Ever since its founding in 1824, the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), later to become the RNLI in 1854, would award medals for deeds of gallantry at sea, even if no lifeboats were involved.

William Brice, Commissioned Boatman, H.M. Coastguard at Greencastle Fort, was awarded the RNIPLS Silver Medal.

"[5] A 28-foot Self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with sails and (6) oars, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, was transported from London to Belfast free of charge, aboard one the steamships of the Belfast Screw Steam Ship Company, and then onward to Londonderry, via the Irish North Western Railway, arriving in April 1864.

The lifeboat was transported free of charge from Liverpool by the steamship of Johnson Grainger & Co, who generously returned the old boat under the same terms.

[7] On the morning of 11 November 1873, in a northerly gale, the barque L. G. Biglow of Nova Scotia was seen indicating signals of distress near the Tuns Bank.

[11][12] In dense fog, but calm conditions, the Anchor Line Ocean Liner California ran aground on Tory Island on the evening of 28 June 1914, with 1100 passengers and 270 crew aboard.