RNLI CLIFDEN LIFEBOAT LAUNCH
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) have launched their newest lifeboat for Clifden in Connemara, featuring a special commemoration of over 10,000 names!
Who Are the RNLI?
The RNLI was original founded in 1824 by Sir William Hillary as the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Lives & Property from Shipwreck. Thankfully, since that’s quite a mouthful, it was later changed in 1854 to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and the name has stayed the same ever since.
Sir William’s goal was to provide 24/7 search and rescue lifeboat services around Ireland which would be, where possible, run by volunteers and funded by voluntary donations. Which is precisely how the organisation is run today, as a charity made up by over 95% of volunteer staff.
New RNLI Lifeboat
It’s with this mantra that the brand new lifeboat has been funded, built and launched in Clifden. The RNLI ran a special fundraising initiative in 2020 called “Launch A Memory”. It gave people the chance to donate a small amount (anything from €30) and in return they were offered the ability to nominate the name of a loved one to be immortalised in the Lifeboat’s Registration Number.
With over 10,000 names on its hull, the new Shannon-Class lifeboat, named St Christopher launched in May 2022 and has already completed its first recuse mission, escorting a small fishing vessel into Newlyn in Cornwall, while making its journey from its shipbuilding yard in Southampton, to its new home on Ireland’s West Coast.
Seán Kennedy, Director of Boatspares.ie’s official Marketing Agency, SMK Marketing, is one of the 10,000 donators to the “Launch A Memory” campaign and had this to say about the fundraiser:
“My grandfather adored ships. I remember my mother would bring myself and my grandfather in to Dublin City Centre every year to see the Tall Ships docked on the Liffey. After an accident early in his life, Grandad actually built model ships as part of his rehabilitation and recovery, which I’m happy to say we still have in our home. When I heard about this fundraiser I thought it would make for both a great gift for the whole family and a great way to honour Grandad’s memory. He’d be delighted to know a ship with his name on it is saving lives on a daily basis.”