Baltimore History

1913 A decision was made to establish a lifeboat station but its operation was delayed by the outbreak of the First World War.

1917 Silver Medals were awarded to Honorary Secretary The Venerable Archdeacon JRH Becher and Lieut AL Sanderson RNR helping to rescue 23 men from the steamship Alondra on 29 December 1916. Seventeen other men died.

 Silver Medals were awarded to John Daly, Tim Daly, Michael Cadogan and Tim Cadogan for rescuing two crew from the steamship Nestorian. The lifesaving apparatus was carried two miles over a mountain to the wreck.

1918 A Silver Medal was awarded to John Hart and Bronze Medals to Timothy Murphy and Jeremiah McCarthy for saving five people from the wrecked fishing boat Thomas Joseph. Six others drowned.

1919 The lifeboat station was established by the RNLI and a boathouse and slipway were built at Bull Point.

1978 The boathouse was altered for the Watson class lifeboat.

1979  A special framed certificate was awarded to the Coxswain and crew for their services to several yachts in difficulties during the Fastnet Race on 14 August.

1988 The boathouse was adapted for the station’s new Tyne class lifeboat that arrived at the station in March.

1989 Improved crew facilities were built on the ground floor of the boathouse.

1992 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain Kieran Cotter and Framed Letters of Thanks to Assistant Mechanic Vincent O’Driscoll and Crew Members Ronald Carthy, Michael O’Regan, Aidan Bushe and Cairán Sweeney for rescuing 15 people from the Spanish fishing vessel Japonica, which had suffered engine failure 20 miles west of the Fastnet Rock in storm force winds on the night of 30–31 October 1991. The vessel was towed with some difficulty to the safety of Bantry Bay. The Maud Smith Award for the bravest act of lifesaving in 1991 was also made to Coxswain Kieran Cotter for this service.

On the return passage the lifeboat took an injured crew member to Castletownbere and to change a blocked fuel filter. They then received a call that the yacht Atlantis Adventure was in difficulties south of the Fastnet Rock.

The lifeboat was at sea for a period of 26 hours for the two services.

Station honours

At Baltimore lifeboat station the following awards have been made:

Framed Letter of Thanks 5

Bronze Medal 3

Silver Medal 7