RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

Two Callouts In 24 Hours For Lough Ree Lifeboat

1st April 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew with Lough Ree RNLI were called out twice in 24 hours to assist grounded vessels in the Wood Shoal area. Thankfully there were no injuries any of those on board across both vessels, but…

Bangor Lifeboat Aids Fishermen After Engine Failure

30th March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Bangor RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew were requested by Belfast Coastguard to help two fishermen on a 17ft motorboat with engine failure. Although conditions were calm and the crew were in no immediate danger, the westerly wind was extremely…

Rosslare Lifeboat Launches To Injured Worker On Tuskar Rock Lighthouse

30th March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI's volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 2am this morning (Wednesday 30 March) on request by the Irish Coast Guard to attend an injured man who was working on the Tuskar Rock lighthouse. Once on…

RNLI parade past the GPO as part of the 1916 Rising Commemorations in Dublin

RNLI Takes Part in Easter 1916 Centenary Commemoration

27th March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew from across Ireland took part in today’s Easter 1916 centenary commemoration which saw over seven hundred members of the Irish emergency services taking part in the biggest parade in the history of the state. The fifty…

RNLI Lifeguards to Patrol Five Beaches on the Causeway Coast at Easter

22nd March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

RNLI lifeguards will patrol five beaches on the Causeway Coast during this year’s Easter holidays. Starting on Good Friday, lifeguards will be operating from Beach Lifeguard Units on Benone Strand, Portstewart Strand, East and West Strands in Portrush and Whiterocks.…

Lough Swilly RNLI Extend their Sympathies to the Bereaved Following the Tragedy at Buncrana Pier

21st March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

The volunteer lifeboat crew and station management at Lough Swilly RNLI wish to extend their deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of the five people who lost their lives following the events at Buncrana Pier on Sunday night…

Clogherhead RNLI crew inspect their lifeboat

Clogherhead Lifeboat Recovers Liferaft & Beacon After Fishing Vessel Rescue

21st March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Clogherhead RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 11:50am yesterday (Sunday 20 March) in response to a distress EPIRB signal received from a fishing vessel located 25 miles east of Clogherhead. While en route to the…

Clifden RNLI members Andrew Bell, Ciaran Folan, David Coyne, Barry Ward and John Brittain accept a cheque for €1,820 from Jacqueline Hannon and Nancy Duffy on St Patrick’s Day

Sun Shines On St Patrick's Day Donation To Clifden Lifeboat

19th March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Bright sunshine and a much appreciated donation was a great start to St Patrick’s Day for the crew of Clifden RNLI. Longtime supporters and fundraisers Jacqueline Hannon and Nancy Duffy of Claddaghduff, Co Galway presented a cheque for…

Two Early Morning Callouts For Portrush Lifeboat In Busy 24 Hours

16th March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Portrush RNLI had a busy 24 hours earlier this week with two early morning callouts on consecutive days. The volunteer lifeboat crew was alerted at 4.45am on Monday (14 March) to reports of a fishing vessel that had…

Lap of Lough Ree cyclists prepare to set out on the third running of the charity event

Fun & Fitness At Lough Ree RNLI Charity Cycle

15th March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Lough Ree RNLI’s third annual Lap Of Lough Ree charity cycle took place on Sunday 6 March, with 88 cyclists setting off in cold, dry weather at 10am. The cycle started and finished at The Bounty, Buccaneers Rugby…

Kilkeel and Newcastle RNLI lifeboat crews respond to the fishing vessel taking on water

Kilkeel Lifeboat Aids Fishing Vessel Rapidly Taking On Water

15th March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Kilkeel RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew launched at 9.20am yesterday morning (Monday 14 March) to go the aid of a fishing vessel rapidly taking in water about 25 miles southeast of Kilkeel, Co Down. The vessel was in a…

The Wexford Sinfonia will play the ‘Heroes of the Helen Blake’ Suite

Amateur Orchestra Bring RNLI Lifeboat Music to National Concert Hall

14th March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

An Irish amateur orchestra is set to realise their dream of performing on the stage of the National Concert Hall in Dublin when they play a specially composed piece of music commemorating the Helen Blake maritime tragedy where nine lifeboat…

Two Fishermen Brought to Safety by Rosslare Harbour & Wexford RNLI

13th March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

Two fishermen have been brought to safety this afternoon by the RNLI after they got into difficulty off the Wexford coast. Wexford RNLI was requested to launch their inshore lifeboat at 12.08pm following a report that a fishing vessel with…

Sandymount beach in Dublin where walkers were rescued today by an inshore RNLI boat from Dun Laoghaire

Sunday Stroll on Sandymount Strand Ends in Rescue by RNLI Lifeboat

13th March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

Two walkers were rescued by the RNLI inshore lifeboat from Dun Laoghaire shortly after midday today when the rising tide surrounded them half a mile from shore off Sandymount. The pair raised the alarm by mobile phone to the Irish…

Portaferry Lifeboat Rescues Stranded Kayakers In Strangford Lough

9th March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew at Portaferry RNLI launched yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 8 March) to the aid of two kayakers stranded on an island in Strangford Lough. The two men were on a camping trip to Boretree Island, just…

Engines running and ready to launch: RNLI volunteers Simon Oldfield, John Petrie, Jonathan Kelso, Davy Eccles, Carmen Van Der Schyff, coxswain Philip McNamara and Nicky Butler undergoing vital training at the weekend

Donaghadee Lifeboat Volunteers Are Ready For Action

7th March 2016 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - On Sunday 6 March 2016, Donaghadee RNLI coxswain Philip McNamara and the volunteer lifeboat crew mustered for the latest in a series of vital fortnightly sea training exercises to ensure they are prepared for the challenges of the…

Start
Prev
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
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