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Radio presenter Damien Tiernan will lead an online panel discussion (Wednesday 25 November at 8 pm) with ‘Dauntless Courage’ author David Carroll and Dunmore East RNLI volunteer crew members.

WLR FM radio presenter, former South East correspondent for RTE and author of ‘Souls of the Sea’ Damien Tiernan will lead the panel discussion with the author of ‘Dauntless Courage’ David Carroll who will also be joined by Dunmore East RNLI volunteer crew members Brendan Dunne and Neville Murphy. The launch is coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Glenmalure Tragedy which is featured in the book.

‘Dauntless Courage’: Celebrating the History of the Dunmore East RNLI, their crews and the Maritime Heritage of the Local Community. All proceeds from the book will be going to the local Dunmore East Lifeboat Fundraising Branch to support the saving of lives on our seas.

After several years researching and writing of the book, the public unveiling will take place online with an in-depth panel discussion of the research involved in writing the book, the characters behind the lifejackets, the many acts of courage that took place far from shore, and a look at the local community that was so often the backbone of every crew that took to sea to save those whose lives were in peril.

The online event will take place on Wednesday 25 November at 8 pm for approximately forty minutes, with a live Q&A session for attendees afterwards. Registration for the event can be made here 

David Carroll, author of Dauntless Courage said: ‘What has really struck me about writing this book has been the amazing goodwill and generosity of so many people who have helped to make this book possible, especially all the interesting and historic photographs and paintings that we have been given access to for inclusion in the book’.

The book ‘Dauntless Courage’ celebrates the history of Dunmore East RNLIThe book ‘Dauntless Courage’ celebrates the history of Dunmore East RNLI

Damian Tiernan, WLR FM radio presenter said: ‘I am honoured and delighted to be hosting this discussion, I have a long association with members of the RNLI in Dunmore and I worked closely with them over the years. The publication is a wonderful record of all that has happened complete with superb pen portraits and descriptions of events and superbly written and produced’.

Purchase of the book can also be made here with all proceeds from the book going to the local Dunmore East Lifeboat Fundraising Branch to support the saving of lives on our seas.

Orders and further information on the book can also be made by contacting [email protected]

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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Dunmore East RNLI has been saving lives off the South East coast since 1884. Since then Lifeboats based in the village have launched nearly 1000 times and saved over 305 lives and aided 1315 people in distress on the seas along the Waterford and Wexford coast.

David Carroll the son of Captain Desmond Carroll, a former Harbour Master in Dunmore is currently completing a book on the history of the Dunmore East RNLI Lifeboats and the community from which the crews are drawn. David grew up in Dunmore East and whilst moving from the village in his 20s to pursue a career he has always retained a great love for the maritime heritage he inherited growing up in the village. David has spent nearly two years researching this book which is now near completion. The book, which is based on archives both here in Ireland and the RNLI archives in Poole, England, will detail the boats that were stationed in Dunmore and the stories of the rescues they carried out. Also included in the book will be many interesting and unique photographs that have not appeared in public before. The story of the village itself, and its link as a fishing community with the Lifeboats and crews, brings the reader from the earliest times of saving lives at sea in the area up to the present.

Author David Carroll is the son of Captain Desmond Carroll, a former Harbour Master in DunmoreAuthor David Carroll is the son of Captain Desmond Carroll, a former Harbour Master in Dunmore 

David Carroll, author of Dauntless Courage said: ‘“I feel that I have been extremely fortunate to have been given this wonderful opportunity of writing a history of the Dunmore East RNLI Lifeboats and their volunteer crews. As a small boy, I used to see the names of the Henry Dodd and Fanny Harriet on the records boards that were in a small fuel store on the pier. I never could have imagined that one day, I would be researching and writing about these famous lifeboats”.

