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Lough Swilly Lifeboat Station

Lough Swilly Lifeboat Station

Lough Swilly is the only lifeboat station in Ireland to operate two lifeboats – one inshore lifeboat and one all-weather Tyne class lifeboat. Situated on the Inishowen peninsula the lifeboats provide cover for a variety of commercial and leisure marine activities.

This station is classed as a Discover station. ​Our crews from Discover stations are equally welcoming to visitors but many of these stations were built before visitors were considered. These stations normally open their boathouse doors during the summer months. 

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Recent launches from this station

Date Time
11/04/2013 11:22
05/01/2013 12:45
02/12/2012 15:44
29/10/2012 11:59
29/10/2012 11:57
21/10/2012 19:24
07/10/2012 19:30
29/09/2012 02:49
11/09/2012 09:47
06/09/2012 01:45

Latest news from this station

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Station location

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Next event

No events currently available

Forecasts for Lough Swilly Lifeboat Station

  • Saturday
  • Heavy rain
  • Minimum:
    9°C
  • Maximum:
    12°C
  • Sunday
  • (White) Medium-level cloud
  • Minimum:
    9°C
  • Maximum:
    16°C
  • Monday
  • (Black) Low-level cloud
  • Minimum:
    9°C
  • Maximum:
    14°C
  • Tuesday
  • (White) Medium-level cloud
  • Minimum:
    8°C
  • Maximum:
    12°C
  • Wednesday
  • (White) Medium-level cloud
  • Minimum:
    9°C
  • Maximum:
    12°C

This is the tide forecast for Pollan Bay.

Saturday 18/5

Tide chart Tide scale
06:43 1.5m
12:47 2.6m
19:11 1.8m
  • First Light: 04:20
  • Sunrise: 05:10
  • Sunset: 21:40
  • Last Light: 22:31

Sunday 19/5

Tide chart Tide scale
01:07 2.7m
08:06 1.5m
14:03 2.6m
20:42 1.7m
  • First Light: 04:18
  • Sunrise: 05:09
  • Sunset: 21:42
  • Last Light: 22:33

Monday 20/5

Tide chart Tide scale
02:25 2.8m
09:24 1.4m
15:16 2.8m
21:55 1.5m
  • First Light: 04:16
  • Sunrise: 05:07
  • Sunset: 21:44
  • Last Light: 22:35

This is the surf forecast for Pollan Bay.

    Swell Rating Prob Height Period Dir
Sat 18/5 6am 95 6.5ft 6secs 177.56
Noon 95 7.5ft 7secs 175.59
6pm 100 8ft 7secs 177.99
Sun 19/5 6am 100 4ft 7secs 178.3
Noon 100 2.5ft 11secs 94.91
6pm 100 3ft 11secs 93.29
Mon 20/5 6am 100 3ft 11secs 95.92
Noon 100 3ft 11secs 96.65
6pm 80 3ft 14secs 115.2
  • Saturday
  • 00:00
  • 5
  • 06:00
  • 7
  • 12:00
  • 7
  • 18:00
  • 12
  • Sunday
  • 00:00
  • 10
  • 06:00
  • 5
  • 12:00
  • 4
  • 18:00
  • 6
  • Monday
  • 00:00
  • 2
  • 06:00
  • 5
  • 12:00
  • 9
  • 18:00
  • 11
  • Tuesday
  • 00:00
  • 10
  • 06:00
  • 11
  • 12:00
  • 12
  • 18:00
  • 11
  • Wednesday
  • 00:00
  • 5
  • 06:00
  • 6
  • 12:00
  • 10
  • 18:00
  • 12

Station address:

Lough Swilly Lifeboat Station
St Orans Road
Co. Donegal
Republic of Ireland

Station telephone:

074 936 1710

Station opening times:

By appointment only

Accessibility:

Parking, Disabled Parking, Disabled Access

Visitor contact:

John McCarter

Visitor contact telephone:

087 257 2516

Appledore ILB crew members. Left to right, Martin Davis, Gary Stanbury and Andrew HalletSpecific crew member details for this lifeboat station are not available here at the moment.

More than 4,800 lifeboat crew members around the UK and RoI drop everything when their pagers go off, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Only 1 in 10 crew members has a professional maritime occupation. Men and women of all ages and all walks of life crew the RNLI lifeboats around our coasts and waterways.

 

Image of lifeboat
 


Lifeboat name: 
Mariners Friend

Lifeboat class: Tyne

Funded by: H B Allen Charitable Trust

Read more about the Tyne


Image of lifeboat



Lifeboat name:
Minnie and Ernest George Barry

Lifeboat class: B class

Funded by: The legacy of Minnie Barry

Read more about the B class

 

 

1988
Inshore lifeboat station established in March with the placing on service of a D class lifeboat at Lough Swilly.

1993
The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum was accorded to crew members Bernard Devlin and Mark Porter for a service on the night of the 24/25 August 1992, when one of the crew from a missing speedboat was rescued from rocks at the foot of the 35ft cliff at Dunree Head.  Bernard Devlin transferred from a 20ft rigid inflatable shoreboat to the Lough Swilly lifeboat then with a line, entered the water and swam in breaking seas to Dunree Head.  Mark Porter, one of the party searching the shoreline, had descended the cliff in darkness by traversing a sloping area to one side and then crossed a water filled gully to reach the stranded man.  Framed letters of Thanks signed by the Chairman, Michael Vernon, were presented to Mr Frank O'Hagan, skipper of the 20ft rigid inflatable, and to Mr George O'Hagan, Helmsman of the Lough Swilly D class lifeboat for their part in this service.

1995
A new boathouse constructed to house the station Atlantic 75 with tractor and the D class lifeboat, also improved crew facilities and a souvenir sales outlet.

Atlantic 21 lifeboat placed on Temporary Station duty on 25 March and later replaced by an Atlantic 75 lifeboat B-717 which was placed on service on 5 October.

1996
New D class lifeboat D-502 placed on service on 10 June.

2000
All weather lifeboat ON1115 The Good Shepherd was placed on service in 29 September 2000.

2001
Lifeboat ON1111 William Luckin, funded by the bequest of Mrs Rose Luckin, was placed on service on 6 April 2001

2007
The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum accorded to Second Coxswain Mark Barrett for the service on 12 November 2006 when the fishing vessel Mary-Ellen and her crew of six were saved.  This long service in gusting gale force winds and a 10 metre swell saw the lifeboat establish a tow, which parted twice, and tow the fishing vessel to safety at Greencastle.  For his actions in taking over steering the lifeboat from the Second Coxswain during parts of the service, Deputy Second Coxswain George O’Hagan was presented with A Framed letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution Admiral Sir Jock Slater.

The new Atlantic 85 class lifeboat B-819 Minnie & Ernest George Barry was placed on service on Saturday 28 July.   This lifeboat was funded by the generous bequest of Mrs Minnie Barry in memory of her husband Ernest George.  B717 has been withdrawn.

The new Tyne class lifeboat ON1142 Mariners Friend funded by H B Allen charitable trust was placed on service 24 June 2007. Lifeboat ON111 William Luckin has been withdrawn. 

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