#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat launched at 5.31pm yesterday evening (Sunday 22 November) to assist a yacht with two people on board at Wicklow Harbour.

The skipper of the 10-metre yacht contacted the coastguard for assistance after briefly running aground near the Packet pier.

Within minutes the lifeboat and its volunteer crew – coxswain Nick Keogh, mechanic Tommy Murphy, Dave O'Leary, Lisa O'Leary, Connie O'Gara and Joe Hanlon – were alongside the vessel.

Two volunteers went on board the yacht to establish a towline and assist as the lifeboat towed the vessel to the north quay.

Elsewhere at the weekend, Arranmore RNLI in Co Donegal was called to assist a 27-foot fishing boat with two on board just after 5pm on Saturday evening (21 November).

The boat from the fishing village of Burtonport was less than half a mile from the lifeboat station when it got into difficulty with a fouled propeller.

Arranmore RNLI second coxswain Jimmy Early and his volunteer crew secured a tow rope on board the fishing boat and towed it into Burtonport Harbour at 6.15pm.

On returning to the station, Early said the crew was pleased to be of assistance.

"It was very fortunate that the boat was fishing close to the station when it got into difficulty and we were able to establish a tow rope within minutes of launching, it was certainly one of the fastest rescues we had," he said.

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI's Christmas shop opened for business this past Sunday 15 November and will be open again every Sunday until Christmas from 11am to 1pm.

The North Co Dublin lifeboat station will also once again be holding a Christmas raffle with tickets available at the shop.

This year the prizes for the raffle are two beautiful paintings which have been generously donated by the extremely popular local artist Dave West. Tickets for the raffle are €2 each or 3 for €5.

There is also a large selection of items available in the shop again this year. From torches to teddy bears, buckets to books, cards to calendars, there really is something for everyone. And with many of the items costing less than €2, there are also some great ideas for stocking fillers.

Speaking about the raffle, volunteer lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning said: "We are very grateful to Dave West for supporting the local lifeboat through these prizes. This is a great opportunity for someone to win a painting by a very popular artist and would make a great Christmas present."

A new Atlantic 85 class lifeboat has gone on service at Sligo Bay RNLI. The lifeboat which arrived at the Rosses Point lifeboat station yesterday evening (Monday 16 November), replaces Elsinore, which has been used to save lives at sea on Sligo Bay since 2002.

Volunteer lifeboat crew began a week of familiarisation training this afternoon (Tuesday) with their first exercise on the Sheila and Dennis Tongue.

The new lifeboat has been funded through a legacy from the late Dennis Tongue, a native of Birmingham in England. The lifeboat is named after himself and his late wife Sheila. Dennis died at the age of 84 in February 2014 in his home which overlooked the Exe estuary near Exmouth, Devon where he had lived for about 25 years following his retirement. He was predeceased by Sheila who died in 2010.

Mr Tongue was the first in his family to go to university where he obtained an engineering degree. He had an inquisitive mind, loved all things mechanical and was responsible for some award winning designs within the company for which he worked most of life. His interests were wide and included ancient history, photography, bird watching, coin collecting, theatre and local modern classics. His interest in the work of the RNLI grew during his retirement years; he was interested in the mechanics and design of modern-day lifeboats and began to learn more of the work and history of the organisation with his frequent visits to the station in Exmouth. He and Sheila regularly supported the work of the RNLI with the annual purchases of calendars, Christmas cards and tea towels. They had no children and their decision to donate a significant part of their estate to the charity was made in recognition of the work of the RNLI in saving lives but also because of its being at the heart of the seaside community and adding to its character.

The Sheila and Dennis Tongue will be officially named at a special naming ceremony and service of dedication at Sligo Bay lifeboat station next year.

In its 13 years in Sligo, Elsinore launched 189 times, with its volunteer crew members rescuing 155 people, eight of whom were lives saved.

The new lifeboat has some advancement on its predecessor. The Atlantic 85 design allows room for four crew members and more kit than the Atlantic 75 lifeboat, which only had room for three crew members.
The lifeboat is powered by two 115 horse power engines and has a stronger hull and greater top speed of 35 knots. The added radar allows the crew to operate more effectively in poor visibility and there is also VHF direction-finding equipment.
The vessel also has a manually operated self-righting mechanism which combined with inversion-proofed engines keeps the lifeboat operational even after capsize. The lifeboat can also be beached in an emergency without causing damage to its engines or steering gear.
The Atlantic 85 which was introduced to the RNLI fleet in 2005 also carries a full suite of communication and electronic navigation aids, as well as a searchlight, night-vision equipment and flares for night-time operations.
Speaking following the arrival of the new lifeboat, Willie Murphy, Sligo Bay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: ‘We are extremely grateful to Mr Tongue for his generous legacy donation which has funded our new lifeboat. Today’s excitement is naturally tinged with a sense of nostalgia as we bid a fond farewell to Elsinore who provided us with 13 great years of service. Elsinore came to us as a result of local fundraising and carried the name of WB Yeats uncle’s house which is located beside the lifeboat station and where Yeats stayed as a young boy. Elsinore’s time here in Sligo saved lives and brought many more people safely to shore and we hope the donor family will be just as proud as we are, of her many achievements.
‘We are looking forward to being the custodians of this new lifeboat which will allow our volunteers to go on to rescue and save many more lives in the years to come.’
The RNLI is a charity which relies on voluntary contributions and legacies.