Brendan Dunne, RNLI volunteer crew with Dunmore East RNLI said: ‘As crew we are delighted to see a book of this calibre been written. It is a testimony to the maritime history of the village and the volunteers who go to sea to rescue people in distress. David has ensured that the legacy of RNLI volunteers and supporters past and present will always be remembered in times eye and that the Lifeboat is an integral part of the community in Dunmore and surrounding areas’

Dauntless Courage: Celebrating the History of the Dunmore East RNLI, their crews and the Maritime Heritage of the Local Community. All proceeds from the book will be going to the local Dunmore East Lifeboat Fundraising Branch to support the saving of lives on our seas.

For pre-orders and further information on the book please see here

Published in Book Review
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At 7.26 am Dunmore East RNLI Lifeboat launched on service to assist a stricken yacht in the Fastnet 450 Race which had suffered a dismasting 36 miles South of Dunmore East on the County Waterford coast.

On reaching the Greystones-based yacht, Red Alert, the lifeboat crew conducted a quick assessment of the six yacht crewmembers who were in good spirits and thankfully did not need any medical assistance.

The JOD 35 type yacht which was taking part in the race that started yesterday from Dublin and was heading for the Fastnet lighthouse was still able to make its own way slowly under power and was escorted by Dunmore East lifeboat crew to the safety of Dunmore East harbour at 2.15 pm.

The yacht Red Alert at the start of the Fastnet 450 Race from Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay yesterday Photo: AfloatThe yacht Red Alert at the start of the Fastnet 450 Race from Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay yesterday Photo: Afloat

Tony Kelly, Dunmore East RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: ‘A shout like this really highlights how dedicated our volunteers are. They gave up their Sunday morning without hesitation to spend nearly 7 hours at sea, away from their families to selflessly help others. Thankfully, sea conditions were good at the time and all are now safely back onshore.’

The Fastnet 450 race continues with leaders expected to finish in Cork Harbour on Monday morning, race tracker here

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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RTÉ News reports that one man has died as the search continues for a second man after a fishing vessel is understood to have sunk off Hook Head last night (Saturday 4 January).

A man in his 60s was recovered in the early hours of this morning (Sunday 5 January) but died at University Hospital Waterford.

The Irish Coast Guard and RNLI lifeboat crews are involved in the search for a second individual believed to have been on the trawler south of Dunmore East.

Published in Fishing

Dunmore East RNLI launched yesterday (Tuesday June 11) in what turned out to be a nine-hour mission to assist a 24m fishing trawler with six crew on board.

The vessel had suffered a fouled propeller 40 miles south of the Co Waterford village — meaning a lengthy round-trip for the volunteer crew of the Trent class lifeboat Elizabeth and Ronald that began at 8.40am.

Yet despite the time — and some difficult weather at sea — there were few complications in the long tow with the strict vessel back to the safety of Dunmore East harbour, where they arrived just before 6pm.

“It was a long day for our volunteer crew and the conditions offshore today were challenging, which highlights the value of the training our crews conduct on a regular basis,” said lifeboat coxswain Roy Abrahamsson.

 

“DunmoreDunmore East RNLI taking the stricken trawler under tow | Photo: RNLI/Roy Abrahamsson

 

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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#Lifeboats - Hundreds gathered on the high wall in Dunmore East on Sunday evening (20 January) to welcome the town’s all-weather lifeboat Elizabeth and Ronald back home after more than a year out of service.

On 1 December 2017, Dunmore East RNLI’s all-weather Trent class lifeboat sustained damage overnight while moored alongside its pontoon. Afterwards, the lifeboat was moved to Falmouth Boat Yard in the UK for repair.

Last week the lifeboat went through extensive sea trials before it was allowed to return on service in Dunmore East.

At 5pm on Sunday evening, people gathered on the high wall in Dunmore East to catch the first glimpse of the lifeboat as it returned home. Refreshments were served to all at the station house after in celebration of the lifeboat’s return.

The service has been maintained in Dunmore East with relief lifeboat 14-06 Windsor Runner on station.

