RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

Baltimore RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat crew tows a RIB with two on board to safety

Fastnet Callout Sees Baltimore Lifeboat Bring Two To Safety

9th August 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Two people watching the Fastnet Race fleet round the famous rock from a RIB yesterday (Tuesday 8 August) were rescued by Baltimore RNLI when their boat lost power. The volunteer lifeboat crew, who were already on exercise in…

Baltimore’s all-weather lifeboat returning to station after Sunday night’s medevac from Cape Clear Island

Baltimore Lifeboat In Medevac From Cape Clear Island

8th August 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Baltimore RNLI carried out a medevac on Sunday night (6 August) for a student on Cape Clear Island off the coast of West Cork. The volunteer lifeboat crew were tasked to launch their all-weather lifeboat at 10.11pm to…

Lough Derg RNLI approaching a grounded cruiser at the Goat Road on Friday evening

Lough Derg Lifeboat Assists 12 In Two Weekend Callouts

7th August 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - At 11.36am yesrerday (Sunday August 6), Lough Derg RNLI were diverted from exercise after a motorboat fouled its propellers on a line and suffered engine failure. The 25ft boat with six people on board was reported to be…

Baltimore Lifeboat Secures Vessels In Trouble At Crookhaven

4th August 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - In the first of two incidents yesterday morning (Thursday 3 August), Baltimore RNLI launched to reports of a vessel adrift in Crookhaven Harbour. The vessel, a 4m Boston Whaler powerboat, had broken from its mooring in strong winds…

Donaghadee & Bangor RNLI Escort 10 Dinghy Sailors Caught in Offshore Wind to Safety

3rd August 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

Volunteers from Donaghadee and Bangor RNLI were requested to launch their lifeboats this evening (Thursday 3 August) after a group of dinghy sailors got into difficulty off the County Down coast. The inshore lifeboat from Bangor and the all-weather lifeboat…

Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat on Dublin Bay, it's one of the busiest RNLI boats in the country

RNLI & Irish Coast Guard in Joint Call for People to ‘Respect the Water’ During Busiest Month for Rescues

3rd August 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

The RNLI and the Irish Coast Guard are issuing a joint call this Bank Holiday weekend urging people to be vigilant and to take care on the water and along the coastline. It comes as both organisations note that August…

Courtmacsherry RNLI’s all weather lifeboat pictured off Roches Point

Engine Failure On West Cork Fishing Trip Vessel Prompts Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Rescue

2nd August 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Courtmacsherry RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat was called out at 4.20pm yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 1 August) to go to the aid of a 40ft pleasure fishing boat with mechanical failure 15 miles off the Seven Heads in West Cork. The…

Rosslare Harbour RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat

Rosslare Harbour Lifeboat In Extensive Search For Swimmer Reportedly Swept Out To Sea

2nd August 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI was involved in an extensive search off the Wexford coast yesterday (Tuesday 1 August) after a swimmer was reported to have been swept out to sea. The alarm was raised shortly after 3pm by a…

Baltimore Lifeboat Called To Report Of Upturned Vessel At Heir Island

1st August 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Baltimore RNLI completed a busy weekend when the inshore lifeboat was launched on Sunday afternoon (30 July) to a report of an upturned vessel off Heir Island. The volunteer lifeboat launched at 2.42pm arrived on scene to find…

The 27ft yacht had run aground on a mudbank in Duncannon Harbour

Fethard RNLI Rescues Two People After Yacht Runs Aground off Wexford Coast

29th November -0001 RNLI Lifeboats

Fethard RNLI rescued two people after their yacht ran aground off the Wexford coast yesterday evening. The volunteer lifeboat crew was requested to launch their inshore lifeboat shortly after 5pm following a report from the Irish Coast Guard that a…

The volunteer lifeboat crew was first requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat shortly after 9am this morning

Rosslare Harbour RNLI Responds to Swedish Yacht With Engine Problem & 'Unmanned' RIB in Separate Incidents

31st July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

Rosslare Harbour RNLI has responded to two call outs off the Wexford coast today. The volunteer lifeboat crew was first requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat shortly after 9am this morning following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to…

Coxswain Ken Cashman as he brings the stricken boat alongside the pontoon at Courtmacsherry Pier

Fishing Trip Goes Wrong as 14–Foot Pleasure Craft is Rescued By Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat

30th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

The Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat was called out at 11.25 am this morning Sunday to go to the immediate aid of a 14–foot Pleasure boat off Harbour View in Courtmacsherry Bay. The alert was raised from the shore as the boat…

Baltimore Lifeboat Responds To Drascombe Lugger Mayday

30th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Just hours after launching to an alarm from a yacht’s emergency beacon on Friday morning (28 July), Baltimore RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat was back in action responding to a Mayday from a Drascombe Lugger taking on water in Schull Harbour.…

The yacht was taken under tow and brought safely back to Ballycastle in an operation lasting four hours

Red Bay RNLI Rescues Two Men After Yacht Gets into Difficulty off Rathlin Island

28th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

Red Bay RNLI in County Antrim has rescued two men this afternoon (Friday 28 July) after their 10m yacht encountered steering problems off Rathlin Island. The volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 9.50am following a request from Belfast Coastguard…

Baltimore Lifeboat Launches To Emergency Beacon Activation On Yacht

28th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Baltimore RNLI launched this morning (Friday 28 July) to locate a vessel sending an alarm from their positioning beacon off the coast of West Cork. The Irish Coast Guard requested the launch just before 10am after it had…

Lough Derg RNLI’s inshore lifeboat launches to the report of a stranded cruiser near Hare Island

Skipper Rescued By Lough Derg Lifeboat ‘Reluctant To Call For Help’

28th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Lough Derg RNLI’s volunteers were surprised to find a man whose cruiser had grounded near Hare Island had spent the night alone stranded in the lake as he was reluctant to call for help. Valentia Coast Guard requested…

Start
Prev
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
Next
End

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