The lifeboat station at Buncrana was first established as an Inshore lifeboat station in 1988 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). In 2000, the station was also assigned an All-weather lifeboat.[1]
The station currently operates a Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat, 13-08 Derek Bullivant (ON 1315), on station since 2015, and a B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat, Minnie and Ernest George Barry (B-819), on station since 2007.[2]
History
In the early 1980s, a campaign was started to get a lifeboat stationed on Lough Swilly. Previously there had been two lifeboat stations on Inishmore, at Culdaff (closed 1913), and Greencastle (closed 1928), but now the nearest lifeboat stations were at Arranmore to the west, and Portrush to the east, separated by a gap of approximately 75 nautical miles (139km).[3]
One of the people instrumental in the campaign was Irish musician, songwriter and record producer Phil Coulter, who had lost both a sister and brother in separate incidents on the lough, the latter, Brian, drowning in a windsurfing accident in 1984. Coulter would later write and record the "RNLI anthem" Home from the Sea. At a ceremony on 24 July 1988, in front of a crowd of over 1000 people, a new D-class (EA16) Inshore lifeboat D-356 was formally handed over to the care of the new Lough Swilly Lifeboat Station. The station was the 26th RNLI station in Ireland, the first to be opened in County Donegal for 96 years, with a large part of the cost coming from a concert by Mr Coulter in aid of the appeal.[4][5]
On the night of 24 August 1992, a man reported missing from a speedboat was rescued from the rocks at the foot of the cliffs at Dunree Head. One of the lifeboat crew swam to the shore with a line, while the other descended the 35-foot cliffs and crossed a water-filled gully to reach the man. Both were accorded "The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum".[6]
In 1995, work began to construct a new boathouse, capable of housing not only the D-class lifeboat, but also a B-class (Atlantic 21) and Talus MB-764 County launch tractor, which had been assigned to the station. The Atlantic 21 'Foresters (B-531), from the relief fleet, was initially placed on station on 25 March 1995, followed by the permanent station lifeboat Daisy Aitken (B-717), a new updated larger B-class (Atlantic 75), on 5 October 1995.[1][7]
Lough Swilly lifeboat station would receive another class of lifeboat in 2000, when the station received an All-weather lifeboat. The relief Tyne-class lifeboat 47-012 Good Shepherd (ON 1115) was initially placed on service on 29 September 2000, followed by the permanent Tyne-class lifeboat 47-009 William Luckin (ON 1111), which had previously served at the flank station of Arranmore since 1986. The All-weather lifeboat is kept at Buncrana Pier. For the next 5 years, Lough Swilly would be one of just a handful of stations operating 3 classes of lifeboat, the D-class (D-502) finally being withdrawn in 2005.[1][8]
Lough Swilly Tyne-class lifeboat 47-009 William Luckin (ON 1111)
At midnight on 12 November 2006, the Lough Swilly lifeboat William Luckin was launched to the aid of the fishing vessel Mary Ellen, in difficulties off Dunaff Head. In winds gusting up to gale force 8, and 10 metres (33ft) seas, the lifeboat arrived on scene at 01:20. A line to the vessel was established after 4 attempts, and considering the conditions, it was opted to tow the vessel to Greencastle. The line parted twice during the journey, and the Portrush lifeboat 17-23 Kate Hannan was also called to stand by. It would be 10:30 before the three boats arrived at Greencastle. Coxswain Mark Barnett was accorded "The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum".[9]
A new B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat was placed at Lough Swilly in 2007, funded by the bequest of Mrs Minnie Barry in memory of her late husband, and duly named Minnie & Ernest George Barry (B-819).[1][10]
In 2015, the fifth Tyne-class lifeboat to be stationed at Lough Swilly, 47-013 Robert and Violet (ON 1116), was retired to the relief fleet. In its place, the station would received a new €2.4 million Shannon-class lifeboat, the first to be placed at a station in Ireland. Funded primarily by the legacy of Mr Derek Bullivant, an aluminium recycling entrepreneur of Bewdley, Worcestershire, and from Mrs. Valerie Walker from Portsmouth, at a ceremony on 25 June 2016, the lifeboat was named 13-08 Derek Bullivant (ON 1315).[11]
Station honours
The following are awards made at Lough Swilly.[1][12]
The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
Bernard Devlin, crew member – 1993
Mark Porter, crew member – 1993
Mark Barnett, Second Coxswain – 2007
A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
Mr Frank O'Hagan, skipper of a 20-foot RIB – 1993
George O'Hagan, Helm – 1993
George O'Hagan, Deputy Second Coxswain – 2007
Vellum Service Certificate
Gregory McDaid, crew member – 2007
Alan O'Hagan, crew member – 2007
Stephen McGavigan, crew member – 2007
Dan Gallanagh, crew member – 2007
National Marine Gallantry and Meritorious Service Award
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Royal National Lifeboat Institution 