#rnli – President Michael D. Higgins, paid a special call to Courtmacsherry RNLI lifeboat station during an official visit to the Cork harbour village over the bank holiday weekend. 

The President was accompanied by his wife Sabina and the couple spent some time viewing the historical exhibition in the lifeboat station before unveiling a plaque on the lifeboat station's wall to commemorate the visit.  The President and Mrs Higgins then walked through the village where the President addressed the crowds that had gathered in the sunshine on the main street.

President Higgins and Mrs Higgins first stop on arriving in the village was the stone lifeboat station in the middle of the main street which overlooks the harbour and the lifeboat. There he was greeted by Michele O 'Dwyer, Chairperson of the Courtmacsherry fundraising Branch, Barry Flynn, lifeboat station co-ordinator, Coxswain Sean O'Farrell, Lifeboat Mechanic Stuart Russell and Deputy Launching Authority Diarmuid Mahony.  They met with the Courtmacsherry RNLI volunteers, station management and former Coxswain and bronze medal awardee Dan O 'Dwyer before viewing the lifeboat exhibition in the station and signing the visitor's book.
The Presidential couple viewed documents and photographs from the sinking of the Lusitania when the Courtmacsherry lifeboat launched with the crew rowing for over three hours in a desperate bid to reach survivors from the torpedoed vessel off the Old Head of Kinsale, Co Cork. They also learned of the lifeboats role in the search and rescue operation following the Fastnet Race tragedy of 1979 where fifteen sailors lost their lives. The Courtmacsherry lifeboat was among of group of RNLI lifeboats which spent 75 hours at sea in 60 knot winds.

Welcoming the President to Courtmacsherry, Courtmachserry RNLI Fundraising Chairperson Michele O'Dwyer said, "We could not have a more distinguished guest.  This is a historic day for our village.  Courmachserry lifeboat station has a long and distinguished history, being one of the first established stations in 1825.  It is my privilege on behalf of Courtmacsherry lifeboat station and the surrounding area of Barryroe to formally welcome the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina to Courtmacsherry.

The President then spoke to the crowds gathered in the sunshine and paid tribute to the lifeboat volunteers and the community, "The Courtmacsherry lifeboat service has a long and proud history that stretches back almost two hundred years. There is something extraordinary about both the great promise and the great threat of the sea but even more so by the lives of those who have to deal with it and those in particular who have to use their skill and patience and every characteristic of the human spirit to actually address the position of those who are in difficulties.

Courtmacsherry has had a relationship with the sea that has always called forth the greatest examples of heroism and courage but also practicality and preparation to be able to be of assistance. To be of assistance you have to have so many different characteristics. I think that today in Ireland we must always look and take example and strength from those who give us the greatest examples.  I think it is uplifting that in this place that demonstrates so strongly what community means, a lifeboat is there and the community stands behind the lifeboat."

The Courtmacsherry exhibition had a strong emphasis on the lifeboat and its crew with most families in the village having had loved ones serving as volunteer lifeboat crew since 1825. To mark the occasion of the visit of the President and Mrs Higgins, two presentations were made.  The first was a piece of sculpture which was presented to President Higgins by volunteer lifeboat crewmember Gearóid O'Donovan, whose grandfather Jack was also a lifeboat volunteer. The piece was called ´circle of friends` and was made by local woman Gillian Noonan.  It was to represent the gathering of people in Courtmacsherry for this special occasion and was presented on a wooden plinth turned from local wood by Barry Flynn.  Courtmacsherry RNLI fundraiser Martha Drake also presented a bouquet of flowers to Mrs Higgins.

Hundreds of people lined the street in the good weather and the President and Mrs Higgins stayed behind to meet with many of the well-wishers.

#RNLI - Portaferry RNLI is looking for new volunteer crew members to join its search and rescue service in Co Down.

The station currently has 17 lifeboat and two shore crew to cover its inshore service on Strangford Lough but is now calling on new volunteers to come forward and find out how they can get involved in helping the charity continue to save lives at sea.

To that end, the station will be hosting two open days early next month for all interested candidates to learn more.

