The lifeboat was built in London but was destroyed in a fire at the boat yard on 19 June 1858 so it was 1859 by the time the station was ready.

This made use of the facilities of the Wexford Harbour Boat Club until the permanent station was built in 2007.

[9][10] The coastguards received recognition from the RNLI during the early years of the lifeboat being stationed at their fort.

S J Lett received RNLI gold medal for his part in saving 8 people from the wrecked Ariadne on 25 November 1838.

Another wreck on 31 January 1839 resulted in 5 lives being saved and Thomas Bates receiving a silver medal.

He was awarded an RNLI silver medal after riding a horse into the water to rescue people from the schooner Mary after it was wrecked on 13 November 1840.

On 18 September 1852 he was one of many people who launched boats to go to the aid of the Bhurtpoor which had run aground while carrying hundreds of emigrants to New Orleans.

[11][12][13] Lifeboat coxswain Marcus Boyle was awarded a silver medal for leading the rescue of 4 men, 8 women and 6 children from the Montagu which ran aground in a storm in 1878.

The 5 survivors managed to reach South Keeragh Island and bring the schooner's crew across to them.

The Wexford and Dunmore East lifeboats managed to rescue the two crews from the island three days later.

Lifeboat Chief Inspector Holmes came from London to oversee the rescue operation and also received a silver medal.