# Balbriggan Lifeboat Station

Balbriggan Lifeboat Station was located latterly under the railway arches on Quay Street, in Balbriggan, a town in Fingal, historically County Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland.
A lifeboat station was first established at Balbriggan in 1875 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
Balbriggan Lifeboat Station was closed in 1898.

## History

Ever since its founding in 1824, the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), later to become the RNLI in 1854, would award medals for deeds of gallantry at sea, even if no lifeboats were involved. When the barque Young England of Glasgow was wrecked on Carabates Rocks near Balbriggan coastguard station, on 14 November 1852, whilst on passage from Singapore to Liverpool, Chief Officer William Barrett, H.M. Coastguard, Balbriggan, along with his son William, and the Rev. Alexander Synge, were instrumental in the rescue of 16 of the 18 crew. All three were awarded the RNIPLS Silver Medal.
On the 27 February 1875, the barque Bell Hill was wrecked at Balbriggan, on passage from Liverpool to Valparaiso. An RNLI lifeboat had been stationed at Skerries since 1854. It is not known if the lifeboat, stationed just 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) away, was ever summoned. 24 of the 25 crew of the Bell Hill were lost.
The wreck of the Bell Hill prompted the placement of a lifeboat at Balbriggan. a 30-foot self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with sails and 6-oars, which was dispatched to Balbriggan in November 1875, arriving on station on 23 December 1875, along with its transporting carriage. A new boathouse was constructed, in the shadow of the Balbriggan Martello tower, complete with slipway. The lifeboat had been provided by the gift of Mrs Langworthy of Manchester, and in accordance with her wishes, was named Maid of Annan.
Two further lifeboats would be sent to Balbriggan. In 1883, a slightly older lifeboat, but 2-foot longer, was placed at the station. The RNLI received a further gift of £1000 from Mrs Langworthy, and the boat, formerly at Rogerstown, was renamed Maid of Annan. The third and final lifeboat to be placed at Balbriggan, arrived on station in 1889. Newly built in 1889, the lifeboat was again slightly longer, at 34-feet. Funded once again by Mrs Langworthy, it was also named Maid of Annan (ON 246).
An imposing granite new boathouse was constructed in 1889, to house the larger 34-foot lifeboat. The building was constructed underneath one of the 11 railway arches of the Dublin and Drogheda Railway, which by then had become the Great Northern Railway (Ireland).
At the Annual General Meeting of the RNLI, held at St. Martin's Town Hall, Charing Cross Road, on Saturday, 18 March 1899, it was announced that Balbriggan lifeboat had been withdrawn.
The fine granite built lifeboat house under the railway still stands. The first boathouse also exists, but in a derelict state. Both are currently under redevelopment as part of a €15 million regeneration scheme. The lifeboat on station (ON 246), was withdrawn from service, and later broken up.

## Station honours

The following are awards made at Balbriggan.
* RNIPLS Silver Medal
       William Barrett, Chief Officer, H.M. Coastguard, Balbriggan - 1852
       William Barrett Jr. - 1852
       Rev. Alexander Synge - 1852
* RNLI Silver Medal
       W. J. Cumisky, Honorary Secretary - 1881
* The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
       Thomas Boyd, Chief Officer, H.M. Coastguard, Balbriggan - 1881

## Balbriggan lifeboats

| ON | Name | Built | In service | Class |
| Pre-603 | Maid of Annan | 1875 | 1875–1883 | 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| Pre-585 | Maid of Annan | 1874 | 1883–1889 | 32-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| 246 | Maid of Annan | 1889 | 1889–1898 | 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
    Station Closed, 1898
* ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
    Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.