The volunteer crews are having a busy period responding to three separate incidents this week alone. On Wednesday 16 January, the lifeboat crew assisted a 26m fishing vessel with engine trouble 10 miles South of Dunmore East.

And on Sunday afternoon, the crew assisted a 26m fishing vessel with engine trouble six miles South East of Dunmore East, as well as a 15m fishing vessel on rocks a mile north of Hook Head.

Ciaran O’Muaillain, RNLI lifeboat operations manager for Dunmore East RNLI, said: “It is fantastic to have our own lifeboat back again, our volunteer crew are very attached to Elizabeth and Ronald.

“It was a very emotional evening and I would like to thank everyone for coming out to support our lifeboat crew on this special evening.”

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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#Lifeboats - Dunmore East RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat launched in the early hours of yesterday morning (Thursday 1 November) to a 23m fishing trawler that had run aground with five people onboard half a mile south-west of Dunmore East Harbour.

At 2.06am, the Dunmore East RNLI all-weather lifeboat launched on service to assist the fishermen.

Minutes after the launch, the Trent class lifeboat Windsor Runner arrived on scene to find the trawler high and dry on the rocky shoreline with an ebbing tide.

The five crew onboard the trawler were in no immediate danger, so it was decided to wait for the tide to rise again and then tow the vessel off the rocks.

Dunmore East’s lifeboat crew remained on scene and at 7am the trawler with five crew onboard was successfully towed away the rocks undamaged and was able to make its way under power to Dunmore East Harbour.

Escorted by Dunmore East RNLI’s lifeboat, they made the safety of the harbour at 7.20am.

Dunmore East RNLI coxswain Michael Griffin said: “The conditions on scene were good at the time and thankfully the trawler didn’t sustain any major damage.

“Credit to our volunteer crew who worked tirelessly during the early hours of this morning to ensure the success of the mission.”

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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#RNLI - Dunmore East  RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat launched on Saturday (21 April) to assist an injured crewman onboard a fishing trawler.

The crewman sustained an injury while fishing 70 miles offshore, and the trawler was intercepted by Dunmore East lifeboat 50 miles south of Dunmore East to conduct the medevac.

At 11:50am, the Trent Class lifeboat Windsor Runner launched with a transit time of two hours and 35 minutes to the scene, where it came alongside the trawler to transfer the casualty.

The injured crewman was administered first aid treatment and monitored by the lifeboat crew while routing back to Dunmore East Harbour, where he was handed over to the Ambulance Service at 4.45pm.

Dunmore East RNLI coxswain Michael Griffin said: “The sea conditions [on Saturday] were very good which helped in the transfer of the casualty to our lifeboat, our crew are highly trained in casualty care, and the injured man was very well looked after until he was handed over to the ambulance crew.”

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

#RNLI - Dunmore East RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat launched yesterday afternoon (Tuesday January 9) to assist a 23m trawler with four crew on board.

The fishing vessel had suffered engine trouble and was drifting onto rocks one mile northeast of Dunmore East Harbour, close to the shoreline.

Minutes after launch at 1.58pm, the all-weather Trent Class Dunmore East lifeboat Windsor Runner arrived on scene to find the trawler drifting close to the rocks.

In difficult sea conditions and high winds, the Dunmore East RNLI crew managed to get a line to the stricken vessel and established a tow.

The vessel was then towed to the safety of Dunmore East Harbour at 2.40pm. The Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117 and Dunmore East Coast Guard were also launched.

Dunmore East RNLI operations manager Ciaran O’Mullain said after the callout: “A quick response from our volunteer crew today ensured we got to the vessel before it drifted onto the rocks.

“Sea conditions made the rescue difficult today but thankfully our highly trained crew were able to bring the trawler and its crew to the safety of Dunmore East Harbour.”

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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#RNLI - Dunmore East RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat sustained damage overnight while moored alongside its pontoon in the Co Waterford harbour.

Impact by another vessel in the early hours of this morning (Friday 1 December) resulted in damage to both the pontoon and the Trent class lifeboat.

