#RNLI - Arklow's RNLI lifeboat Ger Tigchleaar was launched within minutes in response to a call for help from a local fishing vessel yesterday afternoon (Sunday 8 March).



The vessel had suffered engine failure and was without navigation ability approximately 15 miles south of Arklow.



The volunteer crew consisting of coxswain Eamonn Kavanagh, station mechanic Michael Fitzgerald, Jimmy Myler, Craig O’Reilly, David Lee, James Russell and Cead Muller dropped their normal Sunday afternoon family activities and rushed to the lifeboat station.

After launching the lifeboat and locating the casualty vessel, they established a tow line and proceeded with the long slow tow back to Arklow.



All three crew members on the casualty vessel remained aboard during the tow home and all hands came ashore safely at Arklow Harbour.

#rnli – Two long-serving Newcastle RNLI volunteers have received awards from the charity for their tireless work and dedication to saving lives at sea. Deputy Launching Authority Joe McClelland and All Weather lifeboat crewmember William Wilson were presented with the awards at the station recently and the honour was well received among their colleagues at the lifeboat station. Between them the two men have given almost seventy years' service to the RNLI and neither of them have any plans to retire.

Joe McClelland has been involved with Newcastle RNLI since signing up as a teenager in 1966. He spent the next two years as shore crew before he moved onto the all weather lifeboat, where he spent the next 27 years as lifeboat man. When it came time to step down from the lifeboat crew, Joe did not leave the RNLI. Instead he stayed on at the station and put his invaluable maritime knowledge and experience to good use in the role of Deputy Launching Authority.

Joe is a mariner through and through, having been at sea for 42 years, with 30 of them serving as a Captain in the merchant navy. Reminiscing on his time with Newcastle RNLI Joe said, 'It was the done thing years ago to join the lifeboat crew when you were very young. The Newcastle lifeboat at time was the Liverpool class William and Laura and the Coxswain was Mickey Leneghan, a man we all looked up to and who was a legend around these parts. I lived in the harbour and the sea was in my blood.

Receiving the long service award is a huge honour for me and I will treasure it. So much has changed in the RNLI over the last 47 years that I've been involved with the RNLI. There is now a huge emphasis on training and rightly so. Not as many people are from maritime backgrounds but they have brought huge talent and skill to the crew and the RNLI places a huge emphasis on the training. I've seen a lot of things during my time as lifeboat crew and thankfully there has been a lot of happy endings and reunions but I also remember those who were lost at sea and their families.'

Also receiving his long service award was crewmember William Wilson, in recognition of his 20 years on the Newcastle lifeboat. William joined the lifeboat crew in 1994 when he was 26 years old. His father Will also volunteers with Newcastle RNLI and is currently station President. William has served as both inshore and all weather lifeboat crew but these days he has retired from the smaller lifeboat.

William commented, 'I always had an interest in search and rescue and I had the good fortune of joining the lifeboat crew just as the current all weather lifeboat Eleanor and Bryant Girling arrived on station, so there was huge excitement. We couldn't wait to get onboard and up to speed with all the equipment. My first major callout was to a fishing boat which had been lost in bad weather. I remember my adrenalin was pumping as we searched for the missing crewman for days. At that stage you realise that even when things are bleak, the importance of bringing closure to a family is a huge part of your job.

The RNLI is a very professional service and I love the fact that you are never finished learning. The background of the crew may have changed but the aims and values are still exactly the same and that is still saving lives at sea. I want to thank everyone involved with Newcastle RNLI for the honour and I hope we will see many more of these awards in the years to come.'

#WaterSafety - The RNLI is advising anyone planning on visiting its lifeguarded beaches on the North Coast to stay well away from dangerous cliff edges that have been impacted by recent weather conditions.

Winter storms have dramatically changed the profile of beaches at Whiterocks, Portrush East and Portstewart, creating high sand cliffs that are unstable.

RNLI lifeguard manager Mike Grocott is asking the public to be mindful of the changes ahead of making a visit.

"Winter storms have taken their toll on the make-up of some of the beaches this year, particularly at Whiterocks, Portrush East and Portstewart, and many people returning to these favourite spots may be surprised at how different everything looks.

"This includes significant erosion of the sand dunes where gentle slopes have washed away leaving sheer sand cliffs, some of which are up to 18 feet high.

"Access points have been altered and on some beaches the shifting sand has left deep channels that in turn create strong rip currents.



"We would encourage anyone planning a trip to one of these beaches to put safety first and be mindful that these sand cliffs are falling away and may be unstable. The best advice is to stay away from the sand cliff edges and bases."



