The town of
Enniskillen sits on the short stretch of the
River Erne between the two lakes collectively known as
Lough Erne, in
County Fermanagh,
Northern Ireland. The smaller southern lake is called the Upper Lough, and the bigger northern lake is called the Lower or Broad Lough. The water then flows out to the
Atlantic Ocean. The lough has more than 150 islands, and covers over . Previously rescue work on the lough had been covered by the
Royal Ulster Constabulary. Later, a charitable trust had been set up, and Lough Erne Rescue was formed. On 24 May 2001, the RNLI established their first inland lifeboat station at Enniskillen, taking over from Lough Erne Rescue.
Enniskillen (Lower) Lifeboat Station would be the 40th RNLI lifeboat station in Ireland. Two Jetski, known in the RNLI as a Rescue Water Craft, (RWC-053) and (RWC-054), were also placed at the station in 2009, operating until 2022. In 2014, 12 years after operations commenced at Carrybridge, and continued in temporary buildings, construction of a new station building was started, and would be the first specially built inland RNLI station building. The work was carried out by Omagh-based Woodvale Construction, and £60,000 was raised by the local community towards the cost. The building was completed and operational by March 2015. At a ceremony on 14 October 2015, the station was formally opened by H.R.H.
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, President of the RNLI, and handed over to Tom Bailey, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Carrybridge, who accepted the new building on behalf of Enniskillen RNLI. In 2017, Enniskillen (Upper) Lifeboat Station would officially change its name to
Carrybridge Lifeboat Station. At the same time, Enniskillen (Lower) Lifeboat Station was renamed Enniskillen Lifeboat Station. The lifeboat arrived on station in 2017. At a naming ceremony and service of dedication, the lifeboat was named after his three children,
Douglas, Euan & Kay Richards (B-904). ==Carrybridge lifeboats==