Aran Islands History

1830 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coastguard Bartholomew Hynes for rescuing five men from the wrecked brigantine Lillies.

1837 A Silver Medal was awarded to Lieut James Robertson RN for rescuing two people from a small Irish hooker.

1847 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coastguard James McKenzie for rescuing one person from the rigging of Sea Horse.

1851 Silver Medals were awarded to Master John Hein and Mate Thomas Larkin from the barque John when they rescued 14 people from the yacht Owen Glendower.

1927 Galway Bay lifeboat station was established by the RNLI and the lifeboat was kept afloat at moorings at Killeary Bay.

1938 Bronze Medals were awarded to Coxswain John Gill, Mechanic Joseph Doyle, Bowman P Flaherty and Crew Members W Gorham, P Gill, J Flaherty and T Flaherty for rescuing 12 men from the trawlers Nogi and Hatano.

1962 Bronze Medals were awarded to Coxswain Coleman Hernon, Assistant Mechanic Bartley Mullen and Crew Members Thomas Joyce and Patrick Quinn for rescuing eight men and a dog from the motor vessel June that ran aground off Mutton Island.

1967 Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to each member of the lifeboat crew, nine in all, for their courage in boarding the lifeboat on 25 October to rescue eight men from the vessel Razani. It took two hours to board the lifeboat and on three occasions the boarding boat was driven back on to the beach by the storm and very rough sea.

1987 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain/Mechanic Bartley Mullin for rescuing 21 crew from the fishing factory ship Cornelis Vrolijk on 9 November 1986.

1990 New crew facilities were provided after a derelict boathouse, next to the present boathouse, was renovated.

Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to Coxswain Padraic Dillane and Crew Members Seamus O’Flaherty and Mairtan Fitzpatrick for rescuing two divers in difficulties off Doolin Point on 14 August 1989. In winds gusting to storm force and very rough seas, Seamus and Mairtin rescued the two divers using the Y boat and transferred them to the lifeboat.

1995 The station name was changed from Galway Bay to Aran Islands lifeboat station on 1 August.

1997 The Severn class lifeboat David Kirkaldy was placed on service in June.

2001 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Second Coxswain Patrick Mullen when the lifeboat launched three times and spent over 30 hours at sea on 3, 4 and 5 October 2000, searching for survivors from a sunken Spanish trawler. The search was made in atrocious gale force winds in an area with dangerous submerged rocks. Mechanic John Mulkerrin received a Framed Letter of Thanks for his part in the three services.

Station honours

At Aran Islands the following awards have been made:

Framed Letter of Thanks 10

Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 5

Bronze Medal 11

Silver Medal 5