The Sir Samuel Kelly Historic Lifeboat. The Past, Present and The Future!

The Present:

In 2023, exciting news arrived that the Sir Samuel Kelly Preservation Group in Donaghadee, a non-profit organization, received a £90,000 grant from the National Lottery.

As one of their many supporters, I was pleased to assist by preparing the planning application drawings for the current temporary exhibition room in collaboration with Ards and North Down Borough Council. I was also thrilled to announce that this historic lifeboat and exhibition room is now open to the public and I encourage everyone to visit and show their support.

The Future:

The long-term goal of the Donaghadee Heritage and Preservation Company has always been to establish a permanent home for the Sir Samuel Kelly, which would function as a Visitor and Heritage Centre for Donaghadee.

I was pleased to be invited to assist and, in collaboration with Dempsey Architects, created the following design concept drawings for a permanent centre in Donaghadee.

A presentation was given to Ards and North Down Borough Council in January 2025, and it was very well received by everyone. Stay tuned for future updates.

The Historic Lifeboat - Sir Samuel Kelly

The lifeboat is presently located next to the Copelands Marina in Donaghadee, near the exhibition room. This lifeboat holds iconic status due to its involvement in saving 33 individuals from the Princess Victoria disaster. It was based in Donaghadee from 1950 to 1976, after which it became part of the reserve fleet in Ireland.

The Past:

At the conclusion of its service, the vessel made headlines once more, participating in the ill-fated Fastnet Yacht Race disaster in August 1979, while stationed at Courtmacsherry, Co Cork.

After its retirement, the lifeboat was acquired by the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and returned to Northern Ireland in 1980. In late 2017, ownership was transferred to the council-operated North Down Museum.

In 2018, the Donaghadee Heritage Preservation Company entered into a loan agreement for the Sir Samuel Kelly with Ards and North Down Borough Council, along with a lease for the compound where it is situated. The company has restored the lifeboat to its 1953 condition.

The effort to preserve this renowned lifeboat has also received support from adventurer Bear Grylls, whose great-grandfather, Sir Walter Smiles, was among the 130 people who perished in the disaster.

Bear Grylls said:

“The restoration and preservation of the Sir Samuel Kelly lifeboat, and the construction of a heritage centre in Donaghadee to provide it with a permanent home, will create a fitting memorial to all those who were touched by the Princess Victoria tragedy. The dead include my great grandfather Sir Walter Smiles at whose home in Donaghadee I spent many happy summer days as a boy.”

My best wishes and gratitude go to everyone in the Sir Samuel Kelly Preservation Group and Donaghadee Heritage Preservation Company for all their hard work and ongoing commitment to this project. Glenn