Giles Quay Lifeboat Station
| Giles Quay Lifeboat Station | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Gyles Quay | |
  Gyles Quay, County Louth | |
| Alternative names | Dundalk (Giles Quay) |
| General information | |
| Status | Closed |
| Type | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
| Town or city | Gyles' Quay, County Louth, A91 X382 |
| Country | Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°59′07.2″N 6°14′17.9″W / 53.985333°N 6.238306°W |
| Opened | 1879 |
| Closed | 1912 |
Giles Quay Lifeboat Station was located in Gyles' Quay, a village overlooking Dundalk Bay, sitting on the southern shore of the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth, on the east coast of Ireland.[1]
It is one of two stations, the other being at Blackrock, that have been home to the Dundalk lifeboat, which was first stationed at Giles Quay by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1879.[2]
After operating for 43 years, Giles Quay Lifeboat Station closed in 1912.[3]
History
[edit]Even before there was a lifeboat at Giles Quay, medals were awarded by the RNLI for gallantry. On 6 April 1858, the barque Mary Stoddart was seen in distress in Dundalk Bay. Numerous attempts were made over 5 days to rescue the crew. Finally, H.M. Coastguard Chief Boatman Robert Shankey and his boat crew set out from Giles Quay and rescued seven men on the 9 April. On the 10 April, they rescued the remaining survivors, although a further seven crew of the Mary Stoddart had been lost. No fewer than 10 RNLI Silver Medals were awarded for the numerous attempts made to save the crew. Shankey was awarded not one, but two silver medals (silver medal plus second-service clasp) for his efforts on two days.[4]
At certain times of the day, the tide was preventing any launch of the lifeboat from Dundalk Lifeboat Station at Blackrock, County Louth, on the south side of the bay. Following a visit to the village by the second Assistant Inspector of Lifeboats in 1876, a site at Giles Quay (now Gyles' Quay), on the north side of Dundalk Bay, was under consideration for the relocation of the lifeboat, "in which position the boat would be two miles from the bar, but to windward of it, and able to launch at any time of tide."[5][6]
A quote of £205 for the construction of a new boathouse from a Mr. Matthews was accepted by the RNLI, finally costing £325-4s with slipway, and the 32-foot self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails, Stockport Sunday Schools, was transferred over to the new station at Giles Quay in 1879. The lifeboat station at Blackrock was closed.[2]
The first rescue was on 9 February 1880. The Giles Quay lifeboat launched to the brigantine Andover of Dublin, on voyage from Limerick to Liverpool, and stranded 1 mile (1.6 km) from Dundalk Lighthouse. After taking off six people, the lifeboat went out again the following day, assisting with the refloat. Coxswain (and Pilot) Thomas Gallagher then took charge of the vessel, and arranged a tug to get the vessel to harbour.[7]
Almost immediately, the decision of relocating the lifeboat was already under review, and even as soon as 1880, it was decided to reopen the station at Blackrock, now to be known as "Dundalk No.2 Lifeboat Station", but also to retain the new Giles Quay station.[8]
A new Giles Quay lifeboat, a 34-foot self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, costing £343, was delivered to Greenore on 25 August 1880, and then sailed onwards to Giles Quay by its crew. The cost of the lifeboat and equipment was defrayed from the bequest of the late Miss Louisa Thomas of Bowdon, Cheshire, and was named James Thomas in memory of her late father.[9]
The Stockport Sunday Schools lifeboat was returned to Blackrock, but not before a lifeboat race was held between the two crews, the Blackrock crew emerging victors after a restarted race.[2]
James Thomas was launched to the brigantine Jean Anderson of Dundalk on 18 November 1882, bound from Ardrossan, and driven ashore on the east side of Dundalk Bar. The lifeboat stood by for four hours until the crew decided to abandon ship, and six men were rescued.[10]
A third boat would be provided to Giles Quay in 1891. This was the Providence (ON 310), a 34-foot 10-oared lifeboat, with sliding keel and water ballast tanks, provided from the legacy of the late Charles Pooley of Cheltenham.[11]
The Providence was launched to the aid of the schooner Violet of Castletown, Isle of Man, aground on the North Bull. As the ship broke up, the crew of four managed to get to the North Bull beacon, and were rescued from there. It was said that "All the ducks in Europe" had arrived, to feed on the lost cargo of barley.[2][12]
There were only two calls for the Giles Quay lifeboat after 1899, and at a meeting of the RNLI committee of management on Thursday 13 June 1912, it was decided to close Giles Quay Lifeboat Station. The lifeboat had been called just 12 times in 33 years, but had rescued 19 people.[2][13]
The boathouse at Gyles Quay still exists, and is now a much modified private residence. The lifeboat on station at the time of closure, Providence (ON 310), was transferred to Howth for a further year, before being sold from service.[14]
Station honours
[edit]The following are awards made at Giles Quay.[4]
- Robert Shankey, Chief Boatman, H.M. Coastguard, Dundalk – 1858
- Robert Shankey, Chief Boatman, H.M. Coastguard, Dundalk – 1858 (Second Service clasp)
Giles Quay lifeboats
[edit]Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats
[edit]| ON[a] | Name | On Station[15] | Class | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-499 | Stockport Sunday Schools | 1867 | 1879−1880 | 32-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [Note 1] Formerly at Blackrock |
| Pre-649 | James Thomas | 1880 | 1880−1891 | 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [Note 2] |
| 310 | Providence | 1890 | 1891−1912 | 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [Note 3] |
- ^ 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.
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ 32-foot x 7-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £246 when new.
- ^ 34-foot x 8-foot 3in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, costing £343.
- ^ 34-foot x 8-foot (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
References
[edit]- ^ "Louth - Sheet 8". Maps. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d e McKenna, Patsy (1995). from the Boynes to the Mournes. A History of the County Louth Lifeboats 1856. Direct Print (Dublin) Ltd. pp. 27–29. ISBN 0952223503.
- ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 124.
- ^ a b Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. p. 118. ISBN 0907605893.
- ^ "Summary of the Meetings of the Committee". The Lifeboat. IX (102): 624. 1 November 1876. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ "XXVII.—Dundalk". The Lifeboat. X (105): 177. 1 August 1877. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ "Services of the Life-Boats of the National Life-Boat Institution (continued.)". The Lifeboat. 11 (117). August 1880. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
- ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 124–125.
- ^ "Additional Stations and New Life-Boats". The Lifeboat. XI (123): 445–446. 1 February 1882. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ "Services of the Life-Boats of the National Life-Boat Institution (continued.)". The Lifeboat. 12 (127). February 1883. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
- ^ "Additional Stations and New Life-Boats". The Lifeboat. XIV (161): 627. 1 August 1891. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ "Violet". The Lifeboat. 16 (179): 343. 1 February 1896.
- ^ "Summary of the Meetings of the Committee of Management". The Lifeboat. XXI (246): 707. 1 November 1912. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 28–29.
- ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 12–28.