#RNLI - At the end of a busy week for Bangor RNLI, the Belfast Lough volunteer crew launched to the rescue of two young paddleboarders who had got into difficulty just outside Ballyholme Bay yesterday (Saturday 8 April).

Launching just after 5pm following a call from the public, the Bangor lifeboat Jessie Hillyard launched to aid two girls who had been caught out by an offshore wind that was causing them to drift further out to sea.

Although it was a beautiful afternoon weather-wise, the girls hadn’t factored in the offshore wind, and this led to them getting more tired as they tried to return to base at Ballyholme Yacht Club.

The Bangor lifeboat, helmed by Peter Semple, made light work of picking up the girls and their boards and returning them to the slipway at the yacht club, where they were passed into the care of HM Coastguard.

After the rescue, Semple said: “We are delighted to have been able to return the two girls to safety. On arrival at the scene we were pleased to see that they were both wearing wetsuits and buoyancy aids, and had just misjudged the offshore wind.”

#RNLI - Following yesterday’s hoax calls, Bangor RNLI’s lifeboat volunteers rescued a man clinging to a capsized dinghy in Ballyholme Bay this afternoon (Monday 3 April).

The casualty, a 26-year old man, had quickly got into difficulty and capsized after launching from the Belfast Lough beach in a strong offshore wind gusting up to 30 knots.

This was seen by a member of the public who called 999, and CGOC Belfast Coastguard requested Bangor RNLI to respond.

Arriving on scene within minutes, the crew were delighted to see that the man had stayed with his boat and not tried to make it to shore. They were also happy to report that he was wearing appropriate safety gear: a wetsuit with a buoyancy aid.

After taking the casualty on board and assessing that he was uninjured, they returned him and his boat to the beach where the coastguard were waiting to assist.

Bangor lifeboat helm James Gillespie said: “This man clearly made the wrong decision to attempt to sail in a new boat in such conditions, but by wearing appropriate wet weather gear and staying with his boat he made our rescue much easier.

“The body tires quickly is cold water and he made the right decision to stay with his boat, knowing that his plight had been seen from the shore.”

Bangor RNLI’s deputy launching authority, Bryan Lawther added: “We are delighted to have been to help this man and bring him to safety. He has been advised to further his sailing knowledge with the assistance of a yacht club where rescue services are always on hand for learners.

“After yesterday’s hoax calls, this rescue highlights the importance of our service and our willingness to attend any genuine call.”

#Hoax - The UK coastguard has decried an “elaborate hoax” after lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter were launched after several calls from someone claiming to be a kayaker in difficulty off the Co Down coast.

As BBC News reports, lifeboats from Bangor and Donaghadee RNLI respectively joined a rescue helicopter from HM Coastguard in Scotland in the search off the Copeland Islands yesterday (Sunday 2 April) that was declared a hoax after a thorough search of the area.

#RNLI - Dun Laoghaire RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was called out twice yesterday (Thursday 16 March) to separate instances of kitesurfers in distress.

The first callout was to Dollymount Strand on Bull Island across Dublin Bay, in which the casualty was landed ashore to Howth coastguard volunteers.

The second was off Sandymount, with the kitesurfer involved landed to the care of Dun Laoghaire’s Irish Coast Guard unit.

No medical attention was required in either incident.

#Rescue - Schull’s independent community lifeboat will soon join the Irish Coast Guard, as the Southern Star reports.

Established in 2005, the Schull Community Inshore Rescue Service will be officially renamed as Schull Coast Guard later this month after two years of talks on assimilating the West Cork volunteer rescue service with the national SAR agency.

A reception is planned to mark the change, details of which will be announced on the SCIRS Facebook page.

The Southern Star has more on the story HERE.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) and the GAA have announced a major partnership aimed at reducing the number of people who lose their lives though drowning in Ireland. Each year an average of 28 people drown accidentally around the Irish coast.* The RNLI aims to halve coastal drowning by 2024 and the GAA will work with the charity to engage with clubs and communities, particularly on the coast, to provide information and support that could save lives.

The RNLI’s drowning prevention campaign ‘Respect the Water’, will be supported through the GAA’s Healthy Clubs initiative and the wider club network. Many GAA clubs are based in coastal communities with 333 of them in a 10km radius of the 46 RNLI lifeboat stations in Ireland. Their location makes them ideally placed for sharing information and raising awareness of the causes of drowning and how to prevent it.

