Charity’s role in maritime life-saving work recognised

 RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew from across Ireland took part in today’s (Sunday 27 March 2016) 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.

Recently released RNLI stats for 2015 show just how busy Baltimore volunteer crew have been over the past year. The all weather lifeboat Alan Massey was launched 25 times and inshore lifeboat Alice and Charles launched 14 times rescuing a total of 46 people in 2015.

In total RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew in Ireland were kept busy in 2015 with 1,098 launches bringing 1,244 people to safety. At 45 lifeboat stations around the Irish coast and on inland waters, the charity’s volunteer lifeboat crew were on call in all weathers. Of the recorded launches, 416 were carried out in the hours of darkness.

Howth lifeboat station in Dublin was the busiest on the coast with 60 launches and 58 people assisted. The next busiest was Clifden RNLI in Galway, who are currently trialling an all-weather lifeboat to work alongside with their inshore lifeboat. They launched 49 times and brought 20 people to safety. The majority of callouts for Clifden RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat were to medical emergencies on the neighbouring islands; often assisting the Irish Coast helicopter crew. Dun Laoghaire RNLI launched their two lifeboats 48 times and assisted 50 people.

The first Shannon class lifeboat in Ireland, stationed at Lough Swilly in Donegal, was also put to work. It arrived in April and during the year the station answered 20 calls for help and brought 23 people to safety. The new lifeboat’s first callout was to three fishermen reported missing after failing to return home. Their vessel had lost power and they had drifted for hours waiting for help when the Shannon arrived on scene.

The type of incidents the charity’s lifeboat crew responded can range from danger of drowning (66 launches) to searches for missing people (54 launches), grounded or stranded vessels (126 launches) or people thought to be in danger or overdue (118 launches). Machinery failure and fouled propellers (251 launches) were again a common cause for callout.

There were also a number of callouts to four-legged casualties in 2015. Ten lifeboat stations launched to incidents involving animals and mammals last year, including a dolphin in Ballycotton, a horse swept into the river at Lough Derg, eight cows who became stranded and ended up in the sea off Kinsale and seven dogs around the coast who were reunited with their grateful owners. Many of these callouts can include a threat to people as they attempt to enter the water to save an animal and in turn get into difficulty.

Gareth Morrison RNLI Lifesaving Delivery Manager said; ‘Last summer the RNLI launched its national drowning prevention campaign, Respect the Water, warning people that the coastlines and waters can be dangerously unpredictable. This year we will continue to build on that and help inform those who enjoy the water and our beautiful coastline to take care and help reduce drowning.

In 2015 we had the honour of bringing the first Shannon class lifeboat home to Ireland. It was the first all-weather lifeboat class to be named in recognition of the contribution of the RNLI’s Irish volunteers, who have been saving lives in Ireland since 1826.’

‘Irish volunteer lifeboat crew, our fundraisers and supporters have again worked exceptionally hard serving our local communities. We would like to thank all of our volunteers for their hard work and dedication over the last 12 months. Without them our lifesaving service would not exist.’

Leesa Harwood, RNLI Community Lifesaving and Fundraising Director added; It’s humbling to see the lifesaving work of our volunteer crew and safety advisers – out of the 9,763 rescued in Ireland and the UK, 442 people are alive today because of their actions. The RNLI as a whole owes it to them to act with integrity and tenacity as we take move to opt-in communications from January 2017.

‘I’m appealing to all our dedicated supporters to help us by ticking our opt-in* box over the next few months – to hear about our rescues, our safety advice, and our events and help us save the lives of hundreds more in the years to come.

Baltimore RNLI were recently presented with a cheque for over €12,000 fundraised by the family of Niamh O’Connor.

http://www.southernstar.ie/news/roundup/articles/2015/12/24/4111481-oconnor-family-raises-12k-for-rnli/

Baltimore RNLI received an an alert from Valentia Coastguard at 09:29 this morning when a young boy in urgent need of medical attention required immediate evacuation from Cape Clear Island.

Coxswain Aidan Bushe along with 5 volunteer crewmen were launched within minutes of the alert in the all-weather Tamar class lifeboat Alan Massey. They proceeded in poor weather conditions to the North Harbour of Cape Clear Island against a swell of 3 metres and force 6-7 northwest winds.

When the lifeboat crew arrived at the pier the little boy was unresponsive. He was immediately stretchered aboard the the lifeboat where he was constantly monitored on the journey back to Baltimore. The lifeboat arrived at Baltimore pier at 10:30, from where the boy was transferred to Skibbereen for medical attention.

The evacuation was successfully completed in one  hour, a remarkable achievement given that current weather conditions have meant frequent cancellation of local ferries.

On board were ; Coxswain Aidan Bushe, Mechanic Cathal Cottrell, crew Sean McCarthy,  Jerry Smith, Ronnie Carthy and Don O’Donovan

Support RNLI crews at the Reindeer Run In Lissard Ard Estate on Sat Nov 22nd

Sisters Yvonne O’Keeffe & Gillian O’Sullivan are running in the Dublin Marathon on 26th October and have set up a charity page to hopefully make a few bob for the RNLI Baltimore Lifeboat Station – a cause very close to their hearts. Any donations small or large would be greatly appreciated so just click on the link if you would like to support.