RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew from across Ireland took part in today’s Easter 1916 centenary commemoration which saw over seven hundred members of the Irish emergency services taking part in the biggest parade in the history of the state. The fifty RNLI volunteers came from twenty-nine lifeboat stations around the Irish coast and inland to parade through Dublin City Centre to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising in 1916. The RNLI formed part of the emergency services section of the parade which recognised the ‘blue-light’ agencies serving the Irish state since its foundation.

The RNLI contingent was accompanied by a new Atlantic 85 lifeboat, which following its debut in the parade, will be transported to Youghal in Cork to go on operational service, and two RNLI landrovers used in the launching of inshore lifeboats.

The parade was preceded by a short ceremony which included a reading of the 1916 Proclamation and the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins laying a wreath on behalf of the people of Ireland, followed by a minute’s silence observed for all those who died during the Rising.

The parade involved over 3,000 participants, largely from the Irish Defence Forces with 793 people from the emergency services. Represented along with the RNLI were An Garda Siochána, Dublin Fire Brigade, the National Ambulance Service, St John Ambulance, Irish Coast Guard and the Civil Defence.

Commenting on the commemoration RNLI Operations Manager Owen Medland said, ‘It is a huge honour for the RNLI to take part in this historic event. It is an acknowledgement of the role our volunteers have played in saving lives at sea and on inland waters in Ireland since the RNLI was established in Ireland in 1826. The lifeboat service has been given without any interruption historically and has always put the needs of those in danger on the water above all.

Our volunteers come from all communities and backgrounds and the RNLI is proud of the role Irish volunteers have played in saving countless lives and continue to play today and into the future.’

Many of the volunteers taking part had relatives who were involved in the events of 1916 and the following years. Clifden RNLI volunteer lifeboat Coxswain Alan Pryce is the grand-nephew of Thomas Whelan of Clifden Co. Galway, one of the ‘Forgotten Ten’, who was executed in Mountjoy Prison during the War of Independence in 1921.

Clogherhead RNLI Volunteer Shore Crew member Carolyn Stanley is the grand-niece of Joe Stanley who was Pádraig Pearse’s press agent and printer. During the Easter Rising Pádraig Pearse relied on his young press agent, Joe Stanley, to convert his hand written communiques into printed documents for onward circulation throughout the city. It was Joe Stanley who published the First Documents of the newly proclaimed republic.

Fethard on Sea RNLI volunteer Deputy Launching Authority and former lifeboat helm Hugh Burke is the nephew of John Fenlon. Following the 1916 rising in Enniscorty John was arrested and locked up in Wexford jail from where he escaped and remained on the run for seven years.

Lifeboat stations represented at the Easter 1916 parade were Achill, Wexford, Arklow, Lough Ree, Howth, Baltimore, Donaghadee, Dun Laoghaire, Dun Laoghaire, Kilmore Quay, Wicklow, Ballyglass, Clifden, Courtmacsherry, Clogherhead, Dunmore East, Bundoran, Helvick Head, Kinsale, Crosshaven, Portaferry, Youghal, Lough Swilly, Kilrush, Fethard, Red Bay, Union Hall, Skerries and Sligo.

RNLI lifeguards will patrol five beaches on the Causeway Coast during this year’s Easter holidays.

Starting on Good Friday, lifeguards will be operating from Beach Lifeguard Units on Benone Strand, Portstewart Strand, East and West Strands in Portrush and Whiterocks.

The lifeguards will be on duty from 11am to 7pm starting on Good Friday, 25 March and continuing daily to Monday 4 April.

Weekend cover on the Causeway Coast and Tyrella Beach in County Down will then commence on Saturday 30 April and continue up to the beginning of the peak Summer season when 10 beaches on the Causeway Coast and in County Down will commence daily cover from Monday 13 June through to Sunday 4 September.

The new season arrives following a period of intensive work for the lifeguard management team to train the lifeguards and prepare the seasonal equipment.

With Easter falling earlier than usual this year, Mike Grocott, RNLI Lifeguard Manager is reminding anyone planning a visit to the beach to remember that it is still cold and to go prepared.

‘Easter is early and the beaches and the water are still very cold. Please bear this in mind and come dressed for the weather conditions to ensure your visit is both safe and enjoyable.’

