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RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland
Fenit RNLI Bid to Save Stranded Dolphin
#rnli – Lifeboat crew with Fenit RNLI and three local families worked together last night (Tuesday 26 March) to save the life of a stranded dolphin in the Kerry town. The mammal was running out of time after he was washed…
Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat Crew Give it Some Welly
#rnli – With the recent downpours, the RNLI is calling on people to put their wellies to good use and support their forthcoming MAYDAY appeal.  The charity that saves lives at sea is asking the public to hold a welly…
Lucky Escape for Dad & Daughter as Waves Crash Over Howth Pier
#rnli – A father and daughter had to be rescued early this morning by Howth RNLI off the East Pier, after they became stranded and were forced to take shelter from breaking waves. The two were out walking on the…
UK Lone Sailor Rescued 38 Miles off Cork Coast
#rnli – Mine Head Coast Guard received a call for assistance at 3:30am this morning from a lone sailor on passage from the UK.Ballycotton lifeboat launched at 3:45am and proceeded to the known position of the 6.5 metre vessel, which…
Portrush Boatowners look forward to Annual Boat Jumble
#boatjumble – Portrush Boatowners Association is eagerly looking forward to the annual boat jumble at Portrush Harbour on Saturday 30th March 2013. The boat jumble which is usually held in October was rescheduled to Easter Saturday, so that visitors to…
CoastGuard, Air Corps & Lifeboat in Combined Exercise on Dublin Bay
#rnli – A joint training exercise between the RNLI lifeboats at Dun Laoghaire, an Irish Air Corps helicopter from Baldonnel and the Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard Unit will take place this afternoon on Dublin Bay from 2.30pm for approximately two…
French Trawler Rescued By RNLI Lifeboat off Wicklow Head
#rnli – Wicklow RNLI has rescued four fishermen from a 26m French fishing trawler which got into difficulty in the early hours of this morning (Friday 22 March). The volunteer lifeboat crew responded rapidly and in severe weather conditions when…
Kilrush RNLI Responds To 'Flare' Sightings Off West Coast
#RNLI - Kilrush RNLI launched twice on Tuesday 19 March to a reported flare or red smoke sighted off the coast on the River Shannon. On both launches at 12.15pm and later at 9.27pm, both crews quickly assembled and set…
RNLI Roundup: Arranmore Assists Crabbers, Courtown Volunteers Awarded
#RNLI - Arranmore RNLI was involved in an epic 12-hour rescue in difficult weather of five fishermen on board a crabber which got into difficulty on St Patrick’s Day. The station’s all-weather lifeboat was launched at 1.45pm to go to…
Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat Called to Mullaghmore Incident
#rnli – The Bundoran RNLI lifeboat was tasked to an incident this morning, Monday March 18th 2013, in Mullaghmore, County Sligo. A man in his 50s is understood to have been washed off rocks as he fished with friends off…
Arklow RNLI Tows Stricken Whelk Vessel To Harbour
#RNLI - Arklow RNLI assisted the crew of a whelk fishing vessel which got into difficulty yesterday (Thursday 14 March). The volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat, the Ger Tigchlearr, shortly before 9am to go to the aid of a local fishing vessel.…
RNLI Say Thanks to Captain Pat Farnan, Retired Cork Harbour Master
#rnli – Recently retired Port of Cork Harbour Master, Captain Pat Farnan was thanked by Crosshaven RNLI at a special presentation at the lifeboat station on Wednesday night.Operations Manager, Alan Barton thanked Pat, who retired from the company after 33…
DCU Surf 'n' Sail Club Raise €800 for Howth RNLI
#rnli – Members of Dublin City University's (DCU) Surf 'n' Sail club recently presented a cheque for €823 to Howth RNLI. The students raised the money by organising a Christmas Charity Swim in aid of Howth RNLI. On 12 December…
Kilmore Quay RNLI Tends to Fishing Vessel in Epic Callout
#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew at Kilmore Quay RNLI in Co Wexford responded to an 11-hour callout yesterday morning (Sunday 10 March) involving a 23-metre fishing vessel that had got into difficulty 40 miles south of the harbour. See…
Lifeboats Chief Visits Donaghadee, New Lifeboat for Arklow
#RNLI - Donaghadee lifeboat station was delighted yesterday (7 March) to welcome RNLI chief executive Paul Boissier, who was on a two-day visit to the Northern Ireland division. Operational and fund raising volunteers crowded into the station to meet Boissier,…
Arklow RNLI Aids Fishing Vessel Off Courtown
#RNLI - Arklow RNLI came to the assistance of three fishermen whose vessel got into difficulty off the Wexford coast yesterday (6 March). The volunteer lifeboat crew was alerted shortly before 1.30pm following a report that a fishing vessel was…

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.

Irish Lifeboat Stations

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland, with an operational base in Swords, Co Dublin. Irish RNLI crews are tasked through a paging system instigated by the Irish Coast Guard which can task a range of rescue resources depending on the nature of the emergency.

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

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.

Stations with an offshore lifeboat have a full-time mechanic, while some have a full-time coxswain. However, most lifeboat crews are volunteers.

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland

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

In 2019, 8,941 lifeboat launches saved 342 lives across the RNLI fleet.

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.

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.

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.

A lifeboat coxswain (pronounced cox'n) is the skipper or master of the lifeboat.

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

 

While the RNLI is dependent on donations and legacies for funding, they also need volunteer crew and fund-raisers.

© Afloat 2020