Dun Laoghaire History

1803 The first lifeboat for the area was placed at Sandycove by the Dublin Ballast Board.

1817 A lifeboat was placed at Old Dunleary by the Dublin Ballast Board.

Before the RNLI took over the lifeboat station, many rescues took place off the coast. One Gold (1829) and seven Silver (1844 and 1861) Medals for Gallantry were awarded.

1861 The RNLI took over the lifeboat station.

1868 Silver Medals were awarded to Mr Edmund Gray and to Mr John Freeney for saving five men from the schooner Blue Vein.

1876 Second Coxswain Thomas White died after the lifeboat capsized.

1881  A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain H Williams for a rescue to the wreck of the George H Oulton.

1890 A second lifeboat (No.2) was placed at moorings in the harbour.

1892  Crew Member Patrick Hammond died when the lifeboat was wrecked during a night exercise.

1895 On 24 December, 15 lifeboat crew tragically lost their lives when the No.2 lifeboat capsized on service to the steamship Palme. The No.1 lifeboat also capsized but fortunately all the crew were able to get safely back to shore. A memorial overlooking the harbour to the 15 lifeboatmen can be seen close to the lifeboat moorings.

A Gold Medal was awarded to Thomas McCombie, Captain of the steamship Tearaght, for rescuing 20 crew from the Palme the next day.

1901 A boathouse for the No.2 lifeboat was built.

1911 The first lifeboat station closed.

1919 The station’s first motor lifeboat arrived at the station.

1930 A Centenary Vellum was awarded to the station.

1947 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Acting Second Coxswain W Kelly for saving 45 people from the Bolivar.

1956 Honorary Secretary Captain R S Kearon, who was also the Harbour Master, drowned when the harbour launch capsized.

1963 The lifeboat was placed on moorings close to the Mail Boat Pier.

1969 A Bronze Medal and the Maud Smith Award were awarded to Coxswain/Mechanic Eric Offer for rescuing two men from their capsized dinghies.

1975 A 150th Anniversary Vellum was presented to the station.

1980  A special Vellum certificate was awarded to Honorary Medical Adviser Dr Niall L Webb for assisting an injured man.

1986 An inshore lifeboat station was established with a D class lifeboat.

1990 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Mr Eamon O’Leary when he rescued five men and a young boy from a capsized dinghy.

1995 The Trent class lifeboat Anna Livia arrived at the station in June. She was funded from the Dublin Bay Lifeboat Fund and other gifts and legacies.

2001 The present D class lifeboat Tony Heard was placed on service. She was funded by a legacy from Tony Heard.

2007 The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum was accorded to both Coxswain Kenneth Robinson and Crew Member Wayne Farrell for saving a woman's life on 21 September 2006.

Station honours

At Dun Laoghaire lifeboat station the following awards have been made:

Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 4

Bronze Medal 1

Silver Medal 10

Gold Medal 2