# Kilkeel Lifeboat Station

Kilkeel Lifeboat Station sits on the northern side of the harbour at Kilkeel, a town approximately 18 miles (29 km) south-east of Newry, home to the largest fishing fleet in Northern Ireland, located on the south-east coast of County Down, Northern Ireland.
A lifeboat was first stationed at Kilkeel on 10 October 1986 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
The station currently operates the B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat, Frank William Walton (B-812), on station since 2006.

## History

After a summer of extensive training with a 16-foot D-class (Zodiac III) Inshore lifeboat, (D-241), the new RNLI lifeboat station at Kilkeel was declared operational on 10 October 1986, and a D-class (RFD PB16) (D-308) was placed on station. An old boathouse on the southern quay, built for Francis Needham, 3rd Earl of Kilmorey in the 1800s, was put into use as the RNLI boathouse.
Initially operating during the summer months for the holiday season, it quickly became clear that the small D-class wasn't suited to the tasks required, especially being based in the most active fishing harbour in Northern Ireland. At a meeting of the committee of management in June 1990, it was decided to withdraw the D-class, and place a B-class (Atlantic 21) at the station.
Major changes commenced in 1992. Work began on the construction of a new boathouse, on the northern side of the Kilkeel river, to house the much larger Atlantic-class lifeboat. With no slipway possible, a new Schat davit was constructed on the quay in July, used to lower the lifeboat into the water. On 21 September, the Atlantic 21-class (B-533) from the relief fleet was sent to the station for training, and in November, the boathouse with modern crew facilities and a workshop was completed.
A dual ceremony was held on 8 May 1993. First, Cecil Baxter, president of the branch, declared the boathouse officially open. A new B-class (Atlantic 21), one of the last three to be manufactured, had arrived on station, funded by the legacy of Mrs Margaret Campbell Hull. Her nephew Derek Hull then handed the lifeboat to the care of Robert Grimason, Honorary Secretary for Kilkeel lifeboat station, and after a service of dedication, Wendy Austin of BBC Northern Ireland named the lifeboat Valerie Hull (B-593).
In 2006, works costing £212,862 were carried out to the boathouse and the davit, to accommodate a newer larger boat. Kilkeel would receive their new B-class (Atlantic 85) on Tuesday 28 November 2006.
At a ceremony in September 2007, the £130,000 lifeboat was named Frank William Walton (B 812) following the bequest received from the late RNLI Life Governor. Between 1986, when Kilkeel lifeboat station was established, and 2006, the lifeboat had been launched 305 times, and rescued 187 people.

## Station honours

The following are awards made at Kilkeel, Co. Down.
* Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)
       Merwyn Chambers Hanna, president of Kilkeel lifeboat station - 2005NYH

## Kilkeel lifeboats

| Op. No. | Name | In service | Class |
| D-241 | Unnamed | 1986 | D-class (Zodiac III) |
| D-308 | Unnamed | 1986–1992 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| B-533 | Unnamed | 1992–1993 | B-class (Atlantic 21) |
| B-525 | Spix's Macaw | 1993 | B-class (Atlantic 21) |
| B-593 | Valerie Hull | 1993–2006 | B-class (Atlantic 21) |
| B-812 | Frank William Walton | 2006– | B-class (Atlantic 85) |
* ↑ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.