
The Rescue
On December 7, 1940 the Dutch steamer Stolwijk ran aground off the coast of Donegal in hurricane force winds. The crew of the Arranmore lifeboat risked their lives to rescue 18 men in the worst weather conditions that locals can remember before or since.
Around the Island
The RNLI, however, recognised their exceptional efforts with a gold medal for coxswain Jack Boyle and silver and bronze medals for his crew, this honour was replicated with medals from Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. This is one of only three stations in Ireland to receive this accolade.


The Lifeboat Crew
The song has been described as not just a ballad but a piece of local history come to life. The song received huge acclaim, both locally and nationally, and with the proceeds of the single, a beautiful and lasting monument to the crew was unveiled in August 2017 at the ferry slip on the island.
