H.M. Coastguard in Dunmore East

Based on research by David Carroll

HM Coastguard in Dunmore East

The Coastguard Service, as such, dates from January 1822, when several earlier anti-smuggling agencies were reformed and renamed as the HM Coastguard. This came two years before Sir William Hilary's vision for a service dedicated to saving lives at sea in 1824 with the formation of what was called Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, which we now know as the RNLI.

When the Irish Free State was founded in 1922, the HM Coastguard had become defunct in the twenty-six counties.

The primary objective of HM Coastguard was to prevent smuggling, but it was also responsible for giving assistance to shipwrecks.

The Coastguard ranks were:

1. Boatman

2. Commissioned Boatman

3. Chief Boatman

4. Chief Boatman-in-charge

5. Chief Officer

In 1856, the Royal Navy took over control of the Coastguard Service.

Smuggling was carried on extensively around the Irish coast, tobacco being the principal commodity involved. The coastguard has always had many duties, originally largely against smugglers, but gradually, rescue and other functions became more important.

Waterford was in the top three ports of the country and required a significant force to patrol the coast and the harbour entrance. The coastguard houses at Dunmore East and Ballymacaw still exist to this day.

The Coastguard Force was unique in that the families lived with the men in coastguard cottages or houses. They were never recruited from the district in which they served in order to reduce undue fraternisation with the community whom they effectively policed.

Local historian, James Doherty, an authority on Irish Smuggling, in a contribution to Waterford Harbour Tides and Tales, stated the following:

As a series of station houses and accommodation for the Coastguard was established, private houses were rented as a temporary measure. The only area along the coast where this rental caused difficulty was Ballymacaw, Co Waterford. The Inspector General of the newly established force, Sir James Dombrain noted that all available houses were owned by a local merchant with smuggling connections. In the same report, Dombrain stated that smuggling in this part of the coast was being carried on to an extent "that almost exceeded belief."

Apart from chasing smugglers, two Coastguard Officers based at Dunmore East and one in Ballymacaw were recipients of RNLI silver medals for gallantry:

Details are extracted from "Lifeboat Gallantry" edited by Barry Cox.
(Honorary Librarian, Royal National Lifeboat Institution.)

ROSS, RICHARD, Chief Boatman, Coastguard, Dunmore. Silver (2)
23 December 1835
On 24 November 1835, the brig Collins, Quebec to Liverpool, was wrecked near Dunmore Pier, Co. Waterford, Ireland. Mr Ross and five of his men launched a boat but were obliged to turn back by the violence of the weather. Getting on a rock abreast of the wreck, they succeeded in passing ropes on board by which the crew were hauled ashore one by one; the coastguards had other ropes fastened around their bodies. When the rope around the Master broke and he was swept away, one of the coastguards plunged in and saved him; nearly lifeless, both were hauled on to the rocks. A total of 11 men were saved.

This was the second silver medal received by Richard Ross. While stationed at Curracloe, Co Wexford in 1825, along with his colleagues, saved the lives of two of the crew of the 'Mary and Eliza', which was wrecked on passage from Bangor to Wexford. Four seamen were drowned.

STUART, THOMAS, Lt. Coastguard, Dunmore. Silver (2)
10 January 1838
On the night of the 19th.December 1837, in a westerly gale, the Cork sloop 'Edward' was seen at anchor, but at dusk she was been driven towards the rocks at Ballyman, near Dunmore. The coastguards showed lights from the shore from a gap between the rocks. The Master of the sloop cut the anchor adrift and ran the vessel towards the lights.

When the vessel struck, the three crewmen got on to the bowsprit and were saved by Lt. Stuart and his men. While saving the Master, Lt. Stuart was washed off the rocks, but he was caught by one of his men and was saved from drowning.

'Ballyman' maybe an old archaic name for part of the coastline. It is not in use in modern times. It could also have been transcribed in error, from original documents.

While stationed at Cushedon in Co Antrim in 1834, Lt Coastguard Stuart had been awarded his first silver medal for his part in saving a crew of six from a sloop "James", which went ashore.

FRENCH, CHARLES, Chief Officer, Coastguard, Ballymacaw. Silver Medal.
21 January 1841
On the 7th.December 1840 when the vessel 'Glencoe', Glasgow to Calcutta, was wrecked near Waterford, Mr. French, six coastguards and four local men placed themselves on nearby rocks with lifelines round their bodies. As the Master and his crew of twelve men dropped from the bowsprit and jib boom, they were dragged one at a time through the surf to safety.

Many of the coastguards originated from England and worshipped at St. Andrews Church and sent their children to the Parochial School, attached to the church.

