RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

Loftus Hall present Fethard RNLI with a €12,000 donation towards a new lifeboat

Fethard RNLI Receives Big Donation Towards Lifeboat Appeal

14th August 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Fethard RNLI have received a major boost for their inshore lifeboat appeal after receiving a €12,000 donation from local business Loftus Hall. Ahead of the RNLI Waves Festival at the end of the month, Aidan and Shane Quigley…

Helvick Head RNLI's inshore lifeboat Robert Armstrong

Helvick Head Lifeboat Joins Rescue Of Kayakers In Dungarvan Bay

9th August 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Three kayakers who got into difficulty in Dungarvan Bay on Sunday evening (7 August) were assisted by the volunteer crew of Helvick Head RNLI. The inshore lifeboat Robert Armstrong launched just after 6.30pm following a report that three…

Kinsale Lifeboat Launches Twice Within Six Hours At Weekend

8th August 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - The volunteer crew from Kinsale RNLI launched twice overnight on Saturday (6 August) and into the early hours of Sunday (7 August) this past weekend. The lifeboat first launched at 9.40pm to Saturday to aid a 26ft yacht…

Fethard Lifeboat Crew Brings Drifting Pleasure Boat To Safety

8th August 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Fethard RNLI had a busy weekend, with their second callout in 24 hours seeing launch to reports of an unmanned vessel drifting a half mile off Fethard in Co Wexford. The alarm was raised before 9.30am yesterday morning…

Courtmacsherry RNLI rescued the men close to rocks in West Cork

Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat Rescues Jet Skiers & Pleasure Craft

8th August 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

The Courtmacsherry RNLI All Weather Lifeboat was called out at 5.15 pm yesterday afternoon to go to the aid of three men who got into difficulty in a Jet–ski and small pleasure boat just off the Seven Heads coastline in…

Crosshaven RNLI Inshore lifeboat speeds past Roches Point at the entrance to Cork Harbour

Crosshaven RNLI Launch to Supermarket Dinghy Blown Out to Sea

8th August 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

Crosshaven lifeboat was launched this afternoon after a member of the public alerted the Coast Guard to an inflatable Dinghy with thre persons on board being blown out to sea. The lifeboat launched at 14.52 and made their way to…

Fethard Lifeboat Rescues Three On Punt Drifting Close To Shore

7th August 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew with Fethard RNLI were launched yesterday morning (Saturday 6 August 2016) just before 9am to reports of an anchorless 17ft punt with three people onboard in difficulty off Keeragh Island, Co Wexford. Requested to…

Ballycotton Lifeboat Rescues Child Adrift On Inflatable Dinghy

5th August 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Ballycotton RNLI rescued a child yesterday evening (Thursday 4 August) after an offshore breeze pulled her inflatable dinghy out to sea. Ballycotton’s all-weather lifeboat, under coxswain Eolan Walsh, was launched around 5.30pm after the nine-year-old girl got into…

On arrival the bomb disposal unit carried out a controlled explosion

RNLI Lifeguards Create Temporary Exclusion Zone on Murlough Beach Following Discovery of Old Mortar Bomb

4th August 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

RNLI lifeguards created an exclusion zone up to 300m on Murlough Beach on Monday afternoon following the discovery of an old mortar bomb. Senior lifeguard Peter Kinkaid and lifeguard Tommy Murphy were moving the RNLI’s red and yellow flags at…

RNLI beach lifeguard unit on Benone Strand has been vandalised again

RNLI Beach Lifeguard Unit on Benone Strand Vandalised for Second Time This Season

3rd August 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

The RNLI beach lifeguard unit on Benone Strand on the North coast has been vandalised for a second time this season.A member of the public reported that at approximately 10pm on Monday night last (1 August), they spotted damage being…

Youghal Lifeboat Rescues Dog On Launch To Boat In Difficulty

3rd August 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - The volunteer crew of Youghal lifeboat were requested to launch on Saturday afternoon (30 July) to reports of a dive boat with engine failure south of Ram Head with two people onboard. With an updated position received from…

Three Callouts In Two Days For Portaferry Lifeboat

1st August 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Portaferry RNLI has urged the public to be vigilant and to take care near or on water this summer following three callouts in two days for the Co Down lifeboat station. The volunteer lifeboat crew was first put…

Red Bay RNLI Rescues Man After Fall From Wall in Cushendall

31st July 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

Lifeboat crew from Red Bay RNLI rescued a man who fell over a wall sustaining multiple injuries in the early hours of this morning (Sunday 31 July). The man who fell at 2.30am landed close to rocks beside the lifeboat…

Lough Derg RNLI attend a cruiser aground at Ryan's Point

Lough Derg RNLI Attend Two Separate Cruisers Aground

30th July 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

There have been two back to back callouts for Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat to assist a family of seven on a 40ft–cruiser aground at the Goat Road, and to assist a family of five on board at 35ft–cruiser aground at…

The three women were on passage from Norway to the Caribbean. See video below

Larne RNLI Rescues Three Yachtswomen After Yacht Gets into Difficulty off Antrim coast

30th July 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

Larne RNLI rescued three people late last night (Friday 29 July) after their 6m yacht got into difficulty off the Antrim coast. The three women were on passage from Norway to the Caribbean having come through the Caledonian canal, and…

Skerries Lifeboat Launches To Boat With Fouled Propeller

30th July 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI volunteers launched their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat on Thursday evening (28 July) to reports of a 21ft boat with a fouled propeller south of Rush Harbour. A person on board the stricken vessel had contacted one…

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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