Courtmacsherry Harbour History

1825 A station was established and manned by Coastguards.

1840 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coastguard Barnabus Quadling for rescuing four crew from the wrecked sloop John and Ellen.

1842 A Gold Medal was awarded to Coastguard Barnabus Quadling for rescuing the 14 crew from the wrecked brigantine Latona.

1867 The RNLI took over the station and a new boathouse was built on the beach headland.

1887 Silver Medals were awarded to Maria and Josephine Horsford and to William Sullivan for rescuing two women and two men from a sailing boat which had capsized in Courtmacsherry Bay.

1901 A new boathouse and slipway were built at Barry’s Point.

1904  On 1 January the lifeboat Kezia Gwilt rescued 11 crew from the barque Faulconnier stranded on the Seven Heads. 

1928 The station temporarily closed due to crew shortages.

1929 The station opened again and the lifeboat was placed on moorings in the river.

1930 A Centenary Vellum was presented to the station.

1952 Coxswain Denis Driscoll retired after serving nearly 24 years on the lifeboat, during which time he helped save 50 lives.

1968 A Frenchman who was rescued by the lifeboat on 1 January 1904 sent a donation to the branch in appreciation of the kindness shown to his daughter when she visited Courtmacsherry in 1968. She was shown the site of the wreck of the Faulconnier and met the only surviving member of the crew who took part in the service.

1975 An anniversary Vellum was presented to the station to celebrate 150 years as a lifeboat station.

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

1981 A Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to Acting Coxswain/Mechanic JB Madden when the lifeboat Helen Wycherley searched for survivors from the capsized fishing boat Blue Whale.

1995 The Waveney class lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced by a Trent class lifeboat.

1998 A new boathouse, providing improved crew facilities, was completed in August.

1999 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Second Coxswain Daniel O'Dwyer and Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to Assistant Mechanic Colin Bateman and Crew Members Michael Cox, Patrick Lawton, Alan Locke, Brian O'Donovan and Michéal O'Donovan for rescuing three people from the yacht Supertaff in storm force 10 south westerly winds on 24 October 1998. 

2003 A Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to Coxswain Dan O’Dwyer for saving an injured yachtsman from the yacht Bowden in Force 11 winds and severe seas on 1 December 2002.

Station honours

At Courtmacsherry Harbour lifeboat station the following awards have been made:

Framed Letter of Thanks 8

Bronze Medal 1

Silver Medal 4

Gold Medal 1