RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland

Donaghadee Lifeboat Rescues PWC Rider From Rocks

15th April 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew from Donaghadee RNLI rescued a personal watercraft (PWC) enthusiast from rocks near Millisle in Co Down on Saturday evening (12 April). A member of the public reported the craft in difficulty south of Millisle…

Crosshaven RNLI Rescues Four People from RIB Aground in Cork Harbour

13th April 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#rnli – Crosshaven RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch to a 6m Rib (Rigid Rib) that had run aground last evening in Lough Mahon in Cork Harbour. Crosshaven lifeboat launched shortly after 10pm last evening after receiving reports that the RIB with…

Historic Anglo-Irish Events Reflects Special Shared 'Royal' Relationships

12th April 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#ByRoyalAppointment - This week's historic first Irish state visit of President Michael D. Higgins to the United Kingdom, also saw the arrival of Royal Navy inshore fast patrol-boats of the First Patrol Squadron call to Dublin Bay ports within the…

New Lifeboat Pontoon Berth for Aran Islands will Mean Faster Launch Times

8th April 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#rnli – RNLI lifeboat crew with Aran Islands RNLI will be able to launch their all weather Severn Class lifeboat faster following the installation of a 24 metre pontoon, which will enable the lifeboat crew to board the lifeboat from a…

Jet Skiers Spark Portush RNLI Call Out

6th April 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#rnli – Portrush RNLI volunteer All Weather Lifeboat Crew got their first service of 2014 today, after receiving reports of two jet skiers in difficulties at Benone Beach near Magillian. The RNLI were alerted by a friend of the two…

Arklow Lifeboat Rescues Two From Sinking Yacht

6th April 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Arklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat Ger Tigchelaar was launched yesterday afternoon (Saturday 5 April) to a report of a sailing vessel in danger of sinking off the Wicklow coast. With challenging seas and with visibility deteriorating, the lifeboat proceeded…

Campaign Launched to Save Historic Donaghadee 'Sir Samuel Kelly' Lifeboat

25th March 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

A major fund-raising campaign will be launched (April 2, 2014) to save a famous lifeboat which rescued survivors from the Princess Victoria in 1953 and the Fastnet yacht race disaster in 1979. It's the second lifeboat with Irish connections to…

Arklow Lifeboat Volunteers Scoop Top Prize In Local Paddy's Day Parade

20th March 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Arklow RNLI’s dedicated volunteers were delighted to be awarded the top prize at this year's St Patrick's Day Parade in Arklow. This year saw the highest number of parade entries for the Co Wicklow town, including three floats…

Volunteers Needed for RNLI's Mayday

18th March 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#rnli – The RNLI is issuing its own call for help, appealing for volunteers to help with 'Mayday' – the charity's forthcoming national fundraising event in Ireland – which will be taking place from 1–5 May this year. The charity…

Courtown Lifeboat Rescues Driver From Submerged Dump Truck

3rd March 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Courtown RNLI's lifeboat was launched on Saturday evening (1 March) to reports of a dump truck submerged off Ardamine Beach in the Wexford town. The driver of the 25-tonne dump truck had managed to get out of the cab and…

Bangor Lifeboats Rescues Four From Stricken RIB

2nd March 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Bangor RNLI received a request from Belfast Coastguard yesterday evening (1 March) to launch their lifeboat and assist four people onboard a 23ft rigid inflatable boat, or RIB, that experienced engine failure north of Ballyholme Bay on the…

Despite Storm Damage 'Happy Baltimore' Village Turns Out to Dance

24th February 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#dancingRNLI – Despite its battering at the hands of the winter storms Baltimore's maritime community made the best of things by producing an upbeat video to show how resilient the little village is.Filmed on 16th February 2014 hours after storms…

Portrush Lifeboat Helm Trained To Help With Flood Rescue

23rd February 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Portrush RNLI volunteer Karl O’Neill is becoming one of the RNLI's all-rounders, for as well as being helm for the Portrush inshore lifeboat and senior RNLI lifeguard, he is now a part of the lifesaving charity's Flood Rescue…

Wicklow Lifeboat Attends Fishing Boat With Engine Failure

20th February 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat launched shortly before 4pm yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 19 February) to assist a fishing vessel in difficulties off Wicklow Head. The skipper of the fishing vessel contacted the Irish Coast Guard for assistance after his…

Clifden RNLI Lifeboat Rescues Four Fish Farmers in Extreme Weather

12th February 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#rescue – Clifden RNLI in county Galway has rescued four fish farmers after they got into difficulty in extreme weather conditions this afternoon. The volunteer lifeboat crew was requested to launch their inshore Atlantic 85 lifeboat at 1.44pm today (Wednesday…

RNLI 'Shannon' Jet Boat is 50% Faster Than Other Lifeboats

10th February 2014 RNLI Lifeboats

#lifeboat – The first of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) newest class of lifeboat, the Shannon, goes on station in the UK this month. The Shannon is the first RNLI all-weather lifeboat to be powered by water jets instead…

Start
Prev
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
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