Orders, Decorations and Medals

Royal National Lifeboat Institution, silver medal, V.R. (Mr Edward Rourke, Voted 9th July 1897) some light edge bruises but generally good very fine and toned

Edward Rourke, Seaman, Hooker Maymaid of Howth.
11 May 1897: Off the Nose of Howth, Co Dublin, the Ringsend trawler Dodger sprang a leak and was taken in tow by the Howth hooker Storm King. The trawler began to sink immediately, so the hooker launched a boat with Mr Rickard and Mr Caulfield in it which took off the two man crew. Fouled by the trawler’s boom, the boat was dragged partly down leaving the four men struggling in the water. They regained the boat and righted her, but she was capsized three times by the rough seas. The Howth hooker Maymaid launched a boat manned by Messrs. McLaughlan, Kelly and Rourke and saved all four men.
The silver medal was voted to the five men involved in the rescue, all Seamen from the Storm King and Maymaid.