The RNLI’s new ‘200 Voices’ podcast marks the run-up to the lifesaving charity’s bicentenary on 4 March 2024, wherein an episode will be released every day for 200 days to share a series of stories from RNLI in Ireland, detailing its long history right through to the present day.
The unique podcast series will hear from people connected to the RNLI and those whose lives have been touched by the lifesaving charity, ranging from survivors, supporters, volunteers, lifeguards, celebrity ambassadors and historians from Ireland and across the Irish Sea in Wales, England and Scotland.
The first episode on Saturday (26 August) featured ‘Niamh Fitzpatrick Remembers One of Our Own’. A personal reflection on how after losing her sister Irish Coast Guard’s Captain Dara Fitzpatrick at sea, Niamh talks about how much the RNLI means to her.
On Sunday (27 August) ‘200 Voices’ Fr. Tom Dalton, a Courtown RNLI crew member where the Co. Wexford priest, described what’s like when rescue turns into recovery in ‘Pulling Together’.
An event that changed yacht racing forever, the 1979 Fastnet tragedy was the focus for ‘The Calm Before Force 10’ on Wednesday (30 August) when Baltimore RNLI’s Kieran Cotter remembered the fateful call-out and the response to the disaster.
RNLI has been saving lives at sea since it was founded in 1824 and during that time, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 144,000 lives. Funded by voluntary donations, and with lifeboats crewed by specially-trained volunteers, the RNLI has an incredible 200-year story to tell – many highlights of which are shared through the ‘200 Voices’ podcast series.
Later in the autumn the series will hear from celebrity ambassadors including musician Phil Coulter on his writing of the RNLI anthem ‘Home from the Sea’, while Ireland’s former President Mary McAleese will recall the cross-border role of the RNLI.
Tune into ‘2oo Voices’ across all podcast platforms and also on the RNLI’s website.
For more information about the RNLI’s bicentenary, visit www.RNLI.org/200.
