Irish Medals

First medal created by the Irish Free State. It was instituted in 1923 by the Irish Minister of Industry and Commerce, as an award for acts of gallantry in saving life on the high seas where a vessel registered in the Irish State was wrecked or endangered. The medal was designed by Albert Power, R.H.A., the dies made by Messrs. Janvier & Berchant, Paris, and the medal was struck in 1924 by P. Quinn & Co., Dublin. The medal obverse, in low relief, shows a two-funnelled steamship sinking by the stern in heavy seas, whilst in the foreground is an oared lifeboat coming to the rescue, on either side are lighthouses symbolic of night and day, above are two reclining figures symbolic of the great oceans and below is a ‘stormy petrel’ with outspread wings. Only one medal was issued. A specimen of the medal is known to have been presented to the National Museum in 1935 and one other specimen is known to exist.The medal officially became obsolete in 1947 being replaced by the Medals for Civil Bravery.

The first and only Saving Life at Sea medal was awarded to the Captain of the Steam Trawler Mannofield for the rescue of the Williams brothers.

On Tuesday the 1st of July 1924 the yacht Siren owned by William Blackmore, Dun Laoghaire, sailing from Milford Haven to Dungarvan was caught in a South-South West gale. The nine ton yacht was caught by a huge wave which carried away the jib and a portion of the sails leaving the vessel unmanageable. The two man crew, skipper Williams and his brother from Dungarvan County Waterford were in a perilous position and unable to steer the yacht and in danger of being washed overboard were compelled to seek shelter from the fury of the gale by securing themselves in the cockpit of the boat.

For six hours the crew of the Siren were tossed about as the yacht drifted helplessly. At about 9pm Captain Britton on the bridge of the steam trawler Mannofield spotted what he believed to be an abandoned yacht but on getting up close to the yacht he heard the shouts of the crew. The condition were too rough to enable Captain Britton to launch a life boat and he was forced, under perilous conditions, to manoeuvre his trawler to the weather-side of the yacht enabling a life-line to be passed to yacht by which the Williams brothers were able to board the Mannofield.

Conditions were too rough to enable a tow-rope to be attached to the yacht so the crew were forced to leave it to drift, it was picked up some days later. The Williams brothers were brought to the South Wall Dublin arriving at about 10.30am Wednesday morning.

The medal was presented to Alfred Britton on the 14th of September 1925 by W. T. Cosgrave and the Minister of Trade & Industry Mr. McGilligan.

Michael Heffernan Medal for Marine Gallantry

Michael Heffernan Gold Medal for Marine Gallantry, the medal was awarded in three categories Gold, Silver and Bronze.

Gold Medal awarded for a rescue or act of a singular exceptional and outstanding nature in the saving of life, where it can be demonstrated clearly that the rescuer acted with courage, heroism, skill and initiative of the highest order and in perilous circumstances. Consideration may be given to the degree of peril in which the rescuer committed themselves to, the level of danger of the rescued person(s) and to the selflessness of the actions.

Silver Medal awarded for an act of gallantry for a rescue or act of an outstanding nature where it can be demonstrated that the rescuer acted with courage, heroism, skill and initiative of a very high order. Consideration may be given to the peril in which the rescuer found himself/herself and to the selflessness of the actions.

Bronze Medal awarded for an act of gallantry of a very high order where it can be demonstrated that the rescuer acted with courage, skill and initiative of a very high order.