In announcing the partnership, the President of the GAA, Aogán Ó Fearghaíl says, ‘In the RNLI the GAA sees an organisation that mirrors its core values of community activity and volunteerism. We welcome the 'Respect the Water' campaign and its efforts to keep people safe all year round.’

Joining the President at the launch is RNLI Chief Executive, Paul Boissier, who added, ‘Drowning devastates communities, but it’s often accepted as just part of life by the water. We believe that many of these deaths are preventable and we need to work with other organisations who, like us, want to keep their communities safe. Much like a lifeboat station, a GAA club is at the heart of community life. Sporting communities can play a major role in preventing deaths by drowning. Through their approach to the sport and their position in the community they are well placed to be lifesavers.’

Through the partnership the RNLI invited the GAA to their training college in Poole and to Portsmouth University, to meet cold water shock expert Professor Mike Tipton. Four GAA athletes; Jackie Tyrell from Kilkenny, Lyndsey Davey from Dublin, Neil McManus from Antrim and Lee Chin from Wexford experienced what it was like to be plunged into cold water and see the effects of it on the body. The athletes, along with representatives of four coastal ‘GAA Healthy Clubs’ (Bray Emmets, Wicklow; St. Peter’s, Down; Achill, Mayo, and Castlehaven, Cork), also took part in rescue scenarios in specially created challenging weather and sea conditions.

Dublin footballer and three times GAA All-Star, Lyndsey Davey, has a very personal reason for getting involved in the campaign. Her great uncle Michael Hayes was the skipper on the Tit Bonhomme, which sank off Glandore Harbour with the loss of five of the six crew, including Michael. Lyndsey says, ‘The loss of Michael and his crew was a very difficult time for all the families involved. During the days and weeks following the sinking, the whole community of Union Hall really came together. The search and rescue efforts were relentless and the support given was incredible. I got involved in this campaign as I wanted to give something back and help create awareness around water safety and drowning. In doing so I hope we can prevent any family the pain of losing a loved one through drowning.’

All-Ireland winning Kilkenny hurler Jackie Tyrrell said, ‘Like many people in Ireland I too have lost someone close to me to drowning. So many of our clubs live and train near the water, whether on the coast on near inland rivers and lakes. We have a responsibility to help and our sport and our ethos encourage this. I know our supporters get behind us in our games, now we are asking them to get behind this campaign; it could help save a life.’

Antrim Champion Hurler and Cushendall native, Neil McManus, has been at the fore in driving the partnership and added, ‘The stories of loss through drowning that we’ve heard from the RNLI really hit home. You can’t help but think of the grief of the families. I play hurling across the road from the local lifeboat station and I know not everyone can be rescued. In backing this campaign I hope that the message reaches as many people as possible because no family should have to suffer the pain of losing a loved one through drowning.’

Wexford Hurler Lee Chin has also put his full support behind the campaign. Lee says, ‘Visiting the RNLI College and taking part in the exercises and rescue scenarios has made me aware how quickly people can get into trouble in the water. Simple advice and information can save lives and reduce the numbers of people drowning in Ireland.’

The athletes and Healthy Clubs representatives were joined at the launch by Kerry footballer Killian Young and Cork footballer Brian Hurley. Both athletes live near the RNLI lifeboat stations, Union Hall and Valentia and are backing the Respect the Water campaign.

Legendary broadcaster Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, who was Master of Ceremonies for the launch, has also narrated a specially commissioned short film for the partnership, which was given its first screening at the event.

The RNLI will work with the GAA and their volunteers in local communities to promote the campaign and share key safety messages and advice.

#RNLI - Portrush RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew got an early callout yesterday morning (Sunday 5 March) on reports of a cruiser with three on board that had got into difficulties 33 miles offshore just south-east of the island of Islay in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides.

Weather conditions were described as ‘perfect’ with a bright morning pagers went off at 10.10am, and the crew were quickly underway at full speed due the favourable sea conditions.

When the lifeboat crew reached the vessel, a towline was quickly attached to the cruiser and it was taken under tow to Portrush at a slow and steady rate of six knots. The lifeboat crew returned to base by 4.30pm, six hours after launch.