Mr Grocott said pre-season preparations had gone well and the lifeguards were now looking forward to putting their training to use:

‘Working alongside our colleagues in the Causeway Coast and Glens District Council, the RNLI is delighted to be back on five of our lifeguarded beaches for the Easter season. Our lifeguards have been busy in the last month undergoing intensive training to be ready for Easter. This year, for the first time, we welcomed our lifeguarding colleagues from Wales and the north of England to share their lifeguarding experiences and to train on our beaches on the north coast.

‘With the training complete, our lifeguards are looking forward to being back on patrol and to putting their skills into action. We would encourage visitors to the beach in the coming days to speak to our lifeguards, ask for safety advice, and most importantly call on them should they find themselves in difficulty’.

The RNLI’s advice for anyone planning a trip to the beach is to respect the water, check weather and tide times before you go and if planning to go into the water, swim at a lifeguarded beach, between the red and yellow flags. Avoid using inflatables in strong winds or rough seas.
If you get into trouble, stick your hand in the air and shout for help and if you see someone else in trouble, tell a lifeguard. If you can’t see a lifeguard, call 909 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

Last year, lifeguards in Northern Ireland responded to 182 incidents coming to the aid of 218 people. Incidents ranged from dealing with stings, slips and trips to major first aid incidents as well as rescues in the water.

One incident included a life saved, while there were eight cases during which 11 people were rescued and 36 instances which saw the lifeguards assist 68 people. Nine people were treated in major casualty care incidents including body boarders, paddle boarders and kite surfers while 95 people were assisted with minor first aid. The lifeguards were also involved in four searches last year.

Despite a wet summer figures show that 345,027 people visited the 10 beaches last year. Some 27,043 of those visitors took to the water while 9,975 were using surf or other craft.
There were a number of unusual incidents to deal with last year summer too, including responding to a sand dune fire, red flagging beaches in a severe thunder and lightning storm and dealing with the discovery of mortar bombs.

The volunteer lifeboat crew and station management at Lough Swilly RNLI wish to extend their deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of the five people who lost their lives following the events at Buncrana Pier on Sunday night (20 March 2016).

Commenting on the tragedy, John McCarter, Lough Swilly RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: ‘Our volunteer lifeboat crew were one of the first emergency services on scene and recovered the five casualties from the water. We were devastated to learn subsequently that those five people, including young children, had lost their lives. We wish to commend the actions of the member of the public who selflessly entered the water and rescued the baby and we wish them both a full recovery.

John McArthur, Operations Manager with Lough Swilly RNLI, describes the rescue and recovery effort at Buncranahttps://t.co/0m8JutqMFc

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 21, 2016

‘While our volunteer lifeboat crew train for and respond to every possible incident, the events in our community last night, were extremely tragic and challenging for our lifeboat crew. I want to thank our volunteer lifeboat crew along with the other emergency services and members of the public who responded to this emergency for their professionalism and their courage. Our thoughts are now with the families who have lost loved ones in this awful tragedy.’

#RNLI - Clogherhead RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 11:50am yesterday (Sunday 20 March) in response to a distress EPIRB signal received from a fishing vessel located 25 miles east of Clogherhead.

While en route to the location of the signal, the Clogherhead crew was informed that the Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 had winched the three people from a liferaft and were proceeding to hospital.

The lifeboat continued on to the signal's location in good weather and calm seas, arriving at the scene at 1:38pm. The liferaft was located and recovered and the EPIRB was found nearby a short time later.

#RNLI - Bright sunshine and a much appreciated donation was a great start to St Patrick’s Day for the crew of Clifden RNLI.

Longtime supporters and fundraisers Jacqueline Hannon and Nancy Duffy of Claddaghduff, Co Galway presented a cheque for €1,820 to the Clifden volunteer lifeboat crew, the proceeds of a Christmas concert and fundraising event held in Joyce’s Bar in the fishing village of Cleggan on 16 December.

John Brittain, Clifden RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: "We are really delighted to welcome Jacqueline and Nancy to Clifden station once again and would like to thank them most sincerely for the hard work and organisation of this fantastic fundraiser.

"Special thanks also to the people of Cleggan and Claddaghduff who generously supported the event."

After the cheque presentation, the volunteer crew participated in both the Clifden and Roundstone annual St Patrick’s Day parades.

#RNLI - Portrush RNLI had a busy 24 hours earlier this week with two early morning callouts on consecutive days.

The volunteer lifeboat crew was alerted at 4.45am on Monday (14 March) to reports of a fishing vessel that had lost power two miles off the coast of Ballycastle.

However, as the all-weather lifeboat approached Ballycastle the crew was stood down as another vessel had responded and assisted the vessel to get underway.

