Valentia Lifeboat Station
Valentia Lifeboat Station & Slipway
Valentia Lifeboat Station is located in Ireland
Valentia Lifeboat Station
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationKnightstown, Valentia Island, County Kerry
CountryIreland
Coordinates51°55′37″N 10°17′18″W / 51.92694°N 10.28833°W / 51.92694; -10.28833
Opened1864
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution

The Valentia Lifeboat Station is located at Knightstown, Valentia Island, County Kerry, Ireland.

The first lifeboat house in the area was constructed in 1864 on the mainland at Reenard Point, facing the island of Valentia. It closed in 1896, and was reopened in 1946.[1]

Between 1939 and 1945, an auxiliary rescue boat had been stationed at Valentia to help aircraft personnel flying in from the Atlantic during Second World War.

A new boathouse was constructed in 1995, and the following year, the station received 17-07John and Margaret Doig (ON 1218), a Severn-class lifeboat, becoming one of the 35 Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) stations around the British Isles to operate the RNLI's largest lifeboat.

In 1985, its personnel participated in the recovery of corpses from Air India Flight 182, the worst aviation disaster in Irish territory.[1] (See Station Honours 1985)

Valentia Lifeboats

All-Weather Lifeboats

ON[lower-alpha 1] Op. No.[lower-alpha 2] Name In service [2] Class Comments
Mary
Crosby Leonard[3]		 1864–1890 32ft Self-Righting (P&S)
174 Crosby Leonard 1890–1896 33ft 7in Self-Righting (P&S) (Station Closed in 1896)
690 C. & S. 1946–1947 45ft Watson-class (Station Reopened 1946)
687 B.A.S.P. 1947–1951 45ft Watson-class
717 A.E.D. 1951–1957 Barnett-class
938 Roland Watts 1957–1983 Barnett-class
1082 52-23 Margaret Frances Love 1983–1996 Arun-class
1218 17-07 John and Margaret Doig 1996– Severn-class
  1. ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ↑ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

Station Honours

The following are awards made to the crew of Valentia Lifeboat Station[4]

William Rowe - 1828
Joseph Ronowden - 1828
William Mark - 1828
Richard Jeffers - 1828
Nicholas Hanning - 1828
Hugh Cooper, Coastguard - 1861
Dermot Walsh, Coxswain - 1970
John Joseph Houlihan, Motor Mechanic - 1963
  • The Maud Smith award for Gallantry 1963
John Joseph Houlihan - 1963
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
P Murphy, Bowman - 1970
J Curtin, crew member - 1970
J Curran, crew members - 1970
N Murphy, crew member - 1970
John Joseph Houlihan, Motor Mechanic - 1983
  • A Framed letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
The Coxswain and Crew - 1985
Seanie Murphy, Coxswain - 1989
Seanie Murphy, Coxswain - 1997

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "History" RNLI. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  2. ↑ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.
  3. ↑ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021 (2021 ed.). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–18.
  4. ↑ "Valentia's Station history". RNLI. Retrieved 10 January 2024.

Bibliography

  • Robinson, Richard. Valentia Lifeboats: A History. History Press Limited, 2011. ISBN 1845887077
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