STATION HISTORY
1858-1989
By Ciaran Doyle
Crew Member and Author of the History of Wicklow Lifeboat
Station
"From Dauntless To Annie"
Wicklow's First Lifeboat Station was opened in 1857
Wicklow
UDC
Wicklow's First Lifeboat Station(right)
1857
The first lifeboat, "DAUNTLESS", was a 30 foot rowing boat. Wicklow's long tradition of heroism and
rescue at sea had been established well before then. The Institution
awarded a silver medal to Lt. Dubine in 1831 for the rescue of four crew men
of the schooner "JANE", which was wrecked on Wicklow Head. A Mr. Jones
was also, awarded a silver medal in 1839 for the rescue of the crew of the
French Brig. "LE NOUVEAU DESTIN", which came ashore at Six Mile Point,
during a strong north-easterly gale. Mr. Jones dashed repeatedly into the
huge breaking waves and succeeded in rescuing the crew of five.
In 1890 the RNLI's first steam powered lifeboat went into service, and
experiments with petrol engines started in 1904. Ireland's first motor lifeboat
was stationed in Wicklow in 1911. Since then the service has been
continually upgraded, culminating in the self-righting 'Tyne' class lifeboat,
"ANNIE BLAKER", which reached Wicklow in September 1989.
52 PEOPLE RESCUED BY THE LIFEBOAT "ROBERT THEOPHILOUS GARDEN II
8 RESCUED FROM THE "NEW DRAPER"
THE "LYNBURN" RESCUE (SAVED 3)
Ireland's First Motor Lifeboat
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