RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

RNLI Warns People to Respect the Water with Hard-Hitting Campaign

9th July 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RespectTheWater – The RNLI is today launching its national drowning prevention campaign, Respect the Water, warning people that the coastlines and waters can be dangerously unpredictable. The campaign which will be run on radio, outdoor and online will also see two…

Skerries Lifeboat Volunteers Respond To Third Callout In A Week

5th July 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI volunteers launched for their third callout within seven days yesterday (Saturday 04 July) following reports of a kayaker in distress off Gormanston beach. The pagers sounded shortly after 11.30am this morning, with the lifeboat – launched…

Wicklow Lifeboat Rescues Jetskier After Engine Cuts Out

4th July 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's inshore lifeboat launched at 2.25pm yesterday afternoon (Friday 3 July) to assist a jetskier north of the harbour. The jetskier had set off from Wicklow and was about a half mile offshore when the engine cut…

Belfast City Gets Dedicated RNLI Station For Tall Ships Weekend

1st July 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - The RNLI will have a fully operational lifeboat station in Belfast City from 9am tomorrow 2 July right through to Sunday evening 5 July for the Tall Ships Races. With up to 750,000 visitors expected in Belfast over…

Skerries Lifeboat Brings Four To Safety After Yacht Holed By Rocks

1st July 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI brought four people to safety on Sunday afternoon (28 June) after their racing yacht began taking on water after striking rocks near one of the islands off Skerries. Volunteers launched their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Louis…

Howth RNLI Lifeboat Rescues Kayakers in Difficulties

30th June 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#rnli – Howth RNLI inshore lifeboat launched at 4.40pm Monday 29th June to reports of four men in two kayaks in difficulties one mile north of Howth harbour with one of the men in need of medical assistance. The pagers…

RNLI Honours Contribution of Irish Volunteers at the Annual Presentation of Awards in Dublin

29th June 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#rnli – The RNLI held its Annual Presentation of Awards at the Guinness Storehouse on Saturday where the charity presented 55 awards to volunteers, groups and businesses from across the country that have made a significant contribution to the RNLI…

Ireland's Second Busiest Coastal Lifeboat Station Still Lacks Dedicated Pontoon

28th June 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Ireland's second busiest coastal lifeboat station is still without a pontoon for the safe boarding and alighting of crew and casualties, as the Sunday Independent reports. Dun Laoghaire RNLI still uses a motor tender to transfer between the…

Union Hall Lifeboat Rescues Five From French Yacht

28th June 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Union Hall RNLI rescued five men after their yacht was in danger of hitting rocks off the coast of West Cork on Friday evening (26 June). The volunteer lifeboat crew was alerted shortly after 5pm following a report…

Rosslare Harbour Lifeboat Assists Six In Early Morning Callout

26th June 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI assisted six people in the early hours of this morning (Friday 26 June) after their yacht got into difficulty off the Wexford coast. Volunteers were alerted shortly before 2.30am following a report from the Irish…

Wicklow Lifeboats Launch To Report Of Floating Object

21st June 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Both Wicklow RNLI lifeboats launched yesterday afternoon (Saturday 20 June) at 3.10pm to investigate a report of an object floating in the sea off the beach at Brittas Bay. A vigilant lifeguard on duty at Brittas Bay contacted…

Lough Swilly RNLI Lifeboat Rescue Three Fishermen Missing off Donegal Coast

19th June 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#lifeboat – In the early hours of this morning Lough Swilly RNLI rescued three fishermen who had been reported missing after they failed to return home. It was the first rescue for Lough Swilly RNLI's new Shannon class lifeboat and…

Falmouth Solo Racing Yachtswoman Rescued By Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat

18th June 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#lifeboat – The Courtmacsherry RNLI All Weather Lifeboat under Coxswain Sean O Farrell was called out at 7.10 pm yesterday evening to answer a distress call from a yacht that was reported in difficulties off the West Cork Coast, as…

Wexford Lifeboats Assist Two After Yacht Breakdown

16th June 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Volunteer lifeboat crew from Wexford and Rosslare Harbour RNLI launched on Sunday (14 June) to go to the assistance of two people onboard a 37ft yacht which got into difficulty off Wexford’s east coast. Wexford RNLI launched their…

Crosshaven Lifeboat Rescues Teens From Homemade Raft

16th June 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Six teenagers have been rescued by Crosshaven RNLI this morning (Tuesday 16 June) after a member of the public spotted them in the water and raised the alarm. The volunteer lifeboat crew was requested to launch their inshore…

Yacht Aground on Lough Derg, Lifeboat Wades to the Rescue

16th June 2015 RNLI Lifeboats

Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched to assist 4 people on board a 24ft yacht, aground in Sandy Bottom in Dromineer Bay last night. At 8.03pm, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat to launch to assist four people on…

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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