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#rnli – Diageo Northern Ireland announced that it raised a total of £17,390 for its charity partner, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

The staff at Bushmills Distillery participated in a number of fundraising events, ranging from the company's annual barrel roll to running the Belfast Marathon, all in aid of its chosen charity partner. The employees raised £8,965 which was then doubled by Diageo NI through a match-funding initiative.

The staff at the Distillery invited volunteer crew members from Portrush RNLI station to receive the cheque and to have a tour of the premises.

Gordon Donoghue, Bushmills Site Director said

'As part of an on-going commitment to investing in our communities, Bushmills employees and the local community have once again shown great generosity in raising such a huge sum for the RNLI. Diageo NI is proud to have carried out the substantial fundraising effort and we hope the funds raised will go some way towards saving lives at sea."

Robin Cardwell Lifeboat Operations Manager at Portrush said:

The crew were delighted to receive this cheque on behalf of the RNLI. We are overwhelmed at the generosity of Diageo NI and were very proud to be the nominated charity partner for the Distillery this year. The RNLI depends on these funds to train our volunteer crews and to maintain our equipment to the highest standards so we can continue to save lives at sea.

After the presentation the crew were given a tour of the premises and met staff who had participated in the fundraising events.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

A snow laden Portrush All weather Lifeboat 'The William Gordon Burr' makes a fine photographic subject during an exercise off the North Coast.

IMG5DII_2582

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Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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Portrush Lifeboat station celebrates its 150th anniversary next September 19th. The RNLI is holding a service and celebration at the Royal Court Hotel in Portrush.

Portrush is a popular tourist destination on Northern Ireland's famous Causeway Coast. The town sits on a peninsula jutting into the Atlantic between two sandy beaches.

The town Lifeboat owes its existence to Laura, Countess of Antrim, who, in 1860, successfully petitioned the RNLI to site one of the three new lifeboats on the "iron-bound coast" of north Ireland. Financed by Lady Cotton Sheppard of Staffordshire, the new lifeboat was initially named "Zelinda" and arrived in December of that year. It was later titled "Laura, Countess of Antrim" and saved 27 lives.

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Published in RNLI Lifeboats
A teenager was rescued from Portrush Harbour after a very cold swim out to a moored boat to collect some fishing gear.

After swimming across the harbour to the moored boat the teenager called for help. Belfast Coastguard co-ordinated the rescue and sent the Portrush ILB Lifeboat and the Coleraine Coastguard Rescue team to the scene.

The Portrush lifeboat took the teenager from the boat to the pontoon where he received first aid from the Coastguard Rescue team before being transferred to hospital by ambulance.

Belfast Coastguard Watch Manager Alan Pritchard said:
"It may be summer but the sea is chilly and the cold can seriously affect swimmers.
"If you are going to take a dip please know you're limits and remember cold water shock can be dangerous, even if you're young and fit and think you're able."

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Published in RNLI Lifeboats

Ireland's Sailor of the Year Awards

Created in 1996, the Afloat Sailor of the Year Awards represent all that is praiseworthy, innovative and groundbreaking in the Irish sailing scene.

Since it began 25 years ago, the awards have recognised over 500 monthly award winners in the pages of Ireland's sailing magazine Afloat, and these have been made to both amateur and professional sailors. The first-ever Sailor of the Year was dinghy sailor Mark Lyttle, a race winner at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

And since then it's gone on to read like a who's who of Irish sailing.

The national award is specially designed to salute the achievements of Ireland's sailing's elite. After two decades the awards has developed into a premier awards ceremony for water sports.

The overall national award will be announced each January to the person who, in the judges' opinion, achieved the most notable results in, or made the most significant contribution to, Irish sailing in the previous year.

A review of the first 25 years of the Irish Sailor the Year Awards is here

Irish Sailor of the Year Award FAQs

The Irish Sailor of the Year Awards is a scheme designed by Afloat magazine to represent all that is praiseworthy, innovative and groundbreaking in the Irish sailing scene..

The Irish Sailor of the Year Awards began in 1996.

The awards are administered by Afloat, Ireland's boating magazine.

  • 1996 Mark Lyttle
  • 1997 Tom Roche
  • 1998 Tom Fitzpatrick & David McHugh
  • 1999 Mark Mansfield
  • 2000 David Burrows
  • 2001 Maria Coleman
  • 2002 Eric Lisson
  • 2003 Noel Butler & Stephen Campion
  • 2004 Eamonn Crosbie
  • 2005 Paddy Barry & Jarlath Cunnane
  • 2006 Justin Slattery
  • 2007 Ger O'Rourke
  • 2008 Damian Foxall
  • 2009 Mark Mills
  • 2010 Anthony O'Leary
  • 2011 George Kenefick
  • 2012 Annalise Murphy
  • 2013 David Kenefick
  • 2014 Anthony O'Leary
  • 2015 Liam Shanahan
  • 2016 Annalise Murphy
  • 2017 Conor Fogerty
  • 2018 Robert Dickson & Sean Waddilove
  • 2019 Paul O'Higgins

Yes. The boating public and maritime community can have their say to help guide judges in deciding who should be crowned Ireland's Sailor of the Year by using an Afloat online poll). The judges welcome the traditional huge level of public interest in helping them make their decision but firmly retain their right to make the ultimate decision for the final choice while taking voting trends into account. By voting for your favourite nominee, you are creating additional awareness of their nomination and highlighting their success.

Anthony O'Leary of Crosshaven and Annalise Murphy of Dun Laoghaire are the only contenders to be Afloat.ie "Sailors of the Year" twice – himself in 2010 and 2014, and herself in 2012 and 2016.

In its 25 year history, there have been wins for 15, offshore or IRC achievements, nine dinghy and one designs accomplishments and one for adventure sailing.

Annually, generally in January or February of the following year.

In 2003 Her Royal Highness Princess Anne presented the Awards.

©Afloat 2020