In the spring of 2017, an article in Classic Wooden Boat magazine brought the fate of the former RNLB Dunleary to light. She lay in Amble, Northumberland, in a deteriorating condition. Her long-time owner, Jack Belfield, who had cherished her and worked her as a fishing vessel, had passed away. With the closure of the yard where she was kept, the vessel faced the grim prospect of being broken up.
Jack’s partner, Pat Joplin, sought desperately for a new custodian who might preserve the boat. It was at this moment that Brian Comerford, recognising both the heritage significance of the Dunleary and her strong connection to Dún Laoghaire, resolved that she must return home.
Together with Ken Robertson and Jenny Needham, Brian initiated contact with Pat. There was no clear plan for what would follow, only a determination that the vessel must first be secured and repatriated. Brian and Ken personally financed the transport, and in August 2017 the Dunleary began her final voyage home.
Departing Amble on the 14th of August, she travelled via Liverpool before reaching the Coal Harbour, Dún Laoghaire, at 6.30am on the 15th of August. Her arrival was met with great anticipation and marked the beginning of a new chapter in her long history.
Out of that homecoming, the Dunleary Lifeboat Restoration Project was established. A dedicated team of volunteers quickly formed, including Joe Balfe, JP Hally, Fred Meaney, Rita O’Reilly, Johnnie Phillips, and Ben Cooke, to safeguard and restore this important vessel.
Shortly afterwards, Pat Joplin wrote to the newly-formed project:
“We had her for nearly 50 years – longer than the RNLI – and after Jack died there was not much interest in anyone taking her on as a restoration. The boat was the love of his life… After a lot of bitter disappointments trying to secure the future of RNLB Dunleary, I was absolutely thrilled when Brian contacted me about getting her back to her ‘home’ station. The thought of her being cut up was an awful prospect for such a great old boat. Now I will rest easy knowing that she will be in good caring hands again, and her future secured.”
Her words captured what the Dunleary represents: not merely timber, iron, and rivets, but a vessel with a story, a community, and a legacy. The rescue of the Dunleary from near-oblivion was not an end in itself, but the beginning of a long-term endeavour to restore her to her original lifeboat condition and to honour the men and women who served aboard her.
The Dunleary has returned to her home port. Thanks to the dedication of volunteers and supporters, her story continues.
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