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RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland
Shannon-class all-weather lifeboats under construction at the RNLI's Poole manufacturing centre ahead of Howth's 2027 replacement
Howth RNLI has confirmed that construction is underway on its new Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat, which will replace the station's Trent-class Roy Barker III next year after almost 25 years of service. Howth RNLI's new Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat is already under…
Enniskillen RNLI's John and Jean Lewis inshore lifeboat underway on Lower Lough Erne
Enniskillen RNLI volunteers assisted six people during two separate callouts on Lower Lough Erne over 48 hours after mechanical problems left two boats requiring assistance. Enniskillen RNLI's inshore lifeboat, John and Jean Lewis, was launched twice on Tuesday, 6 October,…
Close-up illustration of the RNLI's new coastal lifeboat, allocated to four Irish lifeboat stations between 2028 and 2030
Dún Laoghaire, Rosslare Harbour, Wicklow and Sligo Bay are to receive the RNLI's new coastal lifeboat class between 2028 and 2030, under a major restructuring of rescue capabilities around Ireland and Britain. The RNLI has confirmed that four Irish lifeboat…
New Arrival – RNLI trustee Paddy McLaughlin with Jennifer and Richard Kendrick and Lough Swilly Lifeboat Operations Manager Joe Joyce at the naming ceremony for the new Atlantic 85 lifeboat Davdot
The new lifeboat, operational since April, replaces the Minnie and Ernest George Barry, which launched 265 times over almost 19 years at Lough Swilly and rescued 233 people, including five lives saved. As previously reported by Afloat.ie, Davdot arrived in Buncrana on 8…
Artist's impression of the RNLI's new coastal lifeboat, with Irish east coast stations expected among early recipients
The RNLI plans to build eight of its next-generation coastal lifeboats in the first year of production, with two prototypes scheduled for 2027 and the first operational vessel expected to enter service in 2028. The charity has outlined the next…
Two Centuries Strong — President Catherine Connolly and her husband Brian McEnery join Arklow RNLI volunteers and representatives outside the lifeboat station to celebrate its 200th anniversary. Photo: Eamon Bermingham/Arklow
President Catherine Connolly visited Arklow RNLI in Co Wicklow on Friday (9 October) to mark the lifeboat station's 200th anniversary, recognising two centuries of volunteer service during which crews have been credited with saving more than 443 lives. Accompanied by…
Shallow waters: Carrybridge RNLI approaches a 10-metre vessel which had run aground near Naan Island on Lough Erne
Carrybridge RNLI volunteers assisted three people in two separate incidents within 90 minutes on Saturday, 3rd of October, including a grounding near Naan Island and a person who fell into the water close to the lifeboat station. The first call…
Portrish RNLI’s inshore lifeboat The Ken Blair and crew on the water
Portrush RNLI was requested to launch by the coastguard at lunchtime on Sunday (4 October) to reports of kayakers in difficulty at White Rocks on Northern Ireland’s North Coast. The two persons with their inflatable kayak had entered the water…
On call: Donaghadee RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat Macquarie, which launched after a fishing boat and cargo vessel collided east of the Copeland Islands
Donaghadee RNLI launched late on Wednesday night (30 September) after a fishing boat was reported to have collided with a cargo vessel east of the Copeland Islands. HM Coastguard paged the volunteer crew at 11.20 pm after a report that…
Portrush RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat and crew meet daybreak at Inishowen on Thursday 1 October
Portrush RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat was requested to launch by the coastguard early on Thursday morning (1 October) to reports of a fishing vessel in difficulty at Inishowen. The vessel with five persons on board had run aground and Greencastle Coastguard…
File image of Baltimore RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat Alan Massey
Baltimore RNLI’s volunteers were called out on Wednesday evening (30 September) to a medevac on Cape Clear Island off the coast of West Cork. Following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to provide a medical evacuation for a child…
Seafood Support: Sligo Bay RNLI’s annual Seafood Night fundraiser returns to The Strand Bar in Strandhill on 16 October
Sligo Bay RNLI’s annual Seafood Night will return to The Strand Bar in Strandhill on Friday, 16 October, bringing the volunteer crew and local community together for one of the station’s established fundraising events. The evening gets under way at…
Dunmore East RNLI’s volunteer crew pictured after their third call-out of the week
Dunmore East RNLI’s volunteer crew responded to four call-outs over the past week, including three launches within a 24-hour period. The first call came on Tuesday evening (22 September) following a report from a member of the public of a…
Coastal class: The RNLI has revealed the design of its new coastal lifeboat, based on the Zodiac Hurricane ZH 1129, with two boats due to begin trials in 2027.
The RNLI has revealed what its new Coastal Lifeboat will look like. In the Autumn edition of its Lifeboat magazine, it has published an image of what the boat will look like. “The nature of the RNLI’s lifesaving is changing,” it…
Saving lives at sea: Tramore RNLI volunteers who feature in the latest series of the BBC’s Saving Lives at Sea, showcasing the work of the Waterford lifeboat station crew.
The maritime TV programme follows the Tramore lifeboat crew as they respond to an early-morning pager alert, capturing the reality of a volunteer lifeboat callout. During filming, crew members also shared their rescue experiences and spoke about life at a…
Rough Seas Rescue: Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat battles challenging conditions off Inis Mór during a multi-agency rescue operation.
Aran Islands RNLI was involved in a multi-agency rescue on Inis Mór on Friday afternoon, the 25th of September, after a person walking along the coastline was knocked down by a wave and swept onto a ledge near the sea.…

Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) in Ireland Information

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a charity to save lives at sea in the waters of UK and Ireland. Funded principally by legacies and donations, the RNLI operates a fleet of lifeboats, crewed by volunteers, based at a range of coastal and inland waters stations. Working closely with UK and Ireland Coastguards, RNLI crews are available to launch at short notice to assist people and vessels in difficulties.

RNLI was founded in 1824 and is based in Poole, Dorset. The organisation raised €210m in funds in 2019, spending €200m on lifesaving activities and water safety education. RNLI also provides a beach lifeguard service in the UK and has recently developed an International drowning prevention strategy, partnering with other organisations and governments to make drowning prevention a global priority.

Irish Lifeboat Stations

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland, with an operational base in Swords, Co Dublin. Irish RNLI crews are tasked through a paging system instigated by the Irish Coast Guard which can task a range of rescue resources depending on the nature of the emergency.

Famous Irish Lifeboat Rescues

Irish Lifeboats have participated in many rescues, perhaps the most famous of which was the rescue of the crew of the Daunt Rock lightship off Cork Harbour by the Ballycotton lifeboat in 1936. Spending almost 50 hours at sea, the lifeboat stood by the drifting lightship until the proximity to the Daunt Rock forced the coxswain to get alongside and successfully rescue the lightship's crew.

32 Irish lifeboat crew have been lost in rescue missions, including the 15 crew of the Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) lifeboat which capsized while attempting to rescue the crew of the SS Palme on Christmas Eve 1895.

FAQs

While the number of callouts to lifeboat stations varies from year to year, Howth Lifeboat station has aggregated more 'shouts' in recent years than other stations, averaging just over 60 a year.

Stations with an offshore lifeboat have a full-time mechanic, while some have a full-time coxswain. However, most lifeboat crews are volunteers.

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland

32 Irish lifeboat crew have been lost in rescue missions, including the 15 crew of the Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) lifeboat which capsized while attempting to rescue the crew of the SS Palme on Christmas Eve 1895

In 2019, 8,941 lifeboat launches saved 342 lives across the RNLI fleet.

The Irish fleet is a mixture of inshore and all-weather (offshore) craft. The offshore lifeboats, which range from 17m to 12m in length are either moored afloat, launched down a slipway or are towed into the sea on a trailer and launched. The inshore boats are either rigid or non-rigid inflatables.

The Irish Coast Guard in the Republic of Ireland or the UK Coastguard in Northern Ireland task lifeboats when an emergency call is received, through any of the recognised systems. These include 999/112 phone calls, Mayday/PanPan calls on VHF, a signal from an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) or distress signals.

The Irish Coast Guard is the government agency responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue operations. To carry out their task the Coast Guard calls on their own resources – Coast Guard units manned by volunteers and contracted helicopters, as well as "declared resources" - RNLI lifeboats and crews. While lifeboats conduct the operation, the coordination is provided by the Coast Guard.

A lifeboat coxswain (pronounced cox'n) is the skipper or master of the lifeboat.

RNLI Lifeboat crews are required to follow a particular development plan that covers a pre-agreed range of skills necessary to complete particular tasks. These skills and tasks form part of the competence-based training that is delivered both locally and at the RNLI's Lifeboat College in Poole, Dorset

 

While the RNLI is dependent on donations and legacies for funding, they also need volunteer crew and fund-raisers.

© Afloat 2020