Details are unclear but a report on RTÉ News suggests that the lifeboat was damaged after a fishing boat manoeuvring in the harbour collided with the pontoon.

No lifeboat personnel were involved by the incident, which was not related to any RNLI activity and has been reported as a matter of course to the Marine Casualty Investigation Board.

While the lifeboat is off service for repairs, search and rescue cover will be provided by the closest RNLI stations, as well as the Irish Coast Guard crews based in Waterford. A relief lifeboat was scheduled to arrive this evening.

WLR FM's Twitter account has a short video clip of the damage sustained to the lifeboat in the harbour this morning:

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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The Irish Coast Guard

The Irish Coast Guard is Ireland's fourth 'Blue Light' service (along with An Garda Síochána, the Ambulance Service and the Fire Service). It provides a nationwide maritime emergency organisation as well as a variety of services to shipping and other government agencies.

The purpose of the Irish Coast Guard is to promote safety and security standards, and by doing so, prevent as far as possible, the loss of life at sea, and on inland waters, mountains and caves, and to provide effective emergency response services and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The Irish Coast Guard has responsibility for Ireland's system of marine communications, surveillance and emergency management in Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and certain inland waterways.

It is responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue and counter-pollution and ship casualty operations. It also has responsibility for vessel traffic monitoring.

Operations in respect of maritime security, illegal drug trafficking, illegal migration and fisheries enforcement are co-ordinated by other bodies within the Irish Government.

On average, each year, the Irish Coast Guard is expected to:

  • handle 3,000 marine emergencies
  • assist 4,500 people and save about 200 lives
  • task Coast Guard helicopters on missions

The Coast Guard has been around in some form in Ireland since 1908.

Coast Guard helicopters

The Irish Coast Guard has contracted five medium-lift Sikorsky Search and Rescue helicopters deployed at bases in Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo.

The helicopters are designated wheels up from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours and 45 minutes at night. One aircraft is fitted and its crew trained for under slung cargo operations up to 3000kgs and is available on short notice based at Waterford.

These aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains of Ireland (32 counties).

They can also be used for assistance in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and aerial surveillance during daylight hours, lifting and passenger operations and other operations as authorised by the Coast Guard within appropriate regulations.

Irish Coastguard FAQs

The Irish Coast Guard provides nationwide maritime emergency response, while also promoting safety and security standards. It aims to prevent the loss of life at sea, on inland waters, on mountains and in caves; and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The main role of the Irish Coast Guard is to rescue people from danger at sea or on land, to organise immediate medical transport and to assist boats and ships within the country's jurisdiction. It has three marine rescue centres in Dublin, Malin Head, Co Donegal, and Valentia Island, Co Kerry. The Dublin National Maritime Operations centre provides marine search and rescue responses and coordinates the response to marine casualty incidents with the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Yes, effectively, it is the fourth "blue light" service. The Marine Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) Valentia is the contact point for the coastal area between Ballycotton, Co Cork and Clifden, Co Galway. At the same time, the MRSC Malin Head covers the area between Clifden and Lough Foyle. Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Dublin covers Carlingford Lough, Co Louth to Ballycotton, Co Cork. Each MRCC/MRSC also broadcasts maritime safety information on VHF and MF radio, including navigational and gale warnings, shipping forecasts, local inshore forecasts, strong wind warnings and small craft warnings.

The Irish Coast Guard handles about 3,000 marine emergencies annually, and assists 4,500 people - saving an estimated 200 lives, according to the Department of Transport. In 2016, Irish Coast Guard helicopters completed 1,000 missions in a single year for the first time.

Yes, Irish Coast Guard helicopters evacuate medical patients from offshore islands to hospital on average about 100 times a year. In September 2017, the Department of Health announced that search and rescue pilots who work 24-hour duties would not be expected to perform any inter-hospital patient transfers. The Air Corps flies the Emergency Aeromedical Service, established in 2012 and using an AW139 twin-engine helicopter. Known by its call sign "Air Corps 112", it airlifted its 3,000th patient in autumn 2020.

