Kilmore Quay History
1847 An RNLI lifeboat station was established and the lifeboat was kept in a Coast Guard boathouse.
1852 The lifeboat was taken to Wexford for repairs. After this there is no record of any services by this boat and the lifeboat station closed sometime after the late 1850s.
1856 A Silver Medal was awarded to Dennis Donovan, Chief Boatman of Coastguard Station for rescuing the five crew of the wrecked brigantine Isabella.
1856 Silver Medals were awarded to Henry Smyth, John Ahern, Donald Gray, Daniel Regan, William Cox, and Dennis Donovan of the Kilmore Coastguard Station, for rescuing the six crew of the brigantine Exile.
1884 The lifeboat station re-opened and a lifeboat was sent to Kilmore in March. A boathouse was built for the 34ft 10-oared self-righting boat John Robert.
1947 A Centenary Vellum was awarded to the station.
1958 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Mark Bates for the rescue of ten crew from the trawler Augusta Maurice. Coxswain Bates received a gift from the James Michael Bower Endowment Fund for this rescue.
1977 The Oakley class lifeboat Lady Murphy launched to a report of red flares off Bannon Bay on 24 December. After a fruitless search the lifeboat turned for home in worsening conditions. A very high breaking sea capsized the lifeboat and the acting coxswain was washed over board. After a search he was picked up. Continuing her journey home the lifeboat capsized again. Only three crew remained on board; when she righted, all except one man were brought back on board. Crew Member Finton Sinnott lost his life.
A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Thomas Walsh and a Bronze Medal to Acting Motor Mechanic John Devereux for their courage and determination during this service. Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to the seven other crew members. Crew Member Finton Sinnott was awarded a posthumous Vellum.
1992 A new boathouse was completed for the station's new Mersey class lifeboat. This was built on the site of the old boathouse, and from the first boathouse. The new boathouse, as well as housing the lifeboat and tractor, includes a workshop, crew room, drying cupboard, toilet and shower facilities and a souvenir sales outlet.
1997 An anniversary Vellum was awarded to the station to commemorate 150 years as a station.
2000 A Framed Letter of Thanks was presented to Coxswain John Devereux for towing the disabled historic tug Golden Cross 15 miles to safety. The tow took six hours and the average speed was two and a half knots.
2003 The Trustee Committee made a decision to allocate the Tyne class lifeboat The Famous Grouse to Kilmore Quay.
2004 The new station Tyne class lifeboat was placed on service on 7 April.
A new berth was completed in September.
2007 Coxswain Eugene Kehoe was presented with a Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman for a joint service with Rosslare Harbour lifeboat on 26 March 2006. The two lifeboats got the disabled tanker Breaksea got under tow and prevented her from going ashore near Tusker Rock in very rough seas and force 8 winds.
Station honours
At Kilmore Quay lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Framed Letter of Thanks 2
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 8
Bronze Medal 1
Silver Medal 9
