RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

RIB Accident Claims Two Lives in Donegal

10th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

The Coast Guard has recovered the bodies of two men from the water in Co Donegal yesterday. One man was in his 50s and the other man was in his 40s. The incident occurred off Malinbeg, Glencolmcille, Co Donegal. Whilst on…

Two Consecutive Callouts For Larne Lifeboats On Busy Saturday

9th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Larne RNLI responded to two consecutive calls for help off the Antrim coast yesterday afternoon (Saturday 8 July). The volunteer lifeboat crew was requested to launch their all-weather and inshore lifeboats at 2.17pm after Belfast Coastguard reported that…

Fethard RNLI Responds to False Alarm with Good Intent

8th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

Fethard RNLI launched its inshore lifeboat yesterday evening (Thursday 6 July) to conduct a search after a member of the public reported seeing a kayak floating in the sea off Duncannon Beach in County Wexford. The volunteer crew was requested…

Skerries Lifeboat Launches To Report Of Swimmers In Difficulty

7th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI launched on Wednesday afternoon (5 July) after the coastguard received a report from lifeguards on Rush beach of swimmers in difficulty some 500 metres off shore and at risk of being pulled out to sea. The…

Larne Lifeboat Rescue Two After Yacht Becalmed With Tangled Propeller Off Antrim Coast

6th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Larne RNLI rescued two men yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 5 July) after their yacht got into difficulty off the Antrim coast. The all-weather lifeboat was requested to launch at 1.46pm following a report from Belfast Coastguard that a 30ft…

Rosslare Harbour RNLI Rescues Three Men After Motorboat Breaks Down

5th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

Rosslare Harbour RNLI has rescued three men this afternoon after their motorboat encountered mechanical problems and broke down off the Wexford coast. The volunteer crew was requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat at 3pm following a report from the Irish…

Rosslare Harbour RNLI went to the aid of a motorsailor aground on the Blackwater Bank

Rosslare Harbour RNLI Rescues Three men After Motorsailor Runs Aground

4th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

Rosslare Harbour RNLI rescued three men yesterday evening (Monday 3 July) after their boat ran aground. The volunteer lifeboat crew was requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat at approximately 4.30pm following a report from the Irish Coast Guard that a…

Howth RNLI was called out to rescue dinghy sailors

Howth RNLI Rescue Two Dinghy Sailors in Difficulties

4th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

Howth RNLI launched the inshore lifeboat Saturday 1st July to reports of 2 dinghy sailors finding it difficult to return to Portmarnock beach in heavy offshore winds. The inshore lifeboat was tasked at 7.25pm to the scene just off Portmarnock…

Clifden RNLI’s Fisherman’s Friend comes alongside the stricken fishing vessel

Clifden Lifeboat Rescues Fisherman Off Slyne Head

4th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Clifden RNLI’s all-weather Mersey Class lifeboat Fisherman's Friend was launched at 1.30pm on Saturday (1 July) to go to the assistance of a fishing vessel adrift six miles off Slyne Head in Co Galway. The 11m vessel had…

David Maguire, Nick Bowie, Lorraine Galvin, her daughter Lauren and Cllr Jim Moore Mayor at the Wexford Maritime Festival this past weekend

Wexford Lifeboat Crew Receive ‘Excellence In Volunteering’ Award

3rd July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Two volunteer lifeboat crew with Wexford RNLI have received the charity’s Excellence in Volunteering Award in recognition for their hard work and dedication to lifesaving. Lorraine Galvin and David Maguire were presented with their framed certificates during the…

The pleasure craft alongside the RNLI lifeboat

Pleasure Boat Rescue By RNLI Courtmacsherry

2nd July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

The Courtmacsherry RNLI All Weather Lifeboat was called out at 12.16pm this afternoon to go to the aid of a 17–foot pleasure boat that got into difficulties off Coolmain, east of the Old Head of Kinsale in West Cork. The…

Portaferry’s inshore lifeboat arrives on scene to rescue the women and children cut off by the tide

Portaferry Lifeboat Rescues Four Stranded On Island In Strangford Lough

29th June 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Portaferry RNLI was called out yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 28 June) to rescue a group of four people who had become stranded on an island at the north end of Strangford Lough. The two women and two children had…

Larne inshore lifeboat was launched following reports of an over-turned kayak at Carnfunnock

Larne RNLI Launches Five Times in a Fortnight, Incidents Include a Broken Down Yacht & Vessels Taking on Water

27th June 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

The most recent launch took place on Friday last, 23 June at 11pm. Larne's all-weather lifeboat Dr John McSparron and inshore lifeboat Terry launched on request of Belfast Coastguard to reports of two overdue kayakers. Both boats completed a search…

Ballycotton RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat was on standby for yesterday's callout

Ballycotton Lifeboat Rescues Kitesurfer In Difficulty

27th June 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Ballycotton RNLI launched at around 10.30am yesterday morning (Monday 26 June) to aid a kitesurfer who had got into difficulty in Ballycotton Bay, Co Cork. The all-weather lifeboat remained on standby as the inshore lifeboat headed to the…

Fifth Bangor Bay Sea Kayak Race Raises Funds For Local Lifeboat

26th June 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - During the Sea Bangor Festival over the weekend, Bangor RNLI was delighted to welcome Jackie Patton of Ballyholme Yacht Club and Robert Montgomery from the Belfast Kayak Club to receive a cheque for £1,700 raised for the lifeboat…

Wicklow RNLI’s inshore lifeboat launching to the windsurfer in difficulty

Wicklow Inshore Lifeboat Crew Assist Windsurfer Off Silver Strand

26th June 2017 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was launched at 1.48pm on Saturday afternoon (24 June) after a member of the public reported a windsurfer in difficulty off Silver Strand, three miles south of Wicklow Harbour. The lifeboat with three crew…

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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