#RNLI - The crew of Clifden RNLI had an early start in dark and dangerous conditions yesterday morning (Sunday 15 November) when an emergency medical evacuation was required from Inishbofin.

After a 5.43am pager alert, the volunteer lifeboat crew consisting of Alan Pryce, Robert King, David Barry, Daniel Whelan, Brian Ward and David Coyne set out for the island in the all-weather lifeboat Pride & Spirit.

Clifden RNLI deputy launching authority Saul Joyce described the conditions at the time as "extremely challenging and certainly the most severe weather the crew have experienced in the all-weather Mersey class lifeboat to date."

On arriving at Inishbofin Harbour, the crew met with the district nurse who helped transfer the casualty onto the waiting lifeboat. The patient, a woman experiencing severe abdominal pain, was then taken by lifeboat to Cleggan where an ambulance was waiting.

Clifden RNLI coxswain Alan Pryce said of the launch: "With winds consistently Force 8 and above at times and a heavy five- to six-metre swell, this proved a challenging call for our crew, particularly setting off in darkness. We wish the patient a speedy recovery."

Baltimore RNLI Tamar class Lifeboat Alan Massey launched last night to go to the assistance of a fishing vessel which ran aground in Glandore Harbour. The Lifeboat was tasked at 2125 and arrived in Glandore Harbour where the Union Hall Inshore Lifeboat was evacuating the crew from the stricken vessel. The fishing vessel subsequently drifted off the rocks and was taken in tow by the Baltimore Lifeboat towards the safety of Union Hall.

Weather conditions are force 7 to 8 with a 4 metre swell offshore but the vessel grounded in the more sheltered waters of Glandore Harbour. On board the Baltimore Lifeboat were; Coxswain Kieran Cotter Mechanic Jerry Smith. Crew Pat Collins, Kieran Collins, Don O’Donovan, Ronnie Carty and Colin Whooley

#RNLI - The Volunteer lifeboat crew at Portaferry RNLI launched yesterday (Thursday 12 November) to the aid of three men in kayaks on Strangford Lough.

Portaferry's Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat launched at 12.38pm having received a launch request from the coastguard concerning the three men who found themselves in some difficulty during their kayaking trip on the lough.

One of the men had lost his paddle, subsequently ending up in the water.

At the time there was a Force 7 south south-west wind close to a gale with rough sea conditions and fair visibility.

The volunteer crew were on scene northeast of Limestone Rock at 12.46pm where the three kayakers had formed a 'raft' with their vessels while waiting for the RNLI Lifeboat to arrive.

Coming alongside the trio, the lifeboat crew proceed to load them and their kayaks into the lifeboat before returning to the pontoons at Strangford in Co Down were all were put safely ashore.

Brian Bailie, lifeboat operations manager for Portaferry RNLI, said: "The hard work and dedication of our volunteers has once again resulted in the safe return to shore of three men who had got into some difficulty at sea.

"In what were very tricky weather conditions, the three men had acted promptly and correctly when they realised that they were in trouble.

"Once again we are all delighted with the outcome and urge anyone considering going on the water at this time of year to take all necessary precautions."

An RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat fitted with waterjets gives a demonstration of the exceptional manoeuvrability of waterjet-driven boats.

The demonstration shows the slow speed agility as well as the controlled turn of pace given by the waterjet propulsion system.

This Shannon Class lifeboat was built at Berthon in Lymington and goes on station at Montrose. The lifeboat was fitted with Hamilton HJ364 Waterjets combined with the power of 2 Scania Di13 12.7 litre engines with over 650 horsepower. 

Lough Swilly RNLI received the first Shannon class lifeboat in Ireland in March this year.

The RNLI’s partnership with this year’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival has raised €16,590 for the charity that saves lives at sea.

The proceeds were raised through a successful fundraising prize draw, which saw raffle tickets sold throughout Cork and beyond in the run up to this year’s festival which took place from 22-26 October.

The winner of the first prize trip for two for five nights to New Orleans including flights and accommodation was Kathleen Kelleher from Ballyphehane. Michael Hickey from Dungourney took the second prize of two tickets to Van Morrison and one night bed and breakfast in a Dublin hotel while Fiona Hanley from Courtmacsherry won the third prize which was a two night midweek bed and breakfast break at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney.

The RNLI has eight lifeboat stations in County Cork located in Youghal, Ballycotton, Crosshaven, Kinsale, Courtmacsherry, Union Hall, Baltimore and Castletownbere.

Thanking everyone involved with the fundraiser, Mary Creedon, RNLI Community Fundraising Manager said: ‘We were delighted to be associated with this year’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival and are thankful to the organisers for choosing the charity that saves lives at sea.

‘Last year lifeboats in Cork launched 163 times and brought 255 people safely to shore. Thanks to everyone who sold or bought a ticket in the run up to the jazz festival and over the course of the festival weekend, we were able to raise a wonderful sum of money which will now be used to provide our volunteers with the first class training and equipment they need to carry out their lifesaving work.’

