RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

Northern Ireland Lifeguard Saving Lives in Cameroon

3rd February 2012 RNLI Lifeboats

#LIFEBOATS – While RNLI beach lifeguards take a break from life-saving on the North coast of Northern Ireland, RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor Tim Doran, originally from Armagh and living in Portstewart, along with his colleague Ross Macleod, RNLI Beach Safety Programme…

Fisher Entertains By the Lee in Aid of the RNLI (Photos here!)

27th January 2012 RNLI Lifeboats

#SAILING BY THE LEE – Maritime journalist Bob Fisher entertained over 200 guests today at the annual RNLI "Sailing by the Lee" Lunch 2012 in Cork. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS BELOW BY BOB BATEMAN. The large crowd from the maritime…

Actress Saoirse Ronan Calls to Wicklow Lifeboat Station

23rd January 2012 RNLI Lifeboats

#SAOIRSE RONAN – Volunteer lifeboat crew with Wicklow RNLI received a surprise visitor during their navigation course this morning (Monday 23 January 2012). Well known actress Saoirse Ronan dropped in to say hello while filming nearby. The actress was filming…

Bundoran Lifeboat Launches for Surfer in First callout of 2012

15th January 2012 RNLI Lifeboats

#BUNDORAN RESCUE – On Saturday 14th January, following a distress call, Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat were tasked to assist a surfer in trouble at Tullan Strand, Bundoran. The surfer got into difficulty around 4pm after his surf board snapped during a…

Awards for RNLI Volunteers on Isle of Man

11th January 2012 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Peel Lifeboat Station is three times proud as a trio of its volunteers will receive awards for their services to the RNLI. IsleOfMan.com reports that the badge winners were announced at the RNLI headquarters in Poole as part…

'Magic Lanterns' Blamed as Crosshaven Lifeboat Launches After Flare Sighting

8th January 2012 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI – Crosshaven RNLI lifeboat was tasked at 7.30pm on 6 January to a report of a red distress flare being reported by the control tower at Cork airport. A compass bearing was given which put the incident in the…

New Lifejackets for Irish Lifeboat Crews

4th January 2012 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI – The RNLI has launched a campaign which will see every lifeboat station in Ireland take delivery of new specially designed lifejackets this year. The lifejackets have been commissioned by the RNLI for search and rescue work and have…

Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat to Mark Christmas Eve Tragedy

20th December 2011 RNLI Lifeboats

#LIFEBOAT – The crew of the RNLI lifeboat station at Dun Laoghaire will hold the traditional ceremony to remember the 15 volunteers that died on service in 1895 on Christmas Eve and for all lives lost at sea in the…

Santa Claus Delayed by Hoax Lifeboat Call

19th December 2011 RNLI Lifeboats

#SANTA – The arrival of Santa Claus to Mullaghmore Pier by Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat on Sunday afternoon was delayed due to a hoax distress call received to Malin Head Coast Guard. As the four Bundoran Lifeboat crew were about…

Ballycotton Lifeboat Launched to Assist Ailing Fishing Vessel

3rd December 2011 RNLI Lifeboats

#LIFEBOATS - Ballycotton's RNLI lifeboat was dispatched in poor conditions Wednesday evening to fishing boat taking on water some 20 miles south east of the Co Cork town, FishNewsEU.com reports. Assisted by the Waterford coastguard helicopter Rescue 117, the lifeboat…

Castletownbere Lifeboat Rescues Motor Cruiser

23rd November 2011 RNLI Lifeboats

#RESCUE – Castletownbere's All weather Lifeboat, the Severn Class Annette Hutton recently assisted an Aquador 32 motorboat with gearbox failure off Three Castle Head. There was a crew of 2 on board the cruiser. Footage (below) was taken from the…

RNLI Boss Calls to Sligo Station

11th November 2011 RNLI Lifeboats

#LIFEBOAT–Sligo Bay lifeboat station welcomed Lifeboat top brass to the West Coast of Ireland yesterday as part of a tour of Irish RNLI stations. The sun shone over Sligo Bay as Paul Bossier accompanied by his wife Susie with Martyn…

Green Light for Lough Ree Lifeboat

4th November 2011 RNLI Lifeboats

#LIFEBOATS – The RNLI in Ireland is to trial an inshore lifeboat on one of the biggest loughs on the River Shannon. At a recent meeting of the RNLI Board of Trustees the decision was taken to place an inshore…

Lifeboat Rescues Jet Skiers in Wicklow Harbour

3rd November 2011 RNLI Lifeboats

#LIFEBOATS - The Wicklow People reports on the lifeboat rescue of two jet skiers at Wicklow Harbour last week. Wicklow RNLI was dispatched at 4.15pm last Thursday to the two men who were left stranded after one jet ski was…

Howth RNLI Names New Treasurer at AGM

31st October 2011 RNLI Lifeboats

David Sargent was named as the new treasurer of Howth RNLI at the lifeboat branch's AGM and awards event recently, The Irish Times reports. http://www.afloat.ie/resources/irish-ports/howth-harbour http://afloat.ie/resources/organisations/rnli-ireland/ http://www.afloat.ie/safety/lifeboats/ http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1031/1224306801849.html Sargent succeeds Capt Peter McKenna, who served as treasurer for the last…

Crosshaven RNLI rescue Kayaker and Assist Another

23rd October 2011 RNLI Lifeboats

Crosshaven RNLI lifeboat this afternoon (Sunday 23 Oct) rescued one person who had become capsized from his kayak within Cork Harbour. Conditions at the time were poor with 2m seas and Gale force 8 to 9 winds. A member of the…

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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