RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

Red Bay Lifeboat Rescues Three From Drifting Speedboat

2nd November 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Red Bay RNLI has rescued three men yesterday afternoon (Sunday 1 November) after they got into difficulty on a 4m speedboat which was drifting out to sea off the North Coast. The volunteer lifeboat crew was alerted by…

Yesterday marked 100 years since Rosslare RNLI saved six crews in 24 hours. As vessels were being blown into dangerous...
Posted by RNLI on Sunday, 1 November 2015

100 Years Since Rosslare Lifeboat's Daring Rescues In Hallowe'en Gales

1st November 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Today – 1 November 2015 – marks 100 years since the end one of the most daring days in the history of Rosslare RNLI, when the station's volunteers rescued six crews within a single 24-hour period. With the…

Wexford Lifeboat Rescues Man Within Minute Of Entering Water

30th October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Wexford RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew rescued a man within a minute of him entering the water near Wexford Bridge on Wednesday afternoon (28 October). The boat was just about to launch for an assessment of two prospective crew…

Three Men & A Baby Rescued By Holyhead Lifeboat

30th October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Holyhead RNLI lifeboat volunteers' training turned into a real-life rescue last night after distress calls were heard from a boat carrying three men a baby in the Irish Sea. At 6pm crew members were at the lifeboat station…

Bangor, Larne & Donaghadee Lifeboats Launch To Air Emergency

28th October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Lifeboats from Bangor, Donaghadee and Larne were launched last night (Tuesday 27 October) as part of a major operation after a flight out of Belfast declared an emergency. Police, fire and ambulance crews were also involved in the…

Rosslare Harbour Lifeboat Diverts From Exercise To Assist Injured Fisherman

27th October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew participating in an exercise on Sunday morning (25 October) in Rosslare Bay were diverted to a fishing vessel with an injured crewman on board. The fishing boat was a mile northeast of…

Enniskillen RNLI looking for new volunteers

Enniskillen RNLI Needs New Volunteer Crew Members

20th October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Enniskillen RNLI is looking for new volunteer crew members to join its search and rescue service on both Upper and Lower Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh. The lifeboat station currently has 40 volunteers to cover its inshore service…

Lough Ree RNLI Receives €850 Raised At Athlone River Festival

20th October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Organisers of the Athlone River Festival and Food Village have presented a cheque for €850 to Lough Ree RNLI. The Athlone River Festival & Food Village took place on 12-13 September and included myriad activities showcasing Athlone’s culinary,…

Union Hall Lifeboat Launches To Reports Of Flashing Light

15th October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Union Hall RNLI was paged at 6.31am this morning (Thursday 15 October) to reports of a flashing strobe light south of Rabbit Island at the entrance to Glandore Harbour. Union Hall’s inshore lifeboat Maritime Nation launched at 06.39…

HRH The Duke of Kent Opens RNLI’s First Permanent Inland Lifeboat Station at Carrybridge

13th October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

HRH The Duke of Kent officially opened the RNLI’s first permanent inland lifeboat station at Carrybridge this afternoon. The lifeboat station has been fully operational on Upper Lough Erne in County Fermanagh since March this year. Officially declaring the lifeboat…

Kinsale Lifeboat Called Out To Lone Swimmer

8th October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - The volunteer crew of Kinsale RNLI launched at 1.20pm on Sunday last (4 October) to assist a swimmer who got into difficulties in the water around Sandycove Island. Valentia Coast Guard requested the crew to launch their inshore lifeboat…

Lough Ree Lifeboat Tows Cruiser Off Rocks

6th October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Volunteers from Lough Ree RNLI were called to assist two people last Wednesday afternoon (30 September) after their motor cruiser ran aground on a shoal near Green Island on Lough Ree. The crew was requested to launch their…

Valentia RNLI Receives Big Donation From Star Wars Film Crew

1st October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Valentia's lifeboat station received a €10,000 donation from Star Wars producers during their recent film shoot on Skellig Michael. As The Irish Times reports, the RNLI station's operations manager Richard Foran confirmed to a local paper that the…

Donaghadee Lifeboat In Search For Stranded Dog

1st October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - RNLI volunteers aboard Donaghadee’s all-weather lifeboat Saxon launched on Tuesday night (29 September) to search for a family’s pet dog which was reported to have been cut off by the tide at Millisle on the Ards Peninsula. Coxswain…

#Fog - great image showing where the problems are this am, take care on the roads @newslineweather @AAWeatherWatch pic.twitter.com/nUPKlIlvvS
— Met Man Belfast (@Met_Man_Belfast) October 1, 2015

Larne RNLI Rescues Two Men Lost in Thick Fog

1st October 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

Larne RNLI rescued two men in challenging conditions last night after their 14ft punt got lost in fog. The volunteer crew was requested to launch their inshore lifeboat by Belfast Coastguard shortly after 8pm following a 999 call. The men…

Enniskillen Lifeboat Rescues Two After Kayak Capsize

29th September 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Enniskillen RNLI rescued two people on Sunday evening (27 September) after a kayak was reported to have capsized at the mouth of the Colebrook River. The volunteer lifeboat crew based on Upper Lough Erne at Carrybridge were requested by…

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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