A newspaper from 1863, tells us how the children of the school and the village celebrated the wedding of the Prince of Wales:

DUNMORE EAST
Her Majesty’s loyal subjects in Dunmore East showed their affection for the Royal Family and celebrated the marriage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on Tuesday last.

At six o’clock, the children of the Parochial School gathered in the schoolroom for a substantial tea provided by the Rector. When he reminded them why they were enjoying this special treat, they responded with heartfelt good wishes and enthusiastic cheers.

At seven o’clock, the entire school went out to see the village illuminations. Although the evening was wet, the darkness made the lights especially impressive.

Their first stop was the Police Barracks, which was brightly lit and decorated with coloured plumes and mottoes. The Rector’s house was ablaze with light, while the homes of Mrs. Young and Mr. Mitchell were also illuminated.

The long row of Coastguard buildings looked particularly striking, with every window lit. Under the direction of the chief boatman, Mr. Browne, blue lights and small fireworks known as squibs were set off.

The children returned to the schoolroom at eight o’clock and spent the rest of the evening playing games. After singing a version of “God Save the Queen” specially suited to the occasion, they ended the celebrations with three cheers for the Prince and Princess of Wales. (4)

Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, and Princess Alexandra of Denmark were married in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, on March 10, 1863. Their wedding prompted the celebrations in Dunmore East. The Prince was twenty-one and Alexandra was eighteen. He had wanted a grand state occasion, like previous royal weddings, but his mother, Queen Victoria, disagreed. Still mourning her husband, who had died fifteen months earlier, she insisted that it should be a public occasion rather than a state ceremony.

Any of the children who attended the celebrations in 1863 and were still living in Dunmore in 1889 would have had the opportunity to see the couple’s son, Prince George. Others may have returned to England with their parents. Prince George arrived in Dunmore Harbour commanding one of a flotilla of six Royal Navy torpedo boats, a visit that caused quite a stir in the village.

The Waterford Mirror described the event:

The Prince was among the first officers to come ashore. Wearing the ordinary uniform of a Royal Navy lieutenant, he was not immediately recognised. He was followed by the commander of the flotilla and several lieutenants, who walked through the village, speaking to fishermen and others they met.

On returning to the boats, an order was given allowing all available men shore leave until eleven o’clock. About a hundred sailors immediately came ashore and set about enjoying their evening. Their first stop was Mr. Patrick Harney’s beautiful new hotel, where most remained until their leave expired. They enjoyed a lively evening of singing and instrumental music.

After dark, some of the men left aboard the boats switched on a searchlight, creating a striking effect across the village. They first directed it towards Mr. Harney’s hotel. With the blinds open, its powerful beam revealed how many sailors were in each room.

Next, they turned the light towards the Island, where two sailors had quickly struck up an acquaintance with a pair of Dunmore girls. The four were visibly embarrassed as the beam exposed them to everyone near the dock.

With their surroundings in darkness, they appeared as clearly as figures projected onto a screen. They tried to escape, but every movement was followed by the searchlight. Eventually, they separated and found shelter from its revealing glare. In this way, the men aboard amused themselves and those enjoying their shore leave.

The officers and sailors were delighted with Dunmore’s scenery. None had visited before, and they were captivated by the beauty of the village and its surroundings. His Royal Highness told a gentleman he met that he had never seen anything in Ireland to equal Dunmore’s beauty.

He warmly praised the neatness, cleanliness and decoration of the houses, both large and small. He was particularly pleased to see so many flowers adorning even the humblest cottages, remarking that this reflected well on the tastes of the people.

The commodore expressed a similar opinion, saying that the view as they entered Dunmore Bay was incomparably beautiful.

Shortly after his arrival, His Royal Highness, whose manner was friendly and genial, called on Mr. Patrick Harney, one of the best-known and most successful merchants and businessmen in the south of Ireland. After being shown around the spacious and luxuriously furnished new hotel, he congratulated Mr. Harney on his enterprise and good taste.

The Prince spoke freely with him about Dunmore and the nearby places of interest. Few people could have provided the distinguished visitor with more reliable information. (5)

A tragic accident occurred in January 1869, when five members of the Dunmore Coastguard drowned in Waterford Harbour while bringing a newly arrived boat from Arthurstown to Dunmore. The boat had been towed to Arthurstown the previous evening, but severe weather had prevented it from continuing. The following morning, the five men attempted the final crossing.

FATAL ACCIDENT IN WATERFORD HARBOUR

FIVE COASTGUARDSMEN DROWNED

On Friday morning, a Coastguard boat with five men aboard left Arthurstown for Dunmore. The new boat had come from London and was intended for the Dunmore station. The previous evening, the steamboat Tintern had towed her downriver from Waterford, but a severe south-easterly gale prevented them from going beyond Arthurstown. There, they hauled the boat ashore and spent the night.

