Clogherhead's station history

Silver Medal awarded to Mr Thomas Lamb Wood, Chief Officer of coastguard for the rescue of one of the crew of a fishing boat on 25 March 1826.  Two unsuccessful attempts were made to launch the coastguard boat, and being the only man amongst his crew that could swim, Mr Woods then stripped, swam off from the shore with a rope tied round his waist and was able to rescue one man.  This medal was stolen and replaced in 1840.

Silver Medal and £2 awarded to Mr R K Thompson, Chief Officer of coastguard, for the rescue of two of the crew of the sloop Isabella of Liverpool, which was wrecked at Clogherhead whilst bound for Dundalk on 25/26 December 1936.  Some local fishermen brought a boat from the harbour, a mile and a half away, using a cart.  Manned by Mr Thomson, three coastguard-men, and five fishermen, went off through heavy surf and despite intense frost reach the wreck at 3am where three men had been in the rigging since 8pm.  One man had died from cold and fatigue.

Gold Medal awarded to Mr R K Thompson, Chief Officer of coastguard, for the rescue of the crew of four of the schooner Minerva, which was wrecked near Drogheda, while bound for Bangor to Dunalk on 31 March 1839.  The crew had been in the rigging for 12 hours when seen at 3pm when Mr Thompson ordered his boat and a shore boat to be made ready, and set off in mutual support through the heavy sea and brought the exhausted crew to shore.

Silver Medal awarded to A Barnard, Chief Officer of coastguard, for rescuing the eight crew of the Brig Fidelity of Dublin, which was dashed to pieces on the rocks near Clogherhead on 26 October 1852.

Silver Second-Service Clasp awarded to A Barnard, Chief Officer of coastguard, for rescuing in two trips the five crew of the schooner William Pitt, which was wrecked near Clogherhead, in an east south easterly gale on 11 November 1852.

Capt James Kelly, Gerald Hughes, James Crosby and James Murphy of the vessel Pride of Erin were killed when the boat they were using to attempt to rescue the crew of the Mary Stoddart which had been wrecked in a heavy gale in Dundalk Bay.  The RNLI made a donation to the fund for widows and orphans.

RNLI agreed to set up a lifeboat station. A corrugated galvanised iron house erected on a concrete foundation with a short slipway.  Sound signals supplied.  Horse launching pole supplied.

A new 35ft SR lifeboat Charles Whitton (ON428), built at a cost of £582, was placed on service.

Lifeboat wrecked on rocks whilst on exercise, fortunately without loss of life.

On coming ashore after exercise on 11 August, the District Inspector, Mr H W Pullan, was taken ill and died without regaining consciousness.

A new 35ft SR lifeboat John Dunn (ON638), built at a cost of £1327, was placed on service.

A new motorised SR lifeboat Mary Ann Blunt (ON748), built at a cost of £3,791, was placed on service.

A Liverpool class lifeboat Thomas Corbett (ON862), previously on service at Hoylake and Ramsey, was placed on service

Station temporarily closed 23 May.  Station re-opened 9 September.

An Oakley class lifeboat The Royal Thames (ON978), previously on service at Caister, Runswick and Pwllheli, was placed on service.

A new boathouse was completed in February to accommodate the station’s new Mersey class lifeboat.  The old boathouse and tractor house was demolished after it was considered insufficient in size for the new boat and tractor, coupled inline.  The new boathouse has main doors either end to allow the lifeboat to be driven through, and also provides storage room, souvenir sales outlet, crew facilities, drying area and workshop/storage area.

The new Mersey class lifeboat Doris Bleasdale (ON1190) was placed on station 3 March 1993. This lifeboat was funded by the bequest of Miss Doris Bleasdale. Lifeboat The Royal Thames (ON978) has been withdrawn.

Centenary Vellum awarded.

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum was accorded to Coxswain Noel Sharkey for rescuing three people from the fishing vessel March Sod which was aground on rocks near Port Oriel on the night of 28 November 2000.  Vellum Service Certificates were also accorded to Deputy Second Coxswain/Mechanic Padraig Rath, Second Coxswain Barry Faulkner, Second Mechanic Sean Reilly and crew members Gerald Sharkey, Ronan Faulkner, Lisa Levins and James Byrne.