Ennis Chronicle 1831
I abstracted the following pieces from the Ennis Chronicle of 1831. I hope that they are of interest. Your web journal is excellent.

Enda MacMahon

Sat. 8th Oct. 1831
[Died] in Galway aged 18 years, Eliza, only daughter of Lieutenant Hunter, Coast Guard Service.

Wed. 26th Oct. 1831
James French of the Coast Guard Service was killed in Newport on last Thursday by the accidental discharge of his own carbine, while stealing upon an otter.

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The Burning of Ballyheigue Coastguard Station
In the 1860's, an impressive new Coastguard Station was built in Ballyheigue with a slip way opposite. Its aim was to stamp out smuggling. It stood proudly beside the sea for almost sixty years, until the War of Independence from 1919-1921. In May 1920, one of the biggest operations in North Kerry took place when the great building was burned to the ground.
Thankfully, no lives were lost in the blaze, but the sequence of events were bizarre to say the least. During the attack, the leader, Michael Pierce, briefly suspended operations to allow one woman into the building to retrieve a valuable ring.
The arsonists did not burn the building to the ground. They let this job to the Coastguards, who were at sea at the time! Pierce instructed his men to fill the water tanks with petrol and oil. When the unfortunate victims turned on the hoses, well you can guess what happened!

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Malahide Coastguard Station, Co.Dublin.
An 18th Century writer advised anyone visiting Malahide to bring his own bottle, (the bottle was for a refill of duty free, smuggled brandy or gin) The Coastguard Services originally formed to deal with smuggling which followed the Napoleonic wars rebuilt a row of slate-roofed houses facing the Green and settled them with ex-Royal naval forces to prevent smuggling, assist ships in distress and undertake various duties around the coast. The Coastguard H.M.S. houses date from 1820.
On the Green the Coastguards had a flagstaff on which the colours were raised and lowered precisely to the boom of the morning and evening gun discharged from the Martello Tower. The Coastguards set up upon a gable wall a barometer which gave warning of changes of weather and which saved many a fisherman’s life. This barometer was vandalised only in recent years.
Source: Local Library

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State of the Irish fisheries 1838
County of Mayo

During the herring fishing, the cod and the ling also abound, but are not fished for, and the large shoals of mackeral and skad which visit this coast during several months of the summer are only taken with hand-line instead of nets. Lobsters are abundant and would form a very profitable fishery; but they are only caught the Coastguards for their own consumption.

The Navy (Prelude to war)

"The Coastguard force is being collected from the respective Stations and berthed on board the ships fitting out at the port. Clothing, hammocks, kit etc. are to be provided for this fine and most proficient body of gunners and sailors. Here is the nucleus of the complements of ten efficient ships of line. No country in the world - Russia included - can match the ability, skill, steadiness and pluck of these fine fellows".

Reference; Daily Express Saturday 11th.February 1854.

Combined Artillery, Coastguard and Naval Exercise. 15th.August 1889.

On Thursday at about half past twelve o'clock five torpedo boats threatened Wicklow. The Coastguards over the Head at once signalled the camp of the Dublin Artillery Militia and in less than a quarter of an hour the guns at the Black Castle were fully manned. The torpedo boats had a signal to that effect transmitted from shore as an indication that their little game was spoilt as far as Wicklow was concerned. The War boats were apparently stealing past, but if they had steamed within range of the Wicklow defences they would have received a hot reception".

Reference: "Wicklow Newsletter" Correspondent Mr. McPhail. 17th.August 1889.

Cry of Help

Not every call needs the calling out of lifeboats, helicopters and aircraft. At 0500 hours on a cold winter's morning the Coastguard on duty at Kirkwall heard a cry for help over his radio. He immediately replied, 'What is your ship's name and position? What assistance do you want? The reply came back, 'This is the trawler 'Clova'. I am at Kirkwall Pier. I have got myself locked into the wheelhouse and can't get out!'

Melancholy and Fatal Accident. July 1859.

On Saturday night, one of the Coastguards named Donovan, lost his life whilst on duty by falling down a precipice into a large hole called the Bishops Cave in the immediate vicinity of Dunmore East. On Monday James Delahunty, Esq. Coroner held an inquest on the body, and from the evidence adduced it appeared that the deceased having been called on duty on Saturday at 9 o’clock p.m. by Mr. Brown, Chief Boatman at the station, proceeded from Dunmore to Portally (the extreme limit of that district) by the cliff footway.

He did not return to his station that night: on the following morning at an early hour a farmers servant saw something dark lying at the foot of the precipice, he having satisfied himself that it was a human being lying apparently dead immediately gave alarm. The police at once proceeded to the place of the unfortunate occurrence, where the object was ascertained to be the mortal remains of the missing Coastguard. The night of Saturday was exceedingly dark and on passing the cliff which was very dangerous and wholly unprotected, it is supposed he missed his footing and was precipitated down a distance of at least 50 feet and was no doubt instantly and unfortunately killed.

The jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death. The remains of the deceased were conveyed into Waterford after the inquest, and thence by rail to Ennis, from which place the body was brought for interment to Galway, his native place.

Reference: Wexford Independent Saturday 30th. July 1859.

RIVAL

On the 15th.April the Brig 'Rival' with a cargo of Iron went down off Greystones. The crew of nine escaped by boat. The Coastguard tried to sieze all the Spirits and Tobacco that the shipwrecked men had in their boat but it was thrown overboard to thwart the authorities.. A dim view was taken and the crew were refused shelter by the coastguards. They were also unable to get lodgings and were obliged to walk to Bray. They thanked the Captain of the Union for his help with clothing.

Ref: "Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast" Vol. 2. by Edward J.Bourke.

Royal Navy to Coastguard

Leonard Money b1858 Leiston Suffolk served in Royal Navy from 1870s to 1890s then transferred to Coastguard service Spent many years at Orlock Hill Station Co Down.


Leonard Money b1858 Leiston Suffolk joined the Royal Navy in 1873 as a Boy Apprentice continuing Naval service until 1891 At this time transferred to Irish Coastguard Service (Still a branch Royal Navy) After service at Bangor, Newcastle, Donaghdee, and finally Groomsport (Bangor) Retired 1908
James Cassells