The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is responsible for the Northern Irish coast.

The Irish Coast Guard is a State-funded service, with both paid management personnel and volunteers, and is under the auspices of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. It is allocated approximately 74 million euro annually in funding, some 85 per cent of which pays for a helicopter contract that costs 60 million euro annually. The overall funding figure is "variable", an Oireachtas committee was told in 2019. Other significant expenditure items include volunteer training exercises, equipment, maintenance, renewal, and information technology.

The Irish Coast Guard has four search and rescue helicopter bases at Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo, run on a contract worth 50 million euro annually with an additional 10 million euro in costs by CHC Ireland. It provides five medium-lift Sikorsky S-92 helicopters and trained crew. The 44 Irish Coast Guard coastal units with 1,000 volunteers are classed as onshore search units, with 23 of the 44 units having rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and 17 units having cliff rescue capability. The Irish Coast Guard has 60 buildings in total around the coast, and units have search vehicles fitted with blue lights, all-terrain vehicles or quads, first aid equipment, generators and area lighting, search equipment, marine radios, pyrotechnics and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Community Rescue Boats Ireland also provide lifeboats and crews to assist in search and rescue. The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the Garda Siochána, National Ambulance Service, Naval Service and Air Corps, Civil Defence, while fishing vessels, ships and other craft at sea offer assistance in search operations.

The helicopters are designated as airborne from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours, and 45 minutes at night. The aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, on inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains and cover the 32 counties. They can also assist in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and can transport offshore firefighters and ambulance teams. The Irish Coast Guard volunteers units are expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time of departing from the station house in ten minutes from notification during daylight and 20 minutes at night. They are also expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time to the scene of the incident in less than 60 minutes from notification by day and 75 minutes at night, subject to geographical limitations.

Units are managed by an officer-in-charge (three stripes on the uniform) and a deputy officer in charge (two stripes). Each team is trained in search skills, first aid, setting up helicopter landing sites and a range of maritime skills, while certain units are also trained in cliff rescue.

Volunteers receive an allowance for time spent on exercises and call-outs. What is the difference between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI? The RNLI is a registered charity which has been saving lives at sea since 1824, and runs a 24/7 volunteer lifeboat service around the British and Irish coasts. It is a declared asset of the British Maritime and Coast Guard Agency and the Irish Coast Guard. Community Rescue Boats Ireland is a community rescue network of volunteers under the auspices of Water Safety Ireland.

No, it does not charge for rescue and nor do the RNLI or Community Rescue Boats Ireland.

The marine rescue centres maintain 19 VHF voice and DSC radio sites around the Irish coastline and a digital paging system. There are two VHF repeater test sites, four MF radio sites and two NAVTEX transmitter sites. Does Ireland have a national search and rescue plan? The first national search and rescue plan was published in July, 2019. It establishes the national framework for the overall development, deployment and improvement of search and rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region and to meet domestic and international commitments. The purpose of the national search and rescue plan is to promote a planned and nationally coordinated search and rescue response to persons in distress at sea, in the air or on land.

Yes, the Irish Coast Guard is responsible for responding to spills of oil and other hazardous substances with the Irish pollution responsibility zone, along with providing an effective response to marine casualties and monitoring or intervening in marine salvage operations. It provides and maintains a 24-hour marine pollution notification at the three marine rescue centres. It coordinates exercises and tests of national and local pollution response plans.

The first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to die on duty was Caitriona Lucas, a highly trained member of the Doolin Coast Guard unit, while assisting in a search for a missing man by the Kilkee unit in September 2016. Six months later, four Irish Coast Guard helicopter crew – Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith -died when their Sikorsky S-92 struck Blackrock island off the Mayo coast on March 14, 2017. The Dublin-based Rescue 116 crew were providing "top cover" or communications for a medical emergency off the west coast and had been approaching Blacksod to refuel. Up until the five fatalities, the Irish Coast Guard recorded that more than a million "man hours" had been spent on more than 30,000 rescue missions since 1991.

