The crews from the Aran Islands, Clifden and Galway lifeboat stations joined over two hundred other lifeboat stations to mark ‘One Moment One Crew’ at 18:24 on Thursday 1 August.
Throughout this bicentenary year, the RNLI and volunteers throughout Ireland and the UK have been running events and activities to remember the charity’s important history and celebrate the modern lifesaving service it is today, while also hoping to inspire generations of future lifesavers and supporters.
As the RNLI was founded in 1824, the date and time 1 August 2024 (1.8.24) at 18:24 was chosen as a time for crews to gather at their lifeboat stations and celebrate the 200 year anniversary as part of ‘One Moment One Crew’.
Rob King, Area Operations Manager for the RNLI in the West, who is based in Clifden said, “This year the RNLI is celebrating 200 years of lifesaving at sea. It’s a story that began with an appeal asking for help to protect lifeboat volunteers, as they protected people from drowning.”
“It was a radical concept at the time – the idea that like-minded people would unite in their determination to save lives at sea by sending support to people they would never meet.”
“But it worked. The RNLI’s story is one of courage, but thanks to all the supporters, it’s also a story of kindness.”
“While innovations and developments in technology over the course of 200 years have changed how our crews save lives, some things have remained the same.”
“The volunteering ethos at the heart of the RNLI is what makes the charity so special along with the incredible support from our local communities and the generous donations of so many which continue to power the RNLI’s lifesaving.”
“Today the RNLI provides a 24 hour search and rescue service around Ireland the UK and up to 100 nautical miles offshore.”
Across Ireland the RNLI operates 46 lifeboat stations with 62 lifeboats, which includes 26 all-weather lifeboats and 36 inshore lifeboats.
In Galway alone in 2023 the lifeboat stations in Galway, Clifden, and the Aran Islands were called out 98 times, coming to the aid of nearly 100 people.