"We are looking for anyone aged 17 years and over who is willing to offer some of their free time to join what I believe to be, one of the most exhilarating and rewarding voluntary services that is out there," said lifeboat operations manager Brian Bailie.

"Every volunteer receives first class training from the RNLI and learns new skills which can benefit them in many walks of life. Lifeboat crew members need to have a reasonable level of fitness, have good eyesight and not be colour-blind."

He added: "Anyone who would like to volunteer but feels they would not meet the requirements for lifeboat crew should in no way be put off, as shore crew also play an essential role in the launch and recovery of the lifeboat when it goes on service."

For anyone who feels they have the time and commitment to volunteer for the charity which is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, is asked to email Brian at [email protected].

Alternatively, prospective volunteers can come along to the station’s open days from 7-9pm next Tuesday 7 May or from 2-4pm next Saturday 11 May.

Elsewhere in Northern Ireland, primary school children will have the opportunity to hit the surf with RNLI lifeguards over the next month.

The charity’s ‘Hit the Surf’ programme runs from 7 May to 7 June on the East Strand Beach in Portrush.

Aimed at primary five to seven pupils aged eight to 11, the programme - which is expanding to accommodate more schools this year - gives children a unique opportunity to gain practical lessons in lifesaving and beach safety. All equipment is provided free of charge.

Each session lasts two-and-a half-hours and includes a theory lesson on staying safe at the beach, the role of beach lifeguards and the RNLI, and detailed information on flags and rip currents.

There are practical lessons in lifesaving and surf based skills, while lifeguards aim to build pupils confidence in the sea. Children also learn about the local hazards and the beach environment.

Sessions are still available for schools who want to book pupils in. For more information contact Jessica on 0777 441 4208 or email [email protected]

Last year RNLI lifeguards located on beaches in Co Down and along the Causeway Coast responded to 158 incidents and assisted 176 people who found themselves in difficulty.

#RNLI - Kilrush RNLI lifeboat station was put on standby on Monday 29 April for an aircraft with engine trouble, and later called to a person who drove into the water.

At 2pm on Monday the Irish Coast Guard at Shannon alerted the station authorities that there was a private aircraft descending in the region of the River Shannon with engine problems. It was reported that there were four people on board.

After a half an hour the lifeboat crew were informed the plane made a safe landing at Shannon Airport and the station was stood down.



Later that day at 8.47pm pagers were activated by the coastguard in Shannon to alert the crew that a person was reported to have driven off the road into the water in the area of Labasheeda, about nine nautical miles from Kilrush. 

The lifeboat crew assembled and within eight minutes were launched and on their way to this area. Conditions on this evening were most favourable.

After five minutes they were stood down as members of the local Gardai had managed to rescue the driver and bring him ashore. An ambulance was standing by at this area to assist the casualty and team of helpers.



Kilrush lifeboat operations manager John Lamb praised the speed of the crew and the efficiency on which the launch took place.

“At times like these it’s always good to know that our team are trained to the highest standards to deal with callouts such as this evening,” he said.

In other news, President Michael D Higgins will pay a special call to Courtmacsherry RNLI lifeboat station this weekend during an official visit to the Cork village.

While there he will view an impressive historical exhibition which is running all through the May bank holiday weekend.

The exhibition, which has been planned for months, will have a strong emphasis on the lifeboat and its crew with most families in the village having had loved ones serving as volunteer lifeboat crew since 1825.

To mark this fact, local families have displayed the name of that lifeboat crew member outside their home and placed a pair of wellington boots on their doorstep. The yellow lifeboat boot is an iconic piece of the RNLI crew members' kit.

President Higgins is expected to arrive in Courtmacsherry at 4pm on Sunday 5 May and will first visit the lifeboat station where he will be met by volunteer lifeboat crew past and present and members of the station management and fundraisers.

The station has a proud history of lifesaving with 14 awards for gallantry.

Courtmacsherry RNLI launched after the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 when the lifeboat crew rowed for over three hours in a desperate bid to reach survivors from the torpedoed vessel off the Old Head of Kinsale.

And during the Fastnet Race tragedy of 1979, in which 15 sailors lost their lives, the Courtmacsherry lifeboat was among of group of RNLI boats that spent 75 hours at sea in 60-knot winds.

