Nine lives were saved by the county's lifeboats during the past year, four in Courtown, one in Wexford and four in Kilmore Quay.

Owen Medland, the RNLI''s divisional operations manager, said the RNLI's definition of a life saved is a person who would have 'absolutely perished had it not been wholly for the lifeboat'.

A total of 94 people were 'brought to safety' by the county's lifeboats in 2014, with Kilmore Quay carrying out the lion's share at 63 such rescues.

Others were Rosslare harbour 15, Courtown, seven, Fethard on Sea, five and Wexford, four.

A more detailed breakdown of figures will be in the Wexford People on Tuesday, February 3.

Wexford People