Howth History
1817 The first lifeboat was placed at Howth by the Dublin Ballast Board.
1832 A Silver Medal was awarded to Thomas Jones of the Packet Escape for rescuing four people from the sloop John and William.
1862 The RNLI took over the lifeboat station.
1877 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain John White for the rescue of three men from the barque Eva.
1897 Silver Medals were awarded to Thomas Rickard, George Caulfield, James McLaughlan, C Kelly and Edward Rourke who helped a vessel in distress.
1919 Bronze Medals were awarded to Charles Slater and Patrick Rickard for attempting to save a soldier who had fallen over a cliff.
1949 Crew Member Patrick Rourke died from a heart attack while answering maroons for a service call.
1964 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain Joseph McLoughlin for saving the three crew from the fishing vessel Ros Cairbre.
1967 A D class inshore lifeboat (ILB), funded by the Boy Scouts of Ireland, was placed on service.
1976 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Frank Hendy and the Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum awarded to Mr Tony Brown for saving five crew and the yacht Sula Bassana.
1984 The present boathouse was built.
1995 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain Robert Duffy when the lifeboat made 15 approaches to rescue the six crew from the fishing vessel Vision, aground, holed and taking water on Lambay Island.
1996 On 16 November the fishing vessel Scarlet Buccaneer had gone aground on the East Pier in gale force winds and heavy seas. The lifeboat was unable to rescue the crew due to the conditions and so Second Coxswain/Mechanic George Duffy led a team of lifeboatmen from the inner side of the breakwater in repeated attempts to rescue the four crew. All were recovered but unfortunately one died whilst on route to hospital. Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to George Duffy and Deputy Second Coxswain Ian Sheridan. Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to Crew Members Eamonn Howard, Michael Duffy and Jim Duffy and local resident Pat Kelly. Individual letters were awarded to the other crew involved and to the aircrew of Helicopter Rescue 122.
1998 The new D class lifeboat Marguerite Joan Harris arrived on station in April.
Following a long and arduous tow of the fishing vessel Emer Marie in force 10 winds and heavy seas a collective Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to Coxswain Robert Duffy, Second Coxswain George Duffy, Assistant Mechanic Ian Sheridan, Crew Members Frederick Connolly, Damian Cronin, Eamonn Howard, David Howard and Brian McConkey.
2002 On 11 March the new Trent class lifeboat Roy Barker III was placed on service.
2006 The new D class lifeboat George Godfrey Benbow was placed on service on 7 February.
Station honours
At Howth lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Framed Letter of Thanks 5
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 4
Bronze Medal 4
Silver Medal 7
