Fethard's station history

The Rec P B Weldon asked for a lifeboat at Fethard, but the funds did not at that time allow the RNIPLS to allocate one.

It was decided to form a station at Fethard.  In 1886 Duncannon was closed and Fethard opened to guard Bannow Bay.

Lifeboat house built at a cost of £603.

On 10 July the Committee of Management decided to close Fethard when a motor lifeboat was placed at Dunmore East.

The Helen Blake lifeboat, ON546 was totally wrecked on the South Keeragh Island whilst proceeding to the schooner Mexico of Christiania on 20 February 1914, nine of her crew of 14 were lost.  They were Coxswain Christopher Bird, Bowman Thomas Hendrick, crew members Michael Hendrick, James Morrissey, Patrick Roche, Patrick Cullen, William Bird, William Banville and Patrick Stafford.  The Committee of Management voted £50 for immediate necessities and a further £2,000 towards local funds.  The King of Norway conferred Silver Medals on the five surviving members of the Fethard crew, Commander Thomas Holmes, Chief Inspector of Lifeboats, Coxswain Power of Dunmore East, Coxswain Wickham of Wexford, and James Wickham and William Duggan of the Wexford lifeboat.  The Norwegian Minister forwarded £805 collected in Christiania for dependants.  The King and Queen of Norway and the Norwegian Parliament also contributed.  Fund amounted to £9,000.

The station was closed after the disaster.

At a meeting of the Executive Committee held on 28 June it was resolved to re-establish a lifeboat station at Fethard.

A D class lifeboat placed on service on 10 July.

New D class lifeboat D-528 was placed on service on 10 February.

Temporary accommodation completed in January.

A new station IB1 D class lifeboat D-683 Tradewinds was placed on service on 28 November 2007.  This lifeboat was generously funded by Mrs Brid Mulhern. Lifeboat D-504 Spirit of the RPC has been withdrawn.