The crew was requested to launch once again went at 12.30am yesterday morning (Tuesday 15 March) to reports of a 23m fishing vessel 12 miles northwest of Portrush that had got nets caught around its propeller.

The weather was cold but calm and the Portrush lifeboat crew were joined by their lifeboat colleagues from Lough Swilly RNLI and their new Shannon class lifeboat, The Derek Bullivant.

The Portrush crew attached a towline to the fishing vessel and towed her into Greencastle Harbour under the guidance of Lough Swilly RNLI

The Portrush crew had last seen the Shannon when she and her crew made Portrush their last call when returning from Poole to Buncrana in April last year.

Speaking following the callout, Portrush RNLI lifeboat operations manager Robin Cardwell said: "This was a tow for which both crews are trained and executed perfectly.

"The Portrush crew towed the vessel into Greencastle and aworked well with our flank station Lough Swilly who helped us into harbour."

#RNLI - Lough Ree RNLI’s third annual Lap Of Lough Ree charity cycle took place on Sunday 6 March, with 88 cyclists setting off in cold, dry weather at 10am.

The cycle started and finished at The Bounty, Buccaneers Rugby Club in Athlone and travelled north through Ballymahon, crossing the Shannon at Lanesborough, where refreshments were available courtesy of the Radisson Blu Hotel.

Cyclists then completed the 85km lap of Lough Ree in somewhat wetter conditions, travelling south on the Roscommon side, via Kilteevan, crossing the Shannon again at Athlone Bridge and returning to The Bounty for the finish.

Hot drinks were available at The Bounty for the returning cyclists, who reported that the going was a little slow for the first section but picked up pace nicely from Lanesborough.

Many of the attending cyclists are members of cycling clubs, and enjoy this event as a warm-up for the upcoming competitive cycling season.

Lough Ree RNLI treasurer Vincent Rafter said: "The cycle was a great success again this year and is becoming a firm fixture on the cycling calendar, as well as drawing casual cyclists from the area. There is a nice camaraderie among participants of all ability, and good fun was had along the way."

In other news, Lough Ree RNLI is currently seeking volunteers to join the lifeboat crew and shore crew.

This is a great opportunity to make a difference in your community, meet new people and use your skills to support the RNLI.

Boating experience and knowledge of Lough Ree are preferred but not essential. All training and kit is provided.

If you are interested and have the time to commit to this role, please contact Lough Ree RNLI lifeboat operations manager Damien Delaney at 087 2437092 for further information. The closing date for expression of interest is Monday 21 March.

#RNLI - Kilkeel RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew launched at 9.20am yesterday morning (Monday 14 March) to go the aid of a fishing vessel rapidly taking in water about 25 miles southeast of Kilkeel, Co Down.

The vessel was in a heavy swell when water was seen in the fish room. The boat’s pump was unable to cope with the water entering and at one stage the fish room was three-quarters full of water. It had begun to affect the stability of the boat when the alarm was raised and help was dispatched.

When Kilkeel RNLI arrived on scene, the lifeboat was carefully manoeuvred by its volunteer crew alongside the vessel in an increasingly heavy swell, and two of the lifeboat crew went aboard the fishing vessel with a salvage pump. Newcastle RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat was also on scene to render assistance.

The Kilkeel lifeboat then transferred a further pump from the Newcastle lifeboat, and with all the pumps working the boat was kept afloat. The two lifeboats then escorted the fishing boat under her own steam safely into Kilkeel Harbour, arriving at about 12.45pm.

John Fisher, Kilkeel RNLI lifeboat operations manager, said: "If the incident had happened further out to sea then the operation would have been more difficult, but with the Kilkeel and Newcastle lifeboats co-operating well together, the fishing boat and its crew were brought safely ashore.

Kilkeel RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew on this callout were Raymond Newell, Alan Henning, Andrew McConnell and Wayne Marshall.

An Irish amateur orchestra is set to realise their dream of performing on the stage of the National Concert Hall in Dublin when they play a specially composed piece of music commemorating the Helen Blake maritime tragedy where nine lifeboat crew lost their lives off the Irish coast. The Wexford Sinfonia will play the ‘Heroes of the Helen Blake’ Suite on the main stage this May to raise funds for the RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea.

