Rosslare Harbour History
1838 The first station to cover the area was established and the lifeboat operated from Rosslare Point at the south side of the entrance to Wexford Harbour.
1851 Early records are incomplete but the station lapsed some time after 1851.
1858 The station was re-established and was known as Rosslare Fort.
1859 Following the wreck of the American emigrant ship Pomona, with the loss of 386 people, a second larger lifeboat was stationed afloat in November of that year. This station was known as Wexford.
1866 Both stations became known as Wexford with one afloat lifeboat (No.1) and one shore-based lifeboat (No.2).
1896 The RNLI established Rosslare Harbour station.
1897 Wexford No. 2 closed.
Over a period of 80 years, from 1825, two Gold Medals and 19 Silver Medals were awarded for gallantry for saving lives off the coast.
1914 Rosslare Harbour, Fethard, Kilmore Quay and Dunmore East lifeboats were launched to the schooner Mexico that had gone ashore on South Keeragh Island. The Fethard lifeboat capsized and nine of her crew of 14 tragically drowned. Four Silver Medals were awarded to the crew of the Rosslare lifeboat after they rescued 10 men from the schooner.
1921 Rosslare Harbour station closed following the placing of a motor lifeboat with a permanent crew at Wexford (Rosslare Point).
1925 Wexford No.1 station closed.
1927 Rosslare Harbour station re-opened and its first motor lifeboat was kept moored to the west of the pier.
The RNLI installed its first wireless receiving and transmitting set in the lifeboat K.E.C.F.
1929 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain James Wickham and the Bronze Medal to Honorary Secretary WJB Moncas for rescuing five people from the schooner Mountblairy.
1938 A Centenary Vellum was awarded to the station.
1955 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Richard Walsh and Bronze Medals to Second Coxswain William Duggan and Motor Mechanic Richard Hickey and Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to the other four crew members when the tanker World Concord broke in half in hurricane force winds on 27 November 1954. Thirty five men were rescued by St Davids lifeboat from the aft portion of the vessel that had drifted towards the Welsh coast. Rosslare Harbour lifeboat rescued the remaining seven men from the fore part that had drifted towards the Irish Coast.
1979 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Second Coxswain Richard Seamus McCormack for rescuing two crew from the sinking fishing boat Notre Damedu Sacre Coeur on 7 December 1978.
1996 Due to extensive port developments, a new afloat berth and boarding gangway were provided for the Arun class lifeboat between the East and West Piers.
2000 A Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to Michael Sinnott, for rescuing a man who had fallen between a 140-tonne trawler and the quay on 2 June.
2004 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain Brendon Pitt for saving the fishing vessel Alf and her crew of five on 5 November 2003.
The new Severn class lifeboat, ON-1276 Donald & Barbara Broadhead was placed on service on 9 July.
A new protective berth was completed in September.
2007 A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman was awarded to Coxswain Brendan Pitt for his part in a joint service with Kilmore Quay lifeboat.
Station honours
At Rosslare Harbour lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Framed Letter of Thanks 2
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 5
Bronze Medal 4
Silver Medal 25
Gold Medal 2