At about ten o’clock the next morning, they set out on what proved to be a perilous crossing. Around eleven, the pilots spotted them approximately one nautical mile off Broom Hill, in a violently pitching sea.

Recognising the danger, the crew of the pilot cutter approached and prepared a tow rope. They had almost drawn alongside when the Coastguards called out that they were all right, waved their hands to indicate that they were safe and patted the side of their boat.

The pilot cutter drew ten feet of water. Had her crew followed the Coastguard boat further into the shallows, they risked running aground and being lost in the breakers themselves. As it was, the cutter failed to turn through the wind, and her crew had to lower the mainsail before they could bring her clear.

The sea was so heavy that, in the words of one observer, a wave “would throw down a house”. The pilots were forced to run before the wind. Before they had travelled another 150 yards, they witnessed the loss of the boat and all five Coastguards.

Off Broom Hill, a southerly gale can leave the water momentarily as smooth as a lake on a calm summer evening, only for it to become a succession of terrifying, steep waves.

The boat first rolled partly over, throwing two men into the sea. Scott, the coxswain, apparently left the helm and took an oar to help the two remaining men row towards their drowning companions. The boat then overturned completely, throwing all three into the water.

The pilots would gladly have returned to help, but the conditions made a rescue impossible. They saw one man clinging briefly to the boat’s painter, the rope attached to her bow. He, too, was soon beyond their help.

The boat was a strong, well-built vessel, approximately 25 to 28 feet long and reasonably broad. Nevertheless, those familiar with the conditions agreed that she could not have passed safely through such seas and that the crossing should never have been attempted.

The men paid a terrible price, and some left large families without support. They were Scott, chief boatman; Rogers; Nash; Stewart; and Baldwin.

The pilots had done everything they could. Tragically, the Coastguards’ initial belief that they were safe had prevented the rescue while help was still possible.

FURTHER PARTICULARS

The pilots first saw the Coastguards about half a mile off the County Wexford shore, on the Templetown shoals. They were then in comparatively smooth water. The pilot boat came within two oars’ lengths, and her crew warned the men of the danger and urged them to accept a tow rope. They declined assistance.

Shortly afterwards, two men fell from the Coastguard boat. It was thought that these were the two oarsmen on the sheltered side and that the movement of their oars in the heavy sea had pulled them overboard.

The pilot boat again tried to reach them. By then, the Coastguards were attempting to row towards the two men in the water and calling urgently for the help they had previously refused.

It was too late. The seas were now too dangerous even for the pilot boat. Although the vessels were close, the crew had no choice but to turn the Sea Gull’s stern towards the waves and bring her around with the wind.

Three or four enormous waves struck the cutter, half-filling her with water. Some of the crew ran below, while others climbed into the rigging. Carrying ballast, she drew about ten feet of water, and in the troughs between the waves there was barely enough depth beneath her.

Had she struck the bottom, she could have become unmanageable, with her rudder rendered useless. Skipper Fitzgerald and his crew therefore had to bring her clear as best they could or risk losing both their vessel and their lives.

The report questioned why the Coastguards had taken such risks. They appeared to be testing their new boat in the worst of the breakers, meeting the waves both at an angle and broadside.

Scott’s body was washed ashore below Duncannon. With such a heavy swell running, it was thought that the other bodies might soon be found.

When the pilots first sighted the boat, they thought she might belong to a wrecked ship. Surprised to see her in such a dangerous position, they immediately went towards her. She was painted white, pointed at both bow and stern, and had been built in England as a lifeboat for the Coastguard service.

The five men were strong and sturdy, and nearly all left large families.

A subscription fund was proposed to help the bereaved. The Rev. Fr. O’Donnell, parish priest, promptly visited their homes to offer sympathy and condolences, as did the Rev. Mr. Owen, the parish minister. Together, they organised the appeal, and their efforts deserved the highest praise.

When the pilot boat returned to Dunmore on Saturday, the wives, relatives and others close to the lost men rushed towards the dock and beach. They clung to the desperate hope that at least some of the Coastguards might have been rescued. It was a heartbreaking end to the tragedy.

MONDAY MORNING

Dunmore, Passage and the County Wexford shore, including Arthurstown and Ballyhack, suffered badly from flooding by the sea.

Late the previous night, a French brig entered Passage. She had encountered the full force of the gale but had enough sea room to remain well offshore until it eased.

The barometer was falling again, warning of further storms.