Volunteer lifeboat crewmember and orchestra Chairman Keith Miller approached Wexford composer Liam Bates a few years ago to commemorate the incredible events during three days in 1914 where nine lifeboat volunteers lost their lives and ten sailors were saved when the Mexico struck rocks. After working with the Sinfonia's musicians and researching the history of the shipwreck and tragic rescue, Liam wrote a five-part suite: ‘Heroes of The Helen Blake’. It was premiered in front of a sell-out crowd at the Wexford County Hall in 2014 and the dream of the orchestra has been to bring it to the National Concert Hall in Dublin. Now two years later it is finally happening and the musicians hope it will be a sell-out.

The orchestra was founded in 1993 by a group of music teachers and is the only Irish amateur symphony orchestra based in a county town. The musicians range in age from 14 to 80 and come from all walks of life. They share a common interest of performing music together to the highest possible standard.

To promote the upcoming concert the orchestra wanted to do something different and turned to their clarinettist Alan Mahon to take a photograph with a difference that would reflect all the emotions behind the piece of music. Pictured are members of the Wexford Sinfonia with their instruments alongside RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew standing looking out to sea. All profits from the concert will go to the work of the RNLI in Ireland, saving lives at sea.

Commenting on the event RNLI crewmember and orchestra Chairman Keith Miller said, ‘We have waited two long years to bring this incredible piece of music to a larger audience. The National Concert Hall is the perfect venue for it and we are very excited to finally play it here. It was also very appropriate that we do it on Mayday which is the RNLI’s annual fundraising appeal day. ‘

‘Nine lifeboat crew lost their lives that day but ten shipwrecked sailors were brought home safe. As a lifeboat man and a musician I feel we should acknowledge these events in our history. There are many descendants of the lifeboat crew from that time living and volunteering on RNLI lifeboats today who feel tremendous pride in the achievements of their ancestors. We would love to share this story with a wider audience and we hope that people will join us for what promises to be a great afternoon of music and the maritime.’

Heroes of the Helen Blake will be performed in the main auditorium of the National Concert Hall on Sunday 1 May at 3pm. Tickets are priced at €20 (students €15) with funds raised going to the RNLI. Tickets can be purchased at the National Concert Hall Box Office or by booking online at www.nch.ie

Two fishermen have been brought to safety this afternoon by the RNLI after they got into difficulty off the Wexford coast.

Wexford RNLI was requested to launch their inshore lifeboat at 12.08pm following a report that a fishing vessel with two people on board was experiencing mechanical difficulty a mile and a half south east of Blackwater Head.

The lifeboat helmed by Frank O’Brien launched and made its way to the scene. Wexford RNLI then requested the assistance of Rosslare Harbour RNLI due to the location of the fishing vessel some 12 miles north of Rosslare Harbour. It was the fourth call out in a week for the volunteer lifeboat crew from Rosslare.

The all-weather lifeboat under Coxswain Eamonn O’Rourke and with eight volunteer crew members on board launched at 12.29pm and made its way to the scene.

Weather conditions at the time were described as overcast but good. The men had been razor fishing when their boat got caught in lobster pots.

Once on scene, the lifeboat crew observed that no one was in immediate danger and began to work with the fishermen to establish a towline.

The vessel was then taken under tow and brought to the bar of Wexford escorted all the time by Wexford RNLI’s inshore lifeboat. Once there, Wexford RNLI took over and brought the vessel to shore at 4pm with the assistance of another fishing vessel which was in the area at the time. Having only finished a routine exercise when they were requested to launch at midday, this meant the volunteers from Wexford had spent some six hours at sea.

Meanwhile, yesterday (Saturday 12 March) Rosslare Harbour RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat under Coxswain Keith Miller launched in thick fog at 7am after a fishing boat with three people on board was reported to have lost its rudder just off Rosslare. The lifeboat once on scene took the boat under tow and brought it to Blackrock where it was met by Kilmore Quay RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat which towed it into Kilmore Quay.

Meanwhile, at 6.30am on Thursday, the lifeboat launched under Coxswain Eamonn O’Rourke to go the assistance of a fishing boat which had broke from her moorings overnight and blew ashore due to a change in the weather conditions. On this occasion the lifeboat crew established a tow before the vessel was brought alongside the fishermen’s wall in the harbour.

Speaking following today’s call out, David Maloney, Rosslare Harbour RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: ‘The fishermen did the right thing this afternoon and raised the alarm when they began to experience some difficulty. Our volunteers both from Rosslare Harbour and Wexford responded rapidly and worked well together to bring the fishermen safely to shore. It has been a busy week for our volunteers but they are always ready and delighted to help anyone in need at sea.’