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Revision as of 17:50, 20 December 2024 by Geof Sheppard (talk | contribs) (a lifeboat station in Ireland)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Castletownbere Lifeboat Station is the base for a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) inshore lifeboat at Castletownbere in County Cork on the south west corner of Ireland.
History
The west coast of Ireland faces the Atlantic Ocean but had sparse coverage from lifeboats until late in the twentieth century. In 1990 there were only four stations but by 2000 seven more had been opened. A lifeboat was sent to Castletownbere in 1997 to evaluate it as a suitable harbour and it was confirmed as a permanent station in October 1998. Poorly-located temporary crew facilities were in use for many years but a new building and moorings were brought into use on 19 May 2013 which significantly reduced the time taken for the lifeboat to put to sea.
The lifeboat was launched on 10 October 2018 to aid the Clodagh O, a trawler which had broken down and was being blown onto rocks in a Force 9 storm. The lifeboat crew managed to get a line onto the trawler and towed it back to the harbour, saving its crew of six people. The rescue was led by coxswain Dean Hegarty who was awarded an RNLI bronze medal, the first Irishman to be recognised in this way in over 10 years.
Area of operation
The RNLI aims to reach any vessel in distress up to 50 nmi (93 km) from the coast within 2 hours of launching. The Severn-class lifeboat at Castletownbere has a range of 250 nmi (460 km) and top speed of 25 kn (46 km/h). Adjacent lifeboats are stationed at Valentia to the north and Baltimore to the east.
Castletownbere lifeboats
| On station | ON | Op. No. | Name | Class | Built | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–2004 | 1118 | 52-36 | Roy and Barbara Harding | Arun | 1987 | First stationed at Aran Islands. Sold in 2004 for further use as a lifeboat in Iceland. |
| 2004 | 1144 | 52-42 | Murray Lornie | Arun | 1988 | First stationed at Lochinver. Sold in 2005 for further use as a lifeboat in Iceland until 2023 when it was sold again for use as a workboat in Greenland. |
| 2004– | 1277 | 17-44 | Annette Hutton | Severn | 2004 |
See also
References
- Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 112.
- "Building into the Millennium". The Lifeboat. Vol. 58, no. 556. 2001. pp. 28–29.
- "Castletownbere's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- Roche, Barry. "Cork man is first person in a decade to be honoured by RNLI". Irish Times. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- Cameron, Ian (2009). Riders of the Storm. Orion Books. pp. 204, 231. ISBN 978-0-7528-8344-1.
- Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 118–119.
- Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 50–51.
- Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 52–53.
- Leonard & Denton 2024, p. 56.