Official opening of Enniskillen RNLI’s new station delayed as crew have call out

Just as crew and invited guests were beginning to gather for the event, the volunteers’ pagers sounded at 1.05pm. Belfast Coastguard requested the launch of the lifeboat to go to the aid of two people on a 23ft cruiser which had broken down and was drifting towards rocks north of Castle Archdale. A jet ski with one onboard which was in the area at the time went to the aid of the boat’s crew but in rendering assistance had got tangled in the lines of the cruiser.

The John and Jean Lewis helmed by Wayne Robinson and with crew members Stephen Ingram, Alan Shaw and Andrew Wilson onboard, launched immediately and made its way to the scene. Weather conditions at the time were blowing a strong westerly force 6-7 breeze and the crew encountered waves up to 10ft on route through the Broad Lough.

Arriving on scene, the crew observed that all were safe and well. The boat’s crew had been travelling to Enniskillen from Kesh when they encountered mechanical difficulties. The jet skier had managed to untangle the jet ski from the cruiser and was holding the boat head to wind out of danger of the rocks.

A lifeboat crew member went onboard the cruiser to assess the situation and a decision was made to establish a towline and bring the cruiser to the nearest safe port at Muckross jetty while the jet skier providing assistance continued on their way.

Arriving back to loud applause, the lifeboat crew were greeted by all assembled and the naming ceremony and service of dedication got underway.

The honour of officially opening the lifeboat station went to Johnny Weir, nephew of Ann Johnston. Mrs Johnston, the daughter of the late Alfred Russell Wallace Weir from Bangor in county Down, along with her late husband John made a generous contribution towards the cost of the new building in memory of her father.

The privilege of naming the lifeboat meanwhile, went to Sam McCreery, President of Enniskillen RNLI.

During today’s naming ceremony, Mr Weir unveiled a plaque to officially open the lifeboat station before Monsignor Peter O’Reilly and The Very Revd. Kenneth Hall, led the blessing and dedication of the new building.

After been housed in temporary accommodation for 21 years, volunteers at Enniskillen RNLI were handed the keys to their new station on the Killadeas Road at Gublusk last November. The build which took little over a year to complete was carried out by the Omagh based company, Woodvale Construction.

The modern purpose-built lifeboat station is located close to the lough to allow for an efficient launch of the inshore lifeboat. The station also houses the associated launching tractor and equipment, full crew changing facilities, a workshop, office and training room. The building is designed with a heating system which allows the heat to be drawn from the ground and produced inside keeping the temperature at an ambient 16 degree Celsius. The excess is used to heat the water for showering, washing up and cleaning the vessels. The building is also fitted with solar panels on the roof to generate electricity.

The station’s inshore lifeboat which has been on service on Lower Lough Erne since 2018, was funded by a legacy from the late John and Jean Lewis from Birmingham in England.

John Arthur Lewis (1922 – 2013) was a major influence in both model yacht and full-size sailing yacht design with a career spanning 81 years. His interest in model boats began as a boy in Bournville when he used to race model sailing yachts with great success and later began to design and build his own. Success in the model design world eventually drew the attention of the ocean racing fraternity and several full-scale designs were produced. He went on to publish two books of designs.

John’s lifelong interest in sailing was shared by his devoted wife Jean. It was therefore very much their joint decision that the RNLI receive a legacy to finance a lifeboat. While the extended family were unable to attend today’s ceremony, they are delighted that this wish has come to fruition in the purchase and active service of a lifeboat on Lough Erne.

Despite being on service for the last four and a half years where the John and Jean Lewis has launched 97 times and brought 205 people to safety, the naming ceremony was held off to today, to coincide with the completion and official opening of the new station.

It was Sam McCreery, President of Enniskillen RNLI, who had the honour on behalf of the Lewis family to hand the lifeboat into the care of the RNLI. Trustee Paddy McLaughlin accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the charity and then handed her into the care of the station where it was accepted by Anna Classon, RNLI Head of Region.

During her address, Mrs Classon said: ‘I am so delighted and proud to be here with you all today and, as head of the Ireland region, am honoured to be part of this lovely ceremony for Enniskillen lifeboat station and all our volunteers here, but also for our wider RNLI family, volunteers and donors who are with us in person and spirit.’

Monsignor Peter O’Reilly and The Very Revd. Kenneth Hall led the congregation in a service of dedication before Mr McCreery officially named the lifeboat, John and Jean Lewis.

A crowd of well-wishers watched as the lifeboat was officially named with a bottle of champagne poured over the side by Helm Paul Keown before it launched once again into Lough Erne at the end of the ceremony for a exercise demonstration.

Speaking following the event, Gary Jones, Enniskillen RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: ‘It has been a special day and I am delighted for the whole volunteer team that we have now officially opened this wonderful station, home to our equally wonderful lifeboat. The new station is a testament of the RNLI’s commitment and dedication to the community here locally and a credit to our crew’s efforts in continuing to bring people to safety on Lower Lough Erne.

‘We are now well settled in our new station but can still be overwhelmed with the structure and facilities we now have when we come together for call outs and training, it really has made such a difference. We would like to thank everyone who has helped us to get to this stage, including the Weir family from Bangor in County Down and the Lewis family from Birmingham.’

In 2001, Lough Erne became home to the RNLI’s inland lifeboat station. However, due to the overall size and complexity of the lough and its high leisure usage, the decision was taken by the RNLI in 2002 to base a second lifeboat on the upper lough at Carrybridge that would work in conjunction with the original lifeboat station on the lower lough at Killadeas. Today, Lough Erne is home to two separate lifeboat stations, Enniskillen and Carrybridge RNLI.

The Atlantic 85 class lifeboat was introduced into the RNLI fleet in 2005. The lifeboat is 8.4m in length and weighs 1.8 tonnes. Improvements on its predecessor include a faster top speed of 35 knots, radar, provision for a fourth crew member and more space for survivors.

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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.

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