Portrush RNLI lifeboat operations manager Robin Cardwell said: “This was a textbook exercise for the crew, and something they train for all year round. The good weather conditions assisted the recovery and good progress was made for home.”

#RNLI - In an unusual callout for Fethard RNLI recently, the volunteer lifeboat crew came to the aid of two bulls that had fallen from cliffs in the Broomhill area.

In difficult conditions, with an incoming tide and a large sea swell, the two animals in distress were brought to safety by the incredible efforts of the lifeboat crew on the day.

Fethard RNLI was already out on exercise with their neighbours in Kilmore Quay RNLI on Friday 24 February when the lifeboat was tasked to the Broomhill area at Waterford Harbour to a report of two bulls that had fallen from a cliff.

On scene at Broomhill by 11.20am, the lifeboat crew assessed each animal and decided to attempt a rescue as one was stranded in the gully with the incoming tide.

The second animal was 10 feet above the water on rocks further north and was relatively safe at that time.

The helm veered the lifeboat down into the gully and crew member Eoin Bird entered the water with a rope, swimming 50 yards in dangerous and difficult conditions to reach the stranded animal that had fallen some 15 metres.

Bird made a halter and placed it around the animal, then swam back to the lifeboat, which then towed the animal clear of the rocks.

The bull was brought alongside the lifeboat and one of the crew held its head safely above water for the 1.5km journey to Templetown Bay, where it was safely landed ashore to be taken into the care of the owner.

The lifeboat crew then returned to the scene where a halter and rope had already been placed on the second animal, which was then towed off the rocks and brought ashore.

Commenting on the callout, Fethard RNLI deputy launching authority Hugh Burke said: “This was a rescue with a difference for our volunteers, but we do train for every type of scenario. Nobody wants to see animals in distress or difficulty and we are happy to launch to bring them to safety.

“Conditions on the day were fairly lively with a two metre swell. The rescue involved excellent boat handling by our lifeboat helm John Colfer and great work by Eoin and Finola to bring the two animals to safety. It was one we won’t forget in a hurry.”

The lifeboat crew on this callout were helm John Colfer and crew members Eoin Bird and Finola Foley. Shore crew were Thomas Nolan and Tim Bradley.

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI responded to three calls for help since the weekend, bringing to safety three men, a woman – and a dog.

Dublin Coast Guard tasked Skerries RNLI shortly after 6.30am yesterday morning (Wednesday 1 March) after a call from a fishing vessel with two men on board that had run aground on the rocks south of Shenick Island.

The inshore lifeboat crew quickly located the fishing boat and determined that she was still aground, but not taking on any water.

As a precaution, Howth RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat was requested to assist, but as the vessel began to float no help was required and the Howth crew returned to station.

The Skerries lifeboat — with helm Eoin Grimes and crew Paddy Dillon, Steven Johnson and Peter Kennedy — stood by the fishing vessel as she returned safely to Skerries Harbour.

Two days previously, on Monday morning (27 February) shortly after 10.30 am, volunteers Conor Walsh, Joe May and Stephen Crowley manned the lifeboat to assist a woman who was stranded on the rocks after going to the aid of a trapped dog.

The woman was not the owner of the dog, but had waded out to help the distressed animal before being cut off by the tide.

Both were brought safely to the lifeboat station and the dog was taken to a local veterinarian, where she was later reunited with her owner.

On Saturday afternoon (25 February), the lifeboat was launched with Eoin Grimes, Conor Walsh and Simon Shiels on board after the coastguard requested assistance for a man who had lost power on his personal watercraft.

The man had been some way off shore when he ran into difficulty, and was exhausted after he had managed to paddle a long distance.

The lifeboat crew assisted the man ashore where he received further help from the Skerries Coast Guard unit. They then took the watercraft under tow and returned it to the beach.

Speaking about the callouts, Skerries RNLI lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning said: “We’re very proud of our volunteers. This last few days they have shown just how much commitment and dedication is involved in being on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They are always ready to respond to a call for help.”

#RNLI - The RNLI’s Cork city fundraising branch is one of 10 charities shortlisted for Douglas Court Shopping Centre’s charity partner of the year.

Votes on Facebook will be tallied after the closing date this Friday 3 March for a prize to the winning charity that includes a €1,000 shopping voucher and collection days at the shopping centre throughout the year.

Votes can also be cast at the centre’s information desk for those not on social media.