Several investigations were initiated into each incident. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board was critical of the Irish Coast Guard in its final report into the death of Caitriona Lucas, while a separate Health and Safety Authority investigation has been completed, but not published. The Air Accident Investigation Unit final report into the Rescue 116 helicopter crash has not yet been published.

The Irish Coast Guard in its present form dates back to 1991, when the Irish Marine Emergency Service was formed after a campaign initiated by Dr Joan McGinley to improve air/sea rescue services on the west Irish coast. Before Irish independence, the British Admiralty was responsible for a Coast Guard (formerly the Water Guard or Preventative Boat Service) dating back to 1809. The West Coast Search and Rescue Action Committee was initiated with a public meeting in Killybegs, Co Donegal, in 1988 and the group was so effective that a Government report was commissioned, which recommended setting up a new division of the Department of the Marine to run the Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC), then based at Shannon, along with the existing coast radio service, and coast and cliff rescue. A medium-range helicopter base was established at Shannon within two years. Initially, the base was served by the Air Corps.

The first director of what was then IMES was Capt Liam Kirwan, who had spent 20 years at sea and latterly worked with the Marine Survey Office. Capt Kirwan transformed a poorly funded voluntary coast and cliff rescue service into a trained network of cliff and sea rescue units – largely voluntary, but with paid management. The MRCC was relocated from Shannon to an IMES headquarters at the then Department of the Marine (now Department of Transport) in Leeson Lane, Dublin. The coast radio stations at Valentia, Co Kerry, and Malin Head, Co Donegal, became marine rescue-sub-centres.

The current director is Chris Reynolds, who has been in place since August 2007 and was formerly with the Naval Service. He has been seconded to the head of mission with the EUCAP Somalia - which has a mandate to enhance Somalia's maritime civilian law enforcement capacity – since January 2019.

  • Achill, Co. Mayo
  • Ardmore, Co. Waterford
  • Arklow, Co. Wicklow
  • Ballybunion, Co. Kerry
  • Ballycotton, Co. Cork
  • Ballyglass, Co. Mayo
  • Bonmahon, Co. Waterford
  • Bunbeg, Co. Donegal
  • Carnsore, Co. Wexford
  • Castlefreake, Co. Cork
  • Castletownbere, Co. Cork
  • Cleggan, Co. Galway
  • Clogherhead, Co. Louth
  • Costelloe Bay, Co. Galway
  • Courtown, Co. Wexford
  • Crosshaven, Co. Cork
  • Curracloe, Co. Wexford
  • Dingle, Co. Kerry
  • Doolin, Co. Clare
  • Drogheda, Co. Louth
  • Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
  • Dunmore East, Co. Waterford
  • Fethard, Co. Wexford
  • Glandore, Co. Cork
  • Glenderry, Co. Kerry
  • Goleen, Co. Cork
  • Greencastle, Co. Donegal
  • Greenore, Co. Louth
  • Greystones, Co. Wicklow
  • Guileen, Co. Cork
  • Howth, Co. Dublin
  • Kilkee, Co. Clare
  • Killala, Co. Mayo
  • Killybegs, Co. Donegal
  • Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford
  • Knightstown, Co. Kerry
  • Mulroy, Co. Donegal
  • North Aran, Co. Galway
  • Old Head Of Kinsale, Co. Cork
  • Oysterhaven, Co. Cork
  • Rosslare, Co. Wexford
  • Seven Heads, Co. Cork
  • Skerries, Co. Dublin Summercove, Co. Cork
  • Toe Head, Co. Cork
  • Tory Island, Co. Donegal
  • Tramore, Co. Waterford
  • Waterville, Co. Kerry
  • Westport, Co. Mayo
  • Wicklow
  • Youghal, Co. Cork

Sources: Department of Transport © Afloat 2020