Meanwhile, RNLI lifeguards are busy preparing for a new season where they will be patrolling 10 beaches in Northern Ireland during the summer. Last year RNLI lifeguards responded to 251 incidents, assisting 284 people. 

#RNLI - RNLI Magazine revisits the fateful day last summer off Co Louth when a fishing trawler went under in a matter of minutes.

Despite the clear day and calm seas, as previously reported on Afloat.ie, the razor clam boat with two fishermen on board sank without warning off Port Oriel on Clogherhead after 5pm on 23 August last.

But in a fortunate turn of events, the sinking vessel was seen from a nearby fishing boat skippered by Sean Flanagan – who also happens to be one of the local RNLI's highly trained volunteer crew.

Flanagan got on the phone to deputy coxswain Tomas Whelahan to spark the lifeboat launch before calling in a Mayday and going to the aid of the sinking boat along with his son Donal.

From the deck of their Naomh Óisín, they could spot smoke rising from the engine of the stricken vessel, and getting closer they could see it was listing badly.

So there was no time to lose: once Sean had radioed details to the Dublin Coast Guard, he and Donal hauled their gear and made haste to the sinking boat and its two-man crew now vulnerable in the water.

RNLI Magazine has much more on the story HERE.

#RNLI - Clifden RNLI's all-weather lifeboat was launched on Friday last (20 February) to go to the aid of a fishing boat in difficulty off the Connemara coast.

The alarm was raised around 11.30am when the 35ft fishing vessel reported engine failure.

The boat was located between Inishbofin island and Cleggan Head, having departed Derryinver that morning with two crew on board.

Weather conditions were worsening at the time of departure, with a westerly Force 6 blowing as the Mersey class Pride and Spirit all-weather lifeboat was launched.

The boat and its crew were towed back to Derryinver pier where they expressed their thanks for the assistance provided.

Speaking following the callout, Clifden RNLI coxswain James Mullen said: "Considering that this is only the third launch for the Pride and Spirit since she has been on service in Clifden, the crew did extremely well to carry off a smooth and efficient launch, rescue and recovery.

"And of course we are always glad to be able to help any boat in difficulty in our area of operation."

#lifejackets – At the recent (21 and 22 Feb 2015) Angling Ireland Show 2015, 367 anglers from all over Ireland visited the RNLI stand for lifesaving tips and sea safety advice, and to avail of the free lifejacket clinic. Out of the 37 lifejackets brought to the clinic 31 of them were found to have safety issues.

John McKenna, Coastal Safety Officer with Howth RNLI commented, 'A lifejacket is useless if you don't wear it, but it's also important to maintain it properly. Three simple steps could help to save your life - check that the gas canister is in good condition and screwed in properly, the firing head is within its expiry date and that a crotch strap is attached securely.'

As Spring approaches more people will soon be taking to the water. Last year was the busiest year ever for Howth RNLI which had 62 launches and brought 107 people to safety. It was the busiest coastal lifeboat station in Ireland in 2014.

'We want everyone to enjoy the water, but to respect it too. By maintaining and wearing a lifejacket properly, anglers and boat-users will give themselves the best possible chance of survival in the case of an emergency,' added McKenna.

3 tips for maintaining your lifejacket
1. Gas Canister – rusted gas canisters can allow the gas to leak out, they are also abrasive and can wear a hole in the fabric of the lifejacket which would prevent it from inflating properly

2. Firing Head – has an expiry date, make sure it is in date otherwise it won't inflate the lifejacket

3. Crotch Straps – not all lifejackets come with crotch straps, they sometimes have to be bought separately. They are necessary to prevent the lifejacket rising up the body and enable the lifejacket to stay securely in place and work most effectively.

Last year the charity marked 190 years of lifesaving and the RNLI is aiming to reduce coastal drowning significantly by 2024. To do this the charity will be expanding its preventative work and will launch Respect the Water, engaging with water users on how to stay safe and maintain their equipment. Water Safety advice is available on www.rnli.org/safety .

If any angling, sailing or boating clubs would like a member of our Sea Safety Team to give a sea safety presentation and carry out a lifejacket clinic, please contact John McKenna at [email protected] .

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat Annie Blaker launched just before 1pm yesterday (Sunday 15 February) to assist a fishing vessel with mechanical problems north of the harbour.

The skipper of the fishing vessel, which was approaching Wicklow, made contact with the Irish Coast Guard by VHF radio to say a rope had fouled the propeller and they required assistance.

The lifeboat, under the command of coxswain Nick Keogh, located the drifting fishing vessel a short distance from the harbour entrance.

A towline was established and the fishing boat with two crew was brought safely into the harbour.

