#RNLI - Due to popular demand, the RNLI Reindeer Run returns this year to raise funds for the lifeboat institution and its volunteer crews in Dublin.

The charity event encourages people to have fun while supporting the RNLI in their work saving lives at sea.

This year the Reindeer Run is being held on Sunday 30 November at Marlay Park, Rathfarnham with a Santa Saunter, 1.5km and 3km Rookie Runs for younger participants and 5km and 10km routes for runners and walkers. Registration for the event is now open.

Well-known author and adventurer Teena Gates will be present on the day to start the fun and put the participants through their paces, with a warm up before the event co-hosted with Rookie the Reindeer.

Since leaving 98fm as head of news, Gates motivates and inspires others through her challenges and passion for fitness through such challenges as her climb to Everest base camp.

"I can’t think of a better way to support the RNLI than coming out and having fun by walking or running around Marlay Park for the lifeboats," she said.

"I know first hand the incredible work the volunteer RNLI lifeboat crews carry out along the coast and I encourage people to turn up, show their support, get in some exercise and raise funds for this wonderful charity.

"So many people across Dublin are taking up exercise and events like these are a great way to blow off the cobwebs and give it a go. Last year hundreds of people from across Dublin, north and south, took part in the Reindeer Run and I hope we can beat that number this year.

"The sight of hundreds of people gallivanting around Marlay Park in their red Reindeer Run t-shirts with antlers on top of their heads was a sight I will never forget."

Speaking at the launch, Howth RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew member Lorcan Dignam said: "We are so grateful to the many people who raise funds to keep the lifeboats afloat in Dublin.

"The RNLI is a charity and relies on the generosity of the public to ensure that we can go to sea at any time to save lives with the best in equipment and training. People never know when they will need us but we will always be there."

Adding his voice to the call for registrations, Skerries RNLI crew Gerry Canning said: "The RNLI has been very busy this year and the demand for our services sees us helping many people off our coast.

"It’s not just people in boats that we help, but everyone who uses the water including swimmers, kayakers and people who get cut off by rising tides. Funds raised by the public go to support our training, kit and equipment."

Dun Laoghaire RNLI crew Damien Payne added: "Last year I did the 5km Reindeer Run in my full lifeboat kit and the support I received from the other runners and walkers along the route was fantastic.

"There are three Dublin RNLI lifeboat stations which are part of a ring of 45 throughout Ireland. Volunteer lifeboat crew are trained and ready to launch at any hour of any day, all year round, to respond to calls for help at sea and I am proud to be one of them.’

Last year Dublin lifeboats launched a total 124 times and brought 166 people to safety, 18 of those were young people. Registration is now open HERE or at rnli.org/reindeer or via email at [email protected] and costs €10 for the 1.5km and 3km Santa Saunters or €20 for the 5km and 10km.

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's inshore lifeboat launched at 11.25am yesterday morning (Thursday 16 October) to assist a small fishing boat with engine failure.

Speaking after the callout, lifeboat helm Graham Fitzgerald said: "We located the boat with two occupants drifting about one mile north of Wicklow Harbour.

"The fishermen were experiencing mechanical problems with the outboard engine. So we rigged a tow line and brought the vessel back to the harbour."

The crew on the callout were Fitzgerald, Alan Goucher and John Vize.

#RNLI - Dunmore East RNLI launched yesterday (Saturday 11 October) to assist four people on a 6m rigid inflatable boat, or RIB, that got into difficulty off the Waterford coast.

The RIB, which was lost and suffering engine failure, was located two miles south of Hook Head Lighthouse.

The volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 10.25am at the request of the Irish Coast Guard. The people in the RIB raised the alarm by mobile phone and were unsure of their location.

Fifteen minutes after launch, the Trent Class lifeboat Elizabeth and Ronald located the vessel. All four people on board, who were wearing buoyancy aids, were transferred onto the lifeboat.

The casualty vessel was then towed into the safety of Dunmore East Harbour at 11.55am.

Speaking following the callout, Dunmore East RNLI coxswain Michael Griffin said: "Luckily the conditions today were very good. I would like to remind people to plan their trip carefully and to be sure to carry all the proper safety equipment needed."

#RNLI - Two people were rescued by Wexford RNLI in the early hours of Friday morning (3 October) after one was seen entering the water in the county town's harbour and another, a trained lifeguard, entered to assist.

1. The volunteer crew was alerted at 1.29am and the lifeboat launched within six minutes of the pagers going off.

Both men were rescued alongside Wexford Quay and brought back to Wexford lifeboat station, where a HSE ambulance was waiting.

Speaking after the incident, a spokesperson for Wexford RNLI said: "The quick response by the lifeguard, Gardaí and lifeboat saved lives last night.

"If anyone see someone in distress in the water they should ring the coastguard on 112 or 999 which will ensure the fastest response by the Wexford lifeboat."

#MarineWildlife - Galway RNLI's lifeboat came to the rescue of five swimmers who were attacked by a dolphin off Blackrock Tower at Salthill yesterday evening (Wednesday 1 October).

Reports from people who witnessed the incident say the large marine mammal was circling the swimmers then swimming at them in an intimidating way and glancing off them, coming and going, with its tail and nose.

