They gave their lives .. will you give a few pounds so their story lives on?
£30k appeal for museum honouring lifeboat crew
ON MARCH 17, 1969, eight brave men sacrificed their lives when they went to the aid of a stricken cargo ship in mountainous seas.
The ill-fated night will forever be remembered as the Longhope Lifeboat Disaster. And next year marks 50 years since the blackest day in Orkney’s sea-going history.
Yesterday, Kevin Kirkpatrick, who lost his father, grandfather and uncle in the tragedy, launched a £30,000 appeal to help preserve the Longhope Lifeboat Museum.
Kevin, 52, who is the current coxwain of the Longhope Lifeboat, said: “I was just three at the time. Those who lost their lives will never be forgotten here.
“We’re a small, close community and people look out for one another.”
The men left seven widows, a widowed mother and eight children.
An appeal for the families was launched in Orkney and more than £100,000 was raised within a few weeks.
Now, as chairman of the Longhope Lifeboat Museum Trust, Kevin hopes to complete vital repairs to the old shed in time for the landmark anniversary.
He said “It’s an emotional thing but it’s important that we preserve the old building.
“It’s still operational and very much open to the public but just like any other old building, it needs quite a lot of maintenance.”
The principle aim of the maritime museum, built in 1906, is to tell the story of the old lifeboat station and the rescues at sea, and to remember former crew. An integral part of that history is the lifeboat disaster when the eight men on the TGB lifeboat went to the aid of 17 crew on the Liberian cargo ship Irene, which was adrift in a fierce storm. The Irene ran aground at Grimness and all the crew were brought safely ashore. It should have been a happy ending but the Irene had inadvertently caused one of the worst tragedies in RNLI history. The TGB had been wrongly told the ship was lying five miles east of Halcro Head, South Ronaldsay. The volunteer crew headed to the Pentland Firth into the teeth of a gale and rough seas.
The lifeboat was found floating upside down the next day. It’s thought it had capsized after being hit by a 100ft wave.
The dead were Daniel Kirkpatrick, James Johnston, Ray Kirkpatrick, Robert R Johnston, James Swanson, Robert Johnston, John Kirkpatrick and Eric McFadyen.
To donate to the appeal, visit www.gofundme.com/longhope-lifeboat-museum