Lifeboat charity celebrates 200 years saving lives at sea with launch of An Post RNLI stamps

4 March 2024

Today (Monday 4 March) the RNLI celebrated 200 years of saving lives with the unveiling of two special stamps from An Post, which depict the charity’s lifesaving work in Ireland. Dublin based artist David Rooney has created two images which show the moment of rescue between the lifeboat crew member and the person in the water.
 

The launch of the stamps was marked by a gathering of some of the charity’s volunteer lifeboat crew at An Post’s EXO offices beside the river Liffey, where they were joined by two people who have been rescued by the charity. Laura O’Mahony was saved with her dog Sam in Crosshaven, County Cork while Lar Sheeran, whose dramatic rescue dates back to 1961, was saved by Clogherhead RNLI.
 
An Post has produced both an ‘N’ rate, national stamp (€1.40) for posting within the island of Ireland and a ‘W’ international stamp (€2.20) to cover letter postage anywhere in the world. RNLI 200 stamps are available online at www.anpost.com/shop (free delivery) and in selected post offices, including all those in RNLI station locations.
 
The set of two stamps by renowned Irish designer, David Rooney show action-filled RNLI rescues at sea, with florescent orange contrasting with sea green to form a striking colour palette.  Using a scraperboard engraving technique which is then digitally coloured, the scenes vividly depict the urgency and humanity of one person saving another’s life. 
 
On the day the charity turns 200, the RNLI announced that its volunteer lifeboat crews has saved 8,357 lives in Ireland since it was founded, and aided a further 35,477 people. The RNLI operates 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland, including four on inland waters. The charity designs and builds its own lifeboats and runs domestic and international water safety programmes. Its most recent all weather lifeboat, the Shannon, was named after the Irish river in recognition of generations of Irish lifeboat crew. The first RNLI lifeboat in Ireland was was established in Arklow in 1826.
 
Over 200 years of lifesaving in the RNLI two things remain unchanged – the charity’s reliance on volunteers who give their time and commitment to save others, and the voluntary contributions from the public which fund the service.
 
RNLI Head of Region Anna Classon said ‘We are incredibly honoured to have these beautiful stamps commemorating two centuries of lifesaving by the RNLI. The images used on the stamps perfecty captures the lifeboat volunteers’ courage and  selflessness. We are very proud of the RNLI’s work in Ireland and of the many lifesavers who have launched lifeboats in all weathers to save others. Supporting them is an incredible group of people, helping to launch the lifeboats and raising the funds needed to sustain the service into the next 200 years. This is a wonderful way to celebrate and commemorate our fantastic volunteers while inspiring our next generation of lifesavers.’    
 
An Post CEO, David McRedmond said, ‘These two special stamps celebrate the RNLI bicentenary and the thousands of volunteers and staff across Ireland, who bravely give their time and effort to saving lives at sea and on inland waters, to technical support and fundraising.  The RNLI is an essential service to so many communities on or near water and like An Post, they act for the common good. We are also very proud of our brave An Post colleagues who volunteer with the RNLI and other bodies to protect and rescue those in danger.’