#RNLI - Lough Derg RNLI in Tipperary had a celebration for Nick Theato earlier this month as he handed over the role of treasurer to Caleb Clarke.

On Thursday 14 April, Theato brought his wife Mary and three of his five children - Barry (home from Australia), Anne and Paul (home from the UK) - down to the station to meet crew and members of the operations and fundraising committees.

Nick Theato, who has served as honorary treasurer for the Nenagh RNLI Fundraising Branch for the past 15 years and for the Lough Derg RNLI since it came on service 10 years ago, is handing over treasurer duties to the capable care of Caleb Clarke, but is remaining on the fundraising committee.

Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat operations manager Pat Garland introduced everyone and Niamh McCutcheon, chair of the Nenagh RNLI Fundraising Branch, presented Theato with a certificate of thanks on behalf of the RNLI. Previously in 2010 he received a silver medal for voluntary service to the RNLI.

Theato’s good friend Pat Kelly - fellow sailor, lifeboat administrative officer for Lough Derg RNLI and secretary to the Nenagh Fundraising Committee - said that "after Mary and his children, Nick’s great love is his boat Bo-Bo".

On behalf of Lough Derg RNLI, Kelly presented Theato with a picture of Bo-Bo by artist Clare Hartigan. Nick Theato served in the Royal Navy for many years, and following his retirement back to Ireland, sailed on Lough Derg for many more.

He shared a story of his early years in the navy and of an incident at the outset of his career, which secured his respect for the water ever since. He spoke of his love of Lough Derg and its beauty, but added that he was "well aware of its dangers, even for a lifeboat".

Three divers were brought to safety this afternoon after they lost contact with their dive boat and were reported overdue.  The men were brought to safety by volunteer lifeboat crew with Kilmore Quay RNLI.

The divers were over an hour and a half late resurfacing when their dive boat skipper called for help at approximately 1.30pm.  They had been diving at the Conningmore rocks, one mile south of the Saltee Islands in Wexford, when they failed to appear.  Conditions were described as good and the sea state was calm.

The search commenced immediately with Kilmore Quay RNLI being joined by the Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117 from Waterford and two local charter vessels.  The men were quickly spotted by the helicopter crew who in turn alerted the lifeboat to their exact location.

The divers had drifted almost three miles away and had lost contact with the dive boat.  The lifeboat crew recovered the three men onto the lifeboat. The first was taken onboard with a Jason's cradle, a piece of lifeboat equipment used to aid recovery of people from the sea. Then the lifeboat crew lowered the stern ramp and threw out a line to pull in the remaining two divers.  They then made their way back to Kilmore Quay harbour.  The men were in good spirits and did not need any medical assistance.

Commenting on the callout Aidan Bates, a volunteer crewmember with Kilmore Quay RNLI said, "This is a beautiful spot for diving and is very popular with dive groups.  The dive boat skipper did exactly the right thing in reporting the men overdue and happily we were able to recover them safely onto the lifeboat. They were certainly relieved to see us coming and we were delighted to be able to bring everyone home safe."

#RNLI – A lifejacket check that has showed up massive failures at previous annual checks is to be repeated by the RNLI tomorrow at Ireland's biggest boating centre. 

Leisure boat users are being encouraged to have their life-jackets checked in Dun Laoghaire this weekend when a team of RNLI Sea Safety volunteers hold a free life-jacket clinic in preparation for the main boating season.

In a 2010 test from 91 jackets tested in Cork and Dublin, 83 failed the free inspection.

Typical faults that are found even in newer life-jackets include loose gas inflation bottles, missing activators, hidden wear and tear as well as worn straps.  Even when worn, faulty lifejackets have been found to be a cause of death in past incidents.

"Life-jacket care is an essential part of preparing for boating activity of any kind," commented Peter Richardson, RNLI Lifeboat Sea Safety Officer.  "Our life-jacket clinic is also an opportunity to arrange a free Sea-Safety Advice On-board visit from one of our experienced advisors."

