The station was established in 1879 following requests from the local inhabitants. The cost was defrayed by Mr R G Butcher, of Dublin, in memory of his father and brother. Mr Butcher had the words The Admiral Butcher Life-boat placed on the outside of the boathouse, either on wood or stone, and an inscription on a memorial marble slab inside the house. The following is a copy of the inscription: -
The Admiral Butcher life-boat was placed here, on the coast of his native country, by Richard George Butcher, Surgeon, in affectionate remembrance of his father, Admiral Samuel Butcher and his brother, Samuel Butcher, S.T.P., sometime Regius Professor of Divinity in Trinity College, Dublin, and Lord Bishop of Meath.
'Jehovah make the storm calm, so that the waves thereof are still.' (Ps. CVII 29).
'And Jesus arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.' (St Mark IV 39).
1850
Silver Medal awarded to John Town, Chief Boatman, Castle Gregory coastguard station who, with other men, waded into the surf to save 10 out of 12 crew of the Neapolitan brig Enrichetta, wrecked at Kilshannig, Co Kerry on 19 November 1849.
1892
The Committee decided that the station be known as Fenit in future.
1920
Bronze Medal awarded to John F O'Mahony (age 12) for bravely attempting to save his bathing companion at Lighthouse Point, Fenit on 12 June 1920. He was also given two War Savings Certificates.
1930
Bronze Medals to John Nolan, John Cahill and Joseph Cahill, fishermen of Tralee, for saving in a small boat, in conditions rising at times to a whole west south-westerly gale the crew of three of the s.s Co-operator of Tralee 7 November 1930.
1933
Silver watches were presented to coxswain Thomas Crowley and mechanic John Doyle for an arduous 17½ hour service seeking the s.s Heilo of Oslo which in fact reached Dingle Bay safely on 2 January.
1969
Station closed.
1993
At a Committee of Management meeting held on 24 November 1993 it was resolved that an all-weather lifeboat station be re-established at Fenit for 12 month’s evaluation.
1994
The Arun class lifeboat 1081 Ralph and Bonella Farrant was placed on service on 19 August.
1996
Framed Letters of Appreciation signed by the Chairman of the Institution awarded to Deputy Launching Authority Gerard O’Donnell, Assistant Mechanic Niall Hickey and Deputy Second Coxswain John Moriarty in recognition of their prompt actions when in the early hours of the morning on 21 August they launched the boarding boat to rescue a young man who had fallen from a viaduct. The man was located approximately 300 metres off-shore fully clothed and unconscious. He was quickly hauled onto the boat and resuscitated, but on reaching the pier steps his pulse ceased. He was successfully revived and taken to hospital where he fully recovered.
1999
A new Trent class lifeboat, ON1239 Robert Hywell Jones Williams, was placed on service on 28 February. This lifeboat was funded from the generous bequest of Robert Hywel Jones Williams. Relief lifeboat ON1159, Arun class, withdrawn.
D class ILB placed on station on 22 June for evaluation trials.
2001
D class lifeboat D561 placed on service.
On 28 November 2001 the Committee of Management voted the award of a Vellum to Fenit to commemorate the completion of 100 years as a lifeboat station in 2002.
2010
The new station IB1 D class lifeboat D726 Bradley and Sonya was placed on service on 13 January. D561 has been withdrawn. This lifeboat was funded by Bangor Lifeboat Crew in memory of their colleagues.