Blackrock lifeboat to become tourist attraction in Louth

The VisitBlackrock Tourism Group says it is delighted to announce that the Dudley Lifeboat project has been awarded  a Community Heritage Grant by the Heritage Council of Ireland. This vital funding will support a feasibility study into the future preservation and potential restoration of the historic lifeboat as a tourism attraction in north Louth.

The General R Dudley Blake Lifeboat is an important part of Blackrock’s maritime heritage, once served as a beacon of safety and resilience on our coast as direct result of the Mary Stoddart Disaster in Dundalk Bay in 1858.

The VisitBlackrock Tourism Group says that this grant marks a significant first step in exploring how the vessel can be conserved, celebrated and potentially made accessible to the public as a local tourism and heritage asset. The lifeboat was acquired by the Visitblackrock group  and a crowdfunded campaign by locals allowed it to be brought from Wexford to Blackrock for safe storage. 

PRO Jason McGee expressed his gratitude, saying: “We’re thrilled to have been selected in such a competitive round. This support from the Heritage Council gives us the  opportunity to assess the lifeboat’s condition and explore how it might once again take pride of place in our  community.” 

Only one-third of applicants to this year’s Community Heritage Grant Scheme were successful, underscoring the importance and potential, VisitBlackrock says, of the Dudley Lifeboat project. The feasibility study, to be undertaken in the coming  months, will examine restoration logistics, heritage value and options for public engagement and display. 

The Dudley Lifeboat was brought back to Blackrock from Wexford in 2018 and is in storage waiting a restoration. Stay tuned to VisitBlackrock social channels for updates as this exciting project develops, more information can be found on www.visitblackrock.ie