#RNLI - As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the RNLI has kickstarted its festive season with the launch of the charity’s popular Reindeer Runs in Dublin and Cork.

Returning to Marlay Park in Rathfarnham on Sunday 6 December, the Dublin leg of this well-established event will raise funds to help volunteer crew at Skerries, Howth and Dun Laoghaire lifeboat stations to continue to save lives at sea.

TV presenter, author and adventurer Teena Gates will be present on the day to start the run and lead the participants in the popular ‘Rookie the Reindeer Warm-Up’.

Speaking at the launch for the Dublin Reindeer Run, Gates said she was "thrilled to once again be supporting the RNLI Reindeer Run in Marlay Park. Having been involved with this event for a few years now I would urge people to sign up and help raise funds for a great charity that is close to my heart.

"The RNLI has been saving lives at sea off the Dublin coast for generations. Their volunteer lifeboat crews are ordinary men and women who do extraordinary things to save lives and prevent disaster.

"None of us in Dublin live very far from the sea and we never know when we or someone we love will need their help, so here is a wonderful way to support them. Get signed up and come over to Marlay Park and spread a little Christmas cheer for the lifeboats."

Volunteer crew member Stephen Mullaney from Howth RNLI added" "Last year, RNLI lifeboats in Dublin launched 137 times, bringing 185 people to safety. While the figures show that our lifeboat crews are busy all year round some of our most challenging call outs will occur over the winter months.

"However, having the support of people who so generously fundraise and sign up to take part in events such as the reindeer run, means that we can avail of first class training and equipment and be ready to answer the call and help someone in need when our pagers go off."

The reindeer run caters for all abilities and ages with participants choosing from a 5km or 10km walk/run, a 3k option for juniors or a shorter Santa Saunter.

For anyone who can’t participate in the event but would like to come along and soak up the atmosphere, there are a number of volunteer marshalling roles to be filled. To get involved please contact RNLI community fundraising manager Pauline McGann at 087 997 4038 or email [email protected]

The RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea, has joined forces with World champion and European sprint hurdle medallist Derval O’Rourke (and wife of Olympic sailor Peter O'Leary) to launch three RNLI Reindeer Runs in Cork and Dublin.

The three time Olympian athlete and author visited Fota House and Gardens outside Cobh to team up with volunteer lifeboat crew and kick-start the festivities for the upcoming reindeer runs. The events will be held at Liss Ard Estate in Skibbereen on Sunday 22 November, Fota House and Gardens outside Cobh on Sunday 29 November and Marlay Park in Dublin on Sunday 6 December.

Due to the popularity of the reindeer runs, the charity has introduced a third venue at Liss Ard Estate this year. The stunning 200-acre estate in West Cork is located close to the RNLI’s newest lifeboat station at Union Hall which was established on a trial basis in September last year.

Launching the reindeer runs, Derval was joined by Union Hall RNLI crew members Shane and Stephen Hurley, Helvick Head RNLI crew member Liam Harty and Youghal RNLI crew member Martin Morris.

Born and raised in County Cork where the RNLI has eight lifeboat stations, RNLI supporter Derval, is familiar with the charity’s lifesaving work:
‘Living in Cork, I am all too aware of the search and rescue work the RNLI carries out around the coast and of the commitment of its lifeboat crews who dedicate themselves to regular training and to responding to their pagers at any time of the day or night.
‘Having experienced the festive spirit at an RNLI reindeer run for the first time last year, I am delighted to see that the event is going from strength to strength and that the RNLI has introduced an additional venue for West Cork. These events are a great way for us to build in some exercise in what can be a hectic season while also showing our support for our lifeboat crews as they continue to save lives at sea.’

Looking forward to the first reindeer run at Liss Ard Estate which begins at 10.30am, Stephen Hurley from Union Hall RNLI said: ‘We have had a busy first year in Union Hall and have been overwhelmed by the goodwill shown by the people of West Cork and much further afield.

‘Last year, RNLI lifeboats in Cork launched 163 times, bringing 218 people to safety. Across Ireland, there were 1,089 lifeboat launches and 1,414 people were rescued. While the figures show that our lifeboat crews are busy all year round, some of our most challenging call outs will occur over the winter months. However, having the support of people who so generously fundraise and sign up to take part in events such as the reindeer runs, means that we can avail of first class training and equipment and be ready to answer the call and help someone in need when our pagers go off.’

The second reindeer run in Cork takes place on Sunday, 29 November at Fota House and Gardens, starting at 10.30am.

Dublin’s reindeer run will take place in Marlay Park in Rathfarnham on Sunday 6 December, starting at 10am.

All abilities and ages are catered for with participants choosing from a 5km or 10km walk/run or a shorter Santa Saunter.

Registration for the three events is now open online at rnli.org/reindeer and costs €20 for the 5K and €22 for the 10K. Children’s tickets are €10 and a family ticket (two adults and two children) is €55. All participants in the 5K and 10K will receive an RNLI Reindeer Run t-shirt, a pair of antlers and a car sticker.