An inquest followed on and the conclusion was as follows:

*The jury returned the following verdict :- "That John Scott was found dead on the strand of Duncannon, Co. Waterford, on 30th January 1869; and that deceased lost his life by drowning through the accidental capsizing of a lifeboat in the river Suir, on the 29th January, while crossing from Arthurstown, Co. Wexford to Dunmore, Co. Waterford; and we are of opinion that deceased acted with bad judgement in proceeding to Dunmore, contrary to the advice of the officer in charge in Arthurstown, together with refusing the assistance of the pilot of the cutter 'Sea Gull' when offered; And we are also of opinion that the boat should not have gone out without being provided with lifebelts". (7)

The drowning tragedy caused widespread sympathy in the entire community and on February 26th, a list of subscribers to the Family Relief Fund, which raised a total of £25 0s 3d. was printed in a local newspaper:

The generosity of Nicholas Power of Faithlegg House is immediately seen. He was a man of great wealth. He contributed to many charities in Waterford and represented the county in parliament for twelve years. He built the church in Faithlegg, adding the steeple shortly before he died.

His eldest son, Patrick Joseph (P J), another subscriber, was living in Woodlands nearby but moved to Faithlegg in 1873, when Nicholas died. Patrick commissioned Samuel Roberts to alter and enlarge the house. His wife, Lady Olivia, had a passion for gardening and laid out the grounds at both houses.

Samuel King was father of Nannie Malcomson, who lived at Villa Marina in Dunmore and mother of Joseph. (More about the Malcolmsons can be read here:) The Malcomsons 

The vacant coastguard houses in Dunmore were burnt during the Civil War in July 1922. Happily, they were subsequently restored are still in use and form a pleasant part of the streetscape in the village. The life-saving equipment was also burned in the arson attack and this act was strongly criticised by Dr Hackett, Bishop of Waterford, preaching in the Cathedral in Waterford, a few weeks later. He condemned it as a blatant act of destruction by a reckless ruffian.

A Living Legacy: The RNLI in Modern Dunmore East

The echoes of the HM Coastguard’s heroics still resonate in Dunmore, but today, it is the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) that stands as the torchbearer of maritime rescue. The same spirit that animated Richard Ross, Thomas Stuart, and Charles French—the courage to face storm-lashed seas, the resolve to save lives at all costs—lives on in the volunteers who man Dunmore’s RNLI lifeboat station.

Since its establishment, the RNLI has become a cornerstone of the community, revered not just for its lifesaving work but for its deep ties to Dunmore’s seafaring identity. The station’s lifeboat, often launched into the same treacherous waters where Coastguards once battled smugglers and storms, is a symbol of continuity. Locals speak with pride of the crews who train relentlessly, ready to answer the call in the dead of night or the height of a gale. Their modern equipment—advanced navigation systems, and thermal suits—belies the same unshakable ethos: "No one should die at sea."

The RNLI’s presence is woven into Dunmore’s daily life. Fundraising coffee mornings, and the annual Lifeboat Day attracts a huge responce, a testament to the village’s enduring gratitude. Even the old Coastguard cottages, now restored and repurposed, seem to nod approvingly at their successors.

Nowadays, the RNLI Lifeboat Station stands proudly on the quay in Dunmore East. The names of rescued sailors are still meticulously recorded, while photographs of coxswains and crew—along with awards for bravery—adorn its walls. These modern lifesavers are as revered as their predecessors, their orange suits replacing the navy wool of Coastguards like Ross and French. Their stories, once chronicled in newspaper columns, now unfold across social media and local lore, yet their heroism remains timeless.

As evening falls on the Harbour, the lifeboat rests in the dock, poised for the next emergency. The sea, ever unpredictable, remains unchanged. What has evolved is the community’s unwavering respect for those who guard it—a respect earned not by mandate, but by generations of sacrifice and service. The RNLI, like the Coastguard before it, has earned its place in Dunmore’s heart.

"Some traditions fade," observes a local fisherman, "but the lifeboat? That’s forever."

References:

(1)   Ardmore Memory and Story - The Sea.  6 The Coastguard Service by Siobhán Lincoln, Waterford County Museum

(2)   Waterford Harbour Tides and Tales Blog, Smuggling in the Suir Estuary 27/02/2017

(3)   Private notes on Dunmore East Schools, courtesy of John D Burke BGHS

(4)    The Waterford Mail, March 13, 1863

(5)   The Waterford Mirror, August 22,1889

(6)   The Munster Express, February 6, 1869

(7)   Waterford News, February 19, 1869

(8)   Waterford News, February 26, 1869

(9)    www. faithlegg.com