotion of the fishing industry, to hold a fishing safety event in Kilkeel, County Down next…

Union Hall Lifeboat Launches To Yacht Off Glandore Harbour

22nd June 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Union Hall RNLI was tasked by Valentia Coast Guard at 6.14pm on Monday (20 June 2016) to reports of a yacht in difficulty with a broken tiller three-and-a-half miles south of Glandore Harbour. The volunteer lifeboat crew launched…

Portrush Lifeboat Launches To Swimmer In Difficulty

22nd June 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Portrush RNLI's inshore lifeboat launched yesterday evening (Tuesday 21 June) to reports of a swimmer in difficulty at the Herring Pond in Portstewart. Three volunteer lifeboat crew launched the inshore lifeboat in cloudy conditions in a slight sea…

Mrs Rose Michael is presented with her RNLI Bar to Gold Badge by RNLI Chairman Charles Hunter-Pease

RNLI Honours Dublin North Volunteers at Irish Awards

21st June 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

The RNLI held its Annual Presentation of Awards at the Guinness Storehouse on Friday (17 June 2016) where the charity presented 56 individual awards to volunteers from across the country. Five of the awardees were from Dublin North. However the…

Lough Swilly RNLI's Shannon arrives on station

Naming Ceremony For Lough Swilly Shannon-Class Lifeboat This Weekend

20th June 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Arklow man and former lifeboat operations manager Jimmy Tyrrell will have the honour of naming the first class of RNLI lifeboat to be named after an Irish river this Saturday 25 June in Buncrana, Co Donegal. Lough Swilly…

Wicklow's all-weather lifeboat towing the stricken yacht into Wicklow Harbour

Wicklow Lifeboat Assists Solo Sailor After Distress Call

20th June 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat launched yesterday afternoon (Sunday 19 June) to a solo sailor in distress six miles off the Wicklow coast. A marine VHF radio distress signal was received by the Irish Coast Guard from the French…

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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