After a member of the public raised the alarm with the Irish Coast Guard, the lifeboat launched from the nearby docks around 7.25pm and was on scene within five minutes.

A fishing vessel in the area had moved in separate the dolphin from the swimmers, and the lifeboat joined in to keep the cetacean at bay until they made it safely ashore. 

The swimmers were said to be very shaken by the incident but did not require medical assistance.

Lifeboat helm Ciaran Oliver said his crew then did a sweep of the beach from Blackrock to Seapoint to warn others, assisted by additional lifeboat crew on the promenade.

It's not yet clear what dolphin was responsible for this incident, though it comes just days after reports that an aggressive migrating dolphin known as Clet had taken up with the bottlenose once known as Dusty off the nearby Aran Islands in Galway Bay.

#RNLI - At 5.25pm yesterday evening (Tuesday 30 September) the Bangor RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew received a request from Belfast Coastguard to assist two people onboard a 28ft trimaran-type yacht.

The multihull vessel, consisting of a main hull and two out-rigging hulls, had experienced engine failure two nautical miles north of Black Head on northern shores of Belfast Lough.

Within minutes of the rescue pagers being activated, the volunteer crew had launched the lifeboat, which proceeded at full speed towards the stricken vessel.

Upon arrival, the crew found that the two people on board the yacht were experienced yachtsmen. They had followed procedure and made the correct decision to call for assistance at the first sign of trouble.

With weather conditions on scene deteriorating, and a moderate to rough sea state, one of the lifeboat crew was transferred to the yacht to assist in rigging a tow line.

The vessel was then taken under tow and after two-and-a-half hours arrived safely at Bangor Marina.

RNLI volunteer helmsman Connor Lawson used this rescue to highlight a RNLI safety message when he said: "We always urge everyone going afloat to make sure their engine and fuel systems and are well maintained and in good working order.

"Engine failure close to shore and commercial shipping routes could lead to a life threatening situation."

He added: "We're happy that everyone is now safely ashore."

#RNLI - The volunteer crew of the Bundoran RNLI lifeboat were called out twice over the weekend to two different incidents, both of which ended well.

On Saturday afternoon (27 September) just after 1.40pm, the crew received a report that a boat’s propeller had become entangled in the rope of an old lobster pot just off Mountcharles.

Making their way across the bay to the scene, the volunteer crew found that the boat had indeed become entangled and was unable to move.

The experienced skipper had dropped anchor to ensure that the craft was stabilised, which eased the work of the RNLI crewman who went under the boat in order to cut the rope from the propeller.

Within minutes, the thankful skipper was underway and the lifeboat returned the station in Bundoran.



Just after 6pm on Sunday evening (28 September) the pagers sounded again as Malin Head Coast Guard had been alerted to a surfer who was in difficulty in the water at Rossnowlagh.

Within six minutes the lifeboat was in the water and speeding towards the scene with shore crew also tasked to the scene. The Irish Coast Guard's Sligo-based helicopter Rescue 118 was also tasked. 

However, as the lifeboat passed Kildoney Point the crew were informed that the surfer was ashore and they were stood down.



The deputy launching authority at Bundoran RNLI commented later: "Thankfully these callouts ended well. We would as usual always remind members of the public that if they see anyone in difficulty on the coast to dial 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard."

#RNLI - Following an alert by pager on Sunday 21 September, Arklow RNLI’s lifeboat Ger Tigchlear was launched within minutes to the aid of a powerboat with three persons aboard that was reported to be taking on water.

In calm conditions, the volunteer crew proceeded to scene, and after locating the vessel some two miles south-east of Arklow, a towline was quickly established to get the vessel back to port as quickly as possible.

Upon arrival at Arklow Harbour, where all hands were brought ashore safely, it was decided that due to the level of water that had entered the vessel, the salvage pump needed to be put aboard to enable refloating.

Once the water was cleared, repairs were made and the vessel was refloated and returned to her berth at Arklow Marina.

Speaking following the incident, coxswain Aidan Downey said: “This was a close call. If there had been any delay in alerting the lifeboat, this vessel would have been lost.

"Thankfully we were able to get to the casualty in the nick of time.”

#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI towed to safety an 8-metre motor cruiser that was stranded off the Wexford coast with three on board on Thursday evening (18 September).

The volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 9pm to go to the assistance of the cruiser, which developed fuel problems some 16 miles north east of Rosslare Harbour.

The three crew on board the cruiser contacted the Irish Coast Guard for assistance. They were in no immediate danger.

Sea conditions were described by the lifeboat coxswain as rough, with a north-easterly wind blowing Force 4-5.

Speaking after the callout, Rosslare Harbour RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Jamie Ryan said: "The lifeboat coxswain and crew showed professionalism in establishing a tow in what were described as challenging conditions."

#RNLI - Crosshaven RNLI assisted two fishermen yesterday morning (Wednesday 17 September) after their trawler got into difficulty off the Cork coast.

The Cork Harbour volunteer crew was alerted at 11.48am to a report of a fishing vessel with two people on board that was disabled with a line on its propeller.

Launching their inshore lifeboat immediately, the volunteers quickly approached the scene where conditions were blowing an easterly Force 5 wind with a two-metre swell.

The trawler was quickly located near Fish Point and a tow established by the lifeboat crew before the vessel was taken safely to Crosshaven.