Dún Laoghaire Lifeboat Station is located at Queen's Road, in Dún Laoghaire , a seaside and harbour town in the administrative region of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, historically County Dublin, approximately 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) south east of Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland.
The station currently operates a Trent-class All-weather lifeboat, 14-05 Anna Livia (ON 1200), on station since 1995, and a smaller D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, Joval (D-865), on station since 2022.[1]
On 28 December 1821, the Sandycove lifeboat was called to the aid of the brigEllen of Liverpool, driven ashore at Kingstown and wrecked. After rescuing the crew, a large wave washed six lifeboatmen out of the boat. Only three men were recovered to the boat. Now with no oars, a fourth lifeboatman was lost, as the lifeboat was driven into the breakers, but everyone else, including the crew of the Ellen, managed to scramble ashore.[2][3]
Following the visit by King George IV in 1821, Old Dunleary was renamed Kingstown.[4]
The brigDuke was driven ashore at Dalkey on 14 August 1829, when on passage from Whitehaven to Dublin. With his crew of 3 coastguard and 9 fishermen, Lt. William Hutchinson set out through the breaking surf, and rescued five men, three women, and three children from the vessel, moments before it broke up completely. The Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck awarded Lt. Hutchinson with the RNIPLS Gold Medal.[5][6]
The storm of 8 and 9 February 1861 was disastrous for shipping around the British Isles. Over 250 vessels are recorded as lost over two days on the List of shipwrecks in February 1861. The brigNeptune was wrecked at Kingstown, with the loss of six of her seven crew. The schoonerIndustry was also wrecked, with the loss of four of her five crew. No fewer than six medals for gallantry were awarded for the attempted rescues of these crew, but not without cost. Capt. J. McNeill Boyd, RN, of HMS Ajax, was posthumously awarded the RNLI Silver Medal, after he and his crew of five men, J. Curry, A. Forsyth, J. Johnson, T. Murphy and J. Russell, were washed from the pier and drowned.[6][7][8]
1862 Lifeboat House
In early 1862, the Ballast Corporation made a request to the RNLI to take over the management of their three remaining lifeboat stations, Howth, Poolbeg and Kingstown Lifeboat Station, which was agreed. The Ballast Corporation agreed to contribute £50 of the annual cost of the station.[9]
A new fully equipped 30-foot Self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails, named Princess Royal, was provided to Kingstown, arriving on station in March 1862. A new carriage for transportation was also provided, and a new boathouse was constructed of granite. Doors were built at both ends, so the lifeboat could be launched directly into the harbour, or relocated using the carriage.[1][9]
Second Coxswain Thomas White died of injuries sustained, when the lifeboat capsized on 30 September 1876, having just rescued the crew of the brigLeonie. All 19 occupants were thrown into the sea, and three of the crew of the Leonie also drowned. Crewman Bernard Mundone died the following year.[10]
It was decided in 1890, that a second lifeboat be placed at Kingstown. The No.2 station commenced when the 42-foot Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat Civil Service No.7 (ON 289) was placed on service. On a night exercise on 23 December 1892, the lifeboat was washed onto the rocks, and crewman Patrick Hammond lost his life.[1][10]
Kingstown Lifeboat Disaster
The Kingstown Lifeboat Disaster is well documented, and the few lines here cannot begin to represent the story of that day. In the storm of 24 December 1895, the Russian barquePalme, on passage from Liverpool to South America, was seeking shelter in Dublin Bay. With her anchor dragging, and in danger of being driven ashore, the Kingstown No.2 lifeboat Civil Service No.7 (ON 289) was launched, with a full compliment of 12 crew, plus Coxswain, Second Coxswain and Bowman.[10]
