Oil painting byB. F. Gribble of the rescue of the crew of the Daunt Lightship by theMary Stanford. It was depicted on a 1974 Irish postage stamp marking the RNLI's 150th anniversary
History
Name	Mary Stanford
Owner	RNLI
Builder	Saunders Roe Ltd,Cowes.
Cost	£9,402-15s–11d
Christened	7 July 1931
Completed	22 July 1930
Maiden voyage	17 September 1931
In service	1930
Out of service	1959
Identification	ON733
Fate	Restored by The Mary Stanford Project
Donor	John Frederick Stanford, London.
Station	Ballycotton
General characteristics
Class & type	Barnett
Tonnage	2
Length	51 ft
Installed power	2 x six-cylinder 60hp Weybury C.6 petrol engines running at 1,200 rpm
Sail plan	Auxiliary sail
Speed	8.88 knots
Capacity	100
Crew	12
Notes	Saved over 100 lives

RNLBMary Stanford (ON 733) was theBallycottonLifeboat from 1930 to 1959. Ballycotton is on Ireland's southern coast, a trade route to the Americas. There are many dangerous rocks and shallows with on-shore prevailing winds. Ballycotton has a long tradition of life-saving.Mary Stanford had 41 rescues, or "shouts", and saved 122 lives. She performed the notable DauntLightship rescue on 11 February 1936. After her withdrawal from service she lay for some years in a backwater of Dublin'sGrand Canal Dock, but has now been returned to Ballycotton and restored.^[1]

TheRoyal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) established a lifeboat station in Ballycotton in 1858.^[2] There is a long history of life saving at Ballycotton. The first acknowledged by the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, as the RNLI was then called, was when they awarded asilver medal in 1826.^[2] On 21 December 1825, the vesselBritannia was wrecked in Ballycotton Bay. Her master, the only survivor, lashed himself to a rock. There he remained for seven hours. In spite of the danger, a local man, Dennis Cronen rowed out and rescued him and then sheltered him in his cottage for four days.

There were many early rescues bycoastguards.^[3][4]

The need for a purpose-built lifeboat was evident. The boat was delivered in time for the visit of thePrince of Wales,Albert Edward in 1858. The lifeboats prior to theMary Stanford were all powered by oars and sail. As ships became larger the need for a motorised craft was realised. On 12 December 1928, theRMSCeltic was wrecked at Roche's Point,Queenstown (later Cobh). At the time of her launch in 1901, she was the largest ship in her day, one of the"Big Four", the first to exceed 20,000 tons, dwarfing the Ballycotton Lifeboat, which came to the rescue.

TheMary Stanford was named on 7 July 1930 by Mrs. Louisa Cosgrave, wife ofPresidentCosgrave. The cost, £11,000, was covered by a donation fromJohn Frederick Stanford of London.^[5] There was a previous lifeboat, namedMary Stanford. Two years earlier, it had capsized with the loss of all 17 crew inRye Harbour, England.^[6] The newMary Stanford would be more fortunate. She would save many lives, including the famous rescue of the Daunt Lightship.

Daunt Rock has always been a hazard to shipping. The first lightship was stationed there by theIrish Lights Board in 1864 following the wreck of theCity of New York on the rock. LightvesselPuffin took up this duty. There was a severe gale on 8 October 1896 and thePuffin vanished.^[7]The wreck was not found until a month later, on 5 November 1896.^[8] The remains of the crew were never located. Infolklore they remain at their post, as a ghost ship, appearing to warn of impending danger.^[9]

On 10 February 1936 a south-eastern gale, with rain and snow, developed into a hurricane. Mountainous waves were crashing over the pier and breakwater transforming the harbour into a seething cauldron, the spray was flying over the lantern of the 196-foot-high (60 m) lighthouse;^[10] "stones, some a ton in weight, were being torn from the quay and flung about like sugar lumps".^[11] At 8 am next morning an SOS was received: the LVComet, on station at Daunt rock, had broken from her moorings and was drifting dangerously. Without waiting for orders, in horrendous conditions,Coxswain Patrick ("Patsy") Sliney tookMary Stanford to sea.Comet was not at Daunt rock, she was riding at anchor a quarter-mile away. Other ships arrived, but dared not approach theComet in such conditions. Although heavy and built for endurance, theComet was being tossed around by the waves and was risk to other ships.

Mary Stanford made several attempts to get asteel cable aboard theComet. Every time they did, a large wave crashed the ships further apart and the cable snapped. When darkness fell,Mary Stanford headed forCobh to get stronger cables. TheInnisfallen (1930–1940) andHMS Tenedos (H04) stood by. The Lifeboat crew had been all day without food. They ate, slept for three hours and received a change of clothing. Early next morning (Wednesday)Mary Stanford returned to Daunt rock. The sea was just as stormy. It was now enveloped by a thick fog, and it was impossible to effect a rescue. The lifeboat remained in the storm all day and all night. TheCommissioners of Irish Lights vessel ILVIsolda had arrived and stood by whileMary Stanford went to Cobh at 7 am to refuel, and promptly returned.