The volunteer crew on the callout with Keogh were mechanic Tommy Murphy,  Paul Sillery, Graham Fitzgerald, John Vize, Alan Goucher and Matt Doyle.

#WaterSafety - The RNLI is encouraging primary schools in Northern Ireland to sign up for two of its beach safety education programmes when they get under way next month.

Running from March to June, Meet the Lifeguards and Hit the Surf aim to educate pupils in P5-P7 on the importance of beach safety in a fun and practical way.

Meet the Lifeguards gives pupils the opportunity to participate in an informative and interactive session when RNLI lifeguards visit their school. The 45-minute presentation focuses on equipping pupils with key safety advice that they can put to use when they visit a beach with family and friends.

Pupils will learn more about the RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea and the role of the RNLI lifeguard on the beach. They will be educated on what the different beach safety flags and signs mean; the safety of using inflatables while swimming; and how to identify natural and man-made hazards. They will also learn about body boarding and surfing safety, rip currents and how to escape them and safety information on tides and waves.  



Hit the Surf, meanwhile, offers a unique opportunity for school children to get practical lessons in lifesaving and beach safety at one of the 10 RNLI lifeguarded beaches located on the north coast and in Co Down.



The session, which lasts two-and-a-half hours, includes a theory lesson on staying safe at the beach and the role of the RNLI and its lifeguards. It's followed by practical lessons in lifesaving and surf-based skills while building pupils confidence in the sea. The pupils will also learn about local hazards and the beach environment.

RNLI lifeguard supervisor Tim Doran is encouraging schools to get involved. "Education and prevention are an important part of the RNLI’s work and programmes such as Meet the Lifeguards and Hit the Surf enable us as lifeguards to deliver important beach safety advice in a way that is both informative and engaging," he says.

"We hope that pupils can then take what they learn, share it with family and friends and use it to have fun in a safe way when they visit a beach."

Last year, RNLI lifeguards in Northern Ireland responded to 251 incidents, assisting 284 people.

"With the profile of the beaches changing after winter storms, the RNLI lifeguards were kept busy in 2014," says Doran. "With rip currents and changing landscapes, the lifeguards engaged in a large amount of preventative work, speaking to beach users and advising of the safest places to swim."

For more information on how to book your school onto an RNLI education programme, please contact 028 7087 8492 or email [email protected]

#lifeboat – Volunteer lifeboat crew with Rosslare Harbour RNLI launched at 12.15pm this afternoon (Wednesday 11 February) to a Mayday from a sinking 10 metre fishing vessel located a mile and a half from Rosslare Harbour. The lifeboat crew pulled a local fisherman from the water and two other fishermen were rescued by another vessel that was in the area at the time.

The volunteer lifeboat crew launched both the station's all weather lifeboat and boarding boat and conditions at the time were calm with visibility fair. On arrival at the scene the lifeboat crew pulled a fisherman from the water and two other fishermen were recovered onto another vessel, which had also made its way to the spot where the boat got into trouble. The vessel sank shortly afterwards.

The two local fishermen were transferred onto the RNLI boat and brought back with the third crewmember to the lifeboat station where they were given first aid and warm clothing. They were later transferred to Wexford hospital by ambulance.

Commenting on the callout Rosslare RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Dave Maloney said, 'The swift action of the volunteer lifeboat crew and that of the other local vessel saved the lives of these fishermen. As we know all too well, boats can sink without a trace in a matter of minutes. Thankfully these three men have been brought to safety and we wish them a full recovery from their ordeal.

#RNLI - Portrush RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew held their annual SOS Day swim on Saturday 31 January.

SOS Day is the annual RNLI crew fundraising day and stations all over the country host innovative and novel ways of fundraising incorporating the SOS initials.

Supporters of Portrush RNLI jumped into the sea at Portrush Harbour and swam round the all-weather lifeboat William Gordon Burr.

It was a bitterly cold day, but many supporters tuned up either to jump, cheer or provide warm blankets for the swimmers when they emerged from the sea.

"This is a fun event that involves our crew, fundraisers, and a great local crowd who turn out irrespective of the weather to support the volunteer lifeboat crew," said coxswain Des Austin.

"The crew themselves take part and their colleagues are on standby to give them a friendly push and also to haul them in at the end of the swim."

The crew also took time to thank Portrush Yacht Club for providing showers for the event and the venue for the après swim, as well as the RNLI lifeguards and local coastguard team who provided safety cover for the day.

After the event, presided over by James Heaney, chair of the lifeboat management group, everyone was treated to homemade soup and sandwiches in Portrush Yacht Club – plus some special SOS cupcakes.