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Howth Lifeboat Station

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Coordinates: 53°23′22.6″N 6°04′05.6″W / 53.389611°N 6.068222°W / 53.389611; -6.068222
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Howth Lifeboat Station
Howth Lifeboat Station
Howth Lifeboat Station is located in County Dublin
Howth Lifeboat Station
Howth, County Dublin
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationMiddle Pier
AddressHowth Harbour
Town or cityHowth, County Dublin
CountryIreland
Coordinates53°23′22.6″N 6°04′05.6″W / 53.389611°N 6.068222°W / 53.389611; -6.068222
Opened1817
1862 RNLI
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Skerries RNLI Lifeboat Station

Howth Lifeboat Station sits on the middle pier at Howth Harbour in the fishing village of Howth, on Howth Head, a peninsula located on the north side of Dublin Bay, in the administrative region of Fingal, historically County Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland.

A lifeboat was first stationed at Howth in 1817 by the Corporation and Port of Dublin. Management of the station was transferred to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1862.[1]

Howth Trent-class lifeboat 14-33 Roy Barker III (ON 1258)

The station currently operates a Trent-class All-weather lifeboat, 14-33 Roy Barker III (ON 1258), on station since 2002, and the D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat Aideen Cresswell (D-796), on station since 2016.[1]

History

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The first lifeboat to be placed at Howth was operated by the Ballast Corporation of Dublin. No records have been found for any lifeboats or services. In early 1862, the Ballast Corporation made a request to the RNLI to take over the management of their three lifeboat stations, located at Poolbeg, Kingstown and Howth, which was agreed. Sir George Bowles, a new fully equipped 30-foot Self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails, was provided to Howth, arriving on station in September 1862. A new carriage for transportation was also provided, along with a new boathouse, which was constructed on the West Pier, at a cost of £205. The Ballast Corporation agreed to contribute 50% of the annual cost of the station.[1][2][3]

In 1863, the Howth lifeboat capsized whilst on exercise. Fortunately, no lives were lost.[4]

The Howth lifeboat was launched on 15 October 1865 to the lugger Castletown of Belfast, after she struck a rock near Ireland's Eye. The lifeboat managed to save the seven crew as well as the vessel, for which the master recorded that he was "truly thankful for the services rendered by the life-boat in saving his property from destruction".[5]

The barque Eva, with eight crew, was on passage from Dublin to Ardrossan, when she was driven ashore and wrecked on Baldoyle Strand, in the south-easterly gale of 25 March 1877. Five of the crew managed to get away in the ship's boat. In difficult conditions, the Howth lifeboat Clara Baker arrived to find three men still lashed to the rigging as the sea broke over the vessel. All three were rescued. For this service, and with acknowledgement of previous rescues, including the Castletown in 1865, Coxswain John White was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal.[6][7][8]

In 1894, The RNLI received a legacy of £50,000 from the estate of Mr James Stevens, a developer, from Edgbaston in Birmingham. This donation provided 20 lifeboats, more lifeboats than any other single donation received by the RNLI. The James Stevens No.7 (ON 429) was placed on service at Howth in 1899. The boat was kept afloat, and the old boathouse was handed over to the Board of Public Works. The boathouse still stands on the West Pier.[4][9]

In 1930, Howth would see the arrival of its first motor-powered lifeboat, the 40ft 6in Watson Lady Kylsant (ON 721). Now able to cover significantly greater distances at much higher speeds, it would bring about the closure of the Skerries lifeboat station, approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) to the north.[1][10]

In a southerly gale on the night of 14 July 1964, relief lifeboat H. F. Bailey (ON 777) was launched to the aid of the fishing boat Ros Cairbre, being swept ashore after engine failure. After travelling 2.5 miles (4.0 km) in very rough seas, the vessel was found in Freshwater Bay, and towed to Howth. Coxswain Joseph McLoughlin was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal.[4][6]

In 1964, in response to an increasing amount of water-based leisure activity, the RNLI placed 25 small fast Inshore lifeboats around the country. These were easily launched with just a few people, ideal to respond quickly to local emergencies. More stations were opened, and in 1967, a D-class (RFD PB16) Inshore lifeboat (D-129) was additionally placed at Howth. The cost of the boat had been defrayed by a donation from the Boy Scouts of Ireland Jubilee Fund.[4][11]

In 1984, a new station building was constructed on Howth Middle Pier, on reclaimed land from the 1982 harbour development. In 2016, a new pontoon berth was constructed alongside the lifeboat house. [12][13]

On 11 March 2002, the Trent-class lifeboat 14-33 Roy Barker III (ON 1258) was placed on service. Mr Frederick Roy Barker (1909–1992), known as Roy, left his entire estate to the RNLI, known as the Roy Barker Memorial Fund, with the request that all income be used to fund lifeboats. Howth received one of three Trent-class lifeboats from the fund.[14]

In 2016, Howth would receive their latest Inshore lifeboat, the €71,000 D-class (IB1) lifeboat funded from the bequest of the late Mrs Aideen Cresswell, latterly of Howth, who died in 2011, aged 91. At a ceremony on 2 October 2016, the lifeboat was named Aideen Cresswell (D-796).[15]