That evening, the storm increased.Comet drifted closer to Daunt rock. When she was 60 yards from the rock, as darkness approached, the Coxswain decided the only option was to try to get alongside and for the crew to jump for the lifeboat. He knew the dangers. On the first attempt, one man got on board, on the second attempt no one jumped; a third time, and five men were safe. The lifeboat went in a fourth and fifth time, but no more were able to make it. Two men were still on board, clinging to the rails, too exhausted to jump. On the sixth attempt, as theMary Stanford came alongside, the two were seized by the lifeboat crew and dragged aboard. (This moment was depicted on an Irish postage stamp)^[12]

They then went to Cobh and disembarked the rescued at 11 pm and then returned to Ballycotton.Mary Stanford had been away for 79 hours.^[13]The crew had only three hours sleep during the 63-hour rescue (from leaving Ballycotton to disembarkingComet's crew at Cobh), they all suffered from colds, saltwater burns and hunger.

AnRNLI Gold Medal was awarded to Coxswain Patrick Sliney, Silver Medals to Second Coxswain John Lane Walsh and Motor Mechanic Thomas Sliney, and Bronze Medals to Crew Members Michael Coffey Walsh, John Shea Sliney, William Sliney and Thomas Walsh. This rescue became famous, and was depicted by marine artists.^[14] and featured in popular books.^[15]

When a postage stamp was issued by theIrish postal service to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the RNLI, a portrait of this rescue was chosen.^[16][17] The design of the stamp was based on the painting byBernard Gribble,^[18] which depicts the last two lightshipmen being pulled onto the lifeboat.

Mary Stanford had many other rescues to her credit. The years of theEmergency duringWorld War II were difficult. There was a serious risk from driftingmines. On 27 January 1941 a mine exploded on the Ballycotton shore, demolishing thecurate's house and smashing the windows in the church.^[5]

Rescues which meritedRNLI medal were:

• On 30 January 1941, there was a strong wind, thick fog and drifting mines. The eight-man crew of the SSPrimrose of Liverpool were rescued just as she was sinking.^[5] A bronze medal was awarded.^[2]
• On 23 December 1943, theIrish Ash was in difficulties. This rescue took 30 hours. They managed to bring the ship to safety in Cobh. One silver and two bronze medals were awarded.^[5]

Some rescues involved the Cliff Rescue Team. On 1 February 1947, theIrish Plane was driven onto rocks below cliffs, west of Ballyshane. TheMary Stanford did not launch that as little could be done in the weather conditions so close to the shore. The crew of theIrish Plane were rescued by the Cliff Rescue Team.

Mary Stanford retired and on 16 September 1959 and was replaced byEthel Mary. Lifesaving continues at Ballycotton; there have been many callouts, including during the1979 Fastnet race. Up to 2002, seventeenRNLI Medals have been awarded to Ballycotton lifeboatmen; two gold, seven silver, and eight bronze. Since March 1998, Ballycotton has been served by Trent Class lifeboatAustin Lidbury.^[2]

The Daunt LightshipComet survived. After she was sold, she becameRadio Scotland, aPirate radio station.^[19]

Coxswain Patsy Sliney retired in 1950, he had taken part in the rescue of 114 lives and was awarded Gold, Silver and bronze medals.

Mary Stanford was a reserve lifeboat from 1959 until 1969 when she was sold to the Limerick Harbour Commissioners, where she served as a harbour pilot launch until the mid-1980s. An organisation called the "Irish Nautical Trust" announced plans to establish a floating museum inGrand Canal Dock. They were given a number of historic craft on the understanding that they would be preserved.^[20] Without funding the work was abandoned. Subsequently, further boats were refused admission to the dock without assurance that they would be preserved.^[21]Mary Stanford lay for some years in Hanover Dock, a backwater of Grand Canal Dock, besideNaomh Éanna which served theAran Islands.

A group was formed to returnMary Stanford to Ballycotton by April 2014^[1][22] where, after restoration work, she was put on display.^[1]

• Leach, Nicholas (1 May 2005).The Lifeboat Service in Ireland. The History Press.ISBN 0752435094.
• Leach, Nicholas; O'Driscoll, Brendan (June 2009).Ballycotton Lifeboats – 150 Years of gallantry. Landmark Publishing.ISBN 978-184306-472-5.

• Maritime history of Ireland
• 1930 ships
• Barnett-class lifeboats
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats by name
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats by number

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