In full public view, when just 600 yards (550 m) from the Palme, a huge wave capsized the lifeboat. It didn't self-right, maybe due to damage to the air-boxes. All 15 lifeboat men were lost. Efforts to launch the Palme's ship's boat, to rescue the rescuers, failed, when it was smashed by the waves.[2]
Kingstown No.2 Lifeboat memorial
The Kingstown No. 1 Lifeboat Hannah Pickard (ON 308) was also launched, with nine lifeboat men, and six men from HMS Melampus. It too was capsized, although this time, the No.1 lifeboat self-righted, and all the crew managed to regain the boat. Sighting the upturned No.2 lifeboat, they continued to search for survivors for 45 minutes, until oars were lost in the terrible conditions, and the No. 1 lifeboat was driven ashore at Blackrock. Further attempts to reach the vessel, by the Poolbeg lifeboat Aaron Stark Symes (ON 292), and two tug boats, also failed, and the Palme, for now, was left to her fate.[2]
The following day, the steamshipTearaght managed to reach the vessel, and the Master, his wife and child, 17 crew, and the ship's cat, were saved. Capt. Thomas McCombie of the Tearaght was awarded the RNLI Gold Medal. A fund for the families of the lifeboat men lost was set up, with £2200 coming from the Institution. £300 was given to the families by the Russian Government. The No.2 lifeboat was beyond repair, and the station was closed for the next three years. A granite memorial sitting by the current lifeboat station records the names of those men lost.[6][10]
1900 onwards
A new lifeboat house and slipway, costing £2,350, was constructed in 1901 for the new No.2 Lifeboat, which was another lifeboat funded by the Civil Service, and named Dunleary (Civil Service No.7) (ON 409). The No. 2 station would become the primary station in 1911, when the No.1 lifeboat Hannah Pickard (ON 308) was withdrawn from service, and the No.1 station closed. In 1917, the lifeboat house and slipway were modified, at a cost of £1,550, in preparation for the arrival of the first motor-powered lifeboat to be placed at Kingstown. In 1919, a 45-foot Watson-class lifeboat, costing £6,074, with a 60 bhp Tylor D1 6-cylinder petrol-engine, was placed at Kingstown, again taking the name Dunleary (Civil Service No.7) (ON 658).[1][10]
In 1920, the town of Kingstown would revert to its original name, this time taking the Irish form Dún Laoghaire rather than the anglicised "Dunleary". It is not known whether the name of the lifeboat station was changed at the same time, but from this point, it shall be known as Dún Laoghaire Lifeboat Station.[4]
Acting Second Coxswain W. Kelly was accorded "The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum" in 1947, when, in temporary command of the Dún Laoghaire lifeboat Dunleary II (ON 814), 45 lives were saved from the M.V. Bolivar. The vessel had been wrecked on the Kish Bank, 7.5 miles (12.1 km) from Kingstown, and had broken in two. The owners awarded 100 guineas to the Dún Laoghaire Lifeboat Station.[10][11]
Dunleary II was launched in 1956 to the aid of the harbour launch, which had capsized, but to no avail. The three people aboard the launch drowned, one being Capt. R. S. Kearon, Honorary Secretary of Dún Laoghaire lifeboat station.[10]
1862 Lifeboat House
The last medal for gallantry awarded at Dún Laoghaire, was made to Coxswain/Mechanic Eric Offer, when he was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal for the rescue of two men, after their dinghy capsized at the coal harbour on 15 June 1969. He would also share the Maud Smith Award, for the bravest act of life-saving in 1969, with Coxswain William Sheader of Scarborough.[6][10]
A D-class (EA16) Inshore lifeboat (D-317) was also placed on service at Dún Laoghaire in 1986. The former No.1 lifeboat house, built in 1862 and located next to the East Pier, was subsequently re-commissioned, and is now the Inshore lifeboat house.[1][12]
2025 will mark the 30th anniversary of the arrival of the Trent-class lifeboat 14-05 Anna Livia (On 1200), which arrived at Dún Laoghaire on 29 June 1995. The lifeboat was funded by gifts and legacies, and from the Dublin Bay Lifeboat Fund.[1][10]
Station honours
The following are awards made at Kingstown / Dún Laoghaire.[6][10]
_(7).jpg)