Station honours

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The following are awards made at Howth.[4][6]

Thomas Jones, Second Mate of the Packet Escape - 1832
John White, Coxswain - 1877
Thomas Rickard, seaman of the vessel Storm King - 1897
George Caulfield, seaman of the vessel Storm King - 1897
James McLaughlan, seaman of the vessel Maymaid - 1897
C Kelly, seaman of the vessel Maymaid - 1897
Edward Rourke, seaman of the vessel Maymaid - 1897
Petty Officer Charles Slater, H.M. Coastguard - 1919
Patrick Rickard, shop assistant - 1919
Joseph McLoughlin, Coxswain - 1964
Frank Hendy, boatman, Howth Yacht Club - 1976
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
Tony Brown, member of the public - 1976
Robert Duffy, Coxswain - 1995
George Duffy, Second Coxswain/Mechanic - 1996
Ian Sheridan, Deputy Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic - 1996
  • A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
Eamonn Howard, crew member - 1996
Michael Duffy, crew member - 1996
Jim Duffy, crew member - 1996
Mr Patrick Kelly, a member of the public - 1996
Robert Duffy, Coxswain - 1998
George Duffy, Second Coxswain - 1998
Ian Sheridan, Assistant Mechanic - 1998
Frederick Connolly, crew member - 1998
Damian Cronin, crew member - 1998
Eamonn Howard, crew member - 1998
David Howard, crew member - 1998
Brian McConkey, crew member - 1998
  • A Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
Flight Lieutenant Henry Pottle - 1996
Flight Lieutenant Patrick Thirkell - 1996
Flight Sergeant Alan Falconer - 1996
(all aircrew of Helicopter Rescue 122)

Roll of honour

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In memory of those lost whilst serving Howth lifeboat.[4]

  • Died of a heart attack when answering the maroons, 1949
Patrick Rourke

Howth RNLI lifeboats

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All-weather lifeboats

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ON[a] Op. No.[b] Name Built In service[16] Class Comments
Pre-395 – Sir George Bowles 1862 1862–1872 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 1]
Pre-556 – Clara Baker 1871 1872–1886 33-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 2]
97 – Tom and Ida Smithies 1886 1886–1899 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 3]
429 – James Stevens No.7 1899 1899–1926 45-foot Watson (P&S) [Note 4]
491 – Reserve No.6C 1902 1926 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 5]
550 – Anne Miles 1905 1926–1930 43-foot Watson (P&S) [Note 6]
721 – Lady Klysant 1929 1930–1937 40ft 6in Watson [Note 7]
789 – R. P. L. 1936 1937–1962 46ft Watson [Note 8]
963 – A. M. T. 1962 1962–1986 47ft Watson [Note 9]
1113 52-35 City of Dublin 1986 1986–2002 Arun [Note 10]
1258 14-33 Roy Barker III 2001 2002– Trent [Note 11]

Inshore lifeboats

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Op. No.[b] Name In service[1] Class Comments
D-129 Unnamed 1967–1977 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-108 Unnamed 1977–1979 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-273 Unnamed 1980–1988 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-379 Unnamed 1989–1998 D-class (EA16)
D-530 Marguerite Joan Harris 1998–2006 D-class (EA16)
D-659 George Godfrey Benbow 2006–2016 D-class (IB1)
D-796 Aideen Cresswell 2016– D-class (IB1)
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ a b Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
  2. ^ 33-foot Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
  3. ^ 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
  4. ^ 45-foot Watson-class (P&S) lifeboat.
  5. ^ 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
  6. ^ 43-foot Watson-class (P&S) lifeboat.
  7. ^ 40-foot 6in Watson-class (single motor) lifeboat.
  8. ^ 46-foot Watson-class lifeboat, built by Groves and Guttridge.
  9. ^ 47-foot Watson-class lifeboat, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes.
  10. ^ 52-foot Arun-class lifeboat.
  11. ^ 14-metre Trent-class lifeboat.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  2. ^ "Additional Stations and New Life-Boats". The Lifeboat. V (46): 163–164. 1 October 1862. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Dublin - Sheet 15". Maps. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Howth's station history". Howth Lifeboat Station. RNLI. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Castledown, of Belfast". The Lifeboat. V (55): 541. 1 January 1865. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0907605893.
  7. ^ "Royal National Lifeboat Institution". The Times. No. 28909. London. 6 April 1877. col C, p. 6.
  8. ^ "Shipping Intelligence". Western Mail. No. 2467. Cardiff. 27 March 1877.
  9. ^ "Pride of RNLI heads for new berth". Birmingham Post & Mail. 14 July 1998. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  10. ^ "Skerries' station history". Skerries Lifeboat Station. RNLI. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Inshore Rescue Boats". The Lifeboat. XXXVIII (407): 3. March 1964. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  12. ^ "Howth Middle Pier". Geocaching. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Planning" (PDF). Fingal County Council. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Llandudno RNLI Shannon Launch and Recovery System named in memory of Roy Barker". RNLI. 5 December 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Howth RNLI name new lifeboat Aideen Cresswell in memory of local woman". RNLI. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  16. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–120.
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