The free life-jacket clinic will be held at the entrance to Dun Laoghaire Marina from 11am to 4pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

Read more: What's the law on lifejacket use in Ireland?

#RNLIMayDay - Sligo Bay RNLI in Rosses Point is counting down this week to Mayday, the charity’s annual national fundraising campaign in Ireland.

Now in its second year and running nationwide, from this Wednesday 1 to Bank Holiday Monday 6 May the RNLI is asking the public to 'give it some welly' and help its volunteers to continue to save lives at sea.

Encouraging the people of Sligo to support their local lifeboat station this week is one man who experienced first-hand the lifesaving work of the RNLI volunteers based in Rosses Point, when he was rescued in 2011.

"I guess it is always nice to know the orange boat will be coming up the bay looking for you if you get into difficulty," he said, "so remember to call as soon as you know you are in trouble."

With a fun theme in mind, the Mayday appeal is calling on people to lend their support by either purchasing a special RNLI Mayday yellow welly key ring which will be on sale for €2 in various schools in Sligo during the campaign, or by organising their own yellow welly fundraising event.

The yellow welly is an essential piece of the RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew member’s kit. Waterproof with steel-capped toes, the specially designed boots keep the volunteer crew’s feet warm and dry while also protecting them in dangerous conditions on deck.

During gale force winds, rain and ice, keeping a sure footing can literally mean the difference between life and death for volunteers. A pair of yellow wellies for crew members costs €50.

The public can also join in the social media campaign and help the RNLI raise awareness of its lifesaving work this Mayday.

All you have to do is take a photo of yourself holding an RNLI Mayday yellow welly key ring and tweet the phrase ‘I am giving it some welly for the RNLI this Mayday’ including the hashtag #RNLIMAYDAY and mentioning @RNLI.

For more information on how you can get involved or where you can purchase a key ring, log on to rnli.org/mayday

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI recorded its first service by its new inshore lifeboat on Sunday afternoon (21 April). SEE VIDEO BELOW

The North Co Dublin lifeboat station's volunteer crew was requested to launch following a report that a vessel was adrift off Bettystown beach. 

Crew members, alerted by their pagers, launched their new Atlantic 85 lifeboat Louis Simson within 10 minutes.

It was quickly established that the owner of the vessel was on shore. With the potential for the personal water craft (PWC) to pose a danger, the decision was made to locate it and return it to the beach.

Once on scene, a volunteer crew member was put on board the PWC and brought the vessel safely to shore.

Speaking following the callout, Skerries RNLI volunteer crew member Emma Wilson said: "The visibility was good today, but it was something quite small we were looking for, so being able to have an extra crew member on board our new lifeboat really made a difference during the search."

#rnli – A joint exercise held in late March on Dublin Bay between the Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard unit, the Irish Air Corps and the Dun Laoghaire RNLI lifeboats has been documented by Dun Laoghaire lifeboat crew.

The scenario simulates a RIB with four people on board that becomes disabled near Dalkey Island.  

Two occupants are suffering from mild hypothermia while two others entered the water and are missing when the operation begins.

#rnli –  Lifeboat crew at Rosslare Harbour RNLI in County Wexford had an early morning call out today after they were called to assist two men in difficulty on a yacht.

The request to launch the all-weather lifeboat came at 3.40am following a report that an 8m motor yacht was in trouble two miles north of Tuskar Rock with two people on board.

The two men who requested assistance had been on passage to Dun Laoghaire when they found themselves in difficulty.

The lifeboat crew under coxswain Eamonn O'Rourke were on scene at 4.25am where they assessed the situation and established a tow line.

The weather at the time was described as good with a force two to three wind.

The lifeboat with seven crew members on board proceeded to tow the stricken vessel back to Rosslare Harbour RNLI where it returned at 7.30am.

Speaking following the call out, Dave Maloney, Rosslare Harbour RNLI Deputy Launching Authority said: 'The request for help early this morning required our volunteer crew to leave their beds which they will always willing and selflessly do to help anyone in need. It is thanks to their dedication and commitment that we can launch the lifeboat at all times. Thankfully, the crew on the stricken yacht were not in any immediate danger and we were happy to tow the yacht safely back to shore'.