http://irelandbyways.co.uk/saltees-keeraghs-co-wexford/: "In February 1914 'The Mexico', a Norwegian barque, ran aground in stormy seas [off the County Wexford, Ireland coast]. The Fethard lifeboat was launched, but both vessels were smashed to pieces by mighty waves. Nine of the 14 crew were swept to their deaths; the remaining five joined the eight surviving sailors on the exposed reef , where they remained miserably clinging to rocks while the storm continued unabated.

"Several attempts to rescue them were foiled before two brave men, Bill Duggan and Jim Wickham of the Rosslare Fort lifeboat, took a dinghy and ferried the survivors two at a time from their ice cold rocks. The operation needed 6 trips in stormy seas to bring all to safety, but on the second of these, the dinghy was holed. For the remaining trips the sea was kept out by a loaf of bread wrapped in oilskins, plugged into the opening.

"The incident is known as the Fethard Lifeboat Disaster. Many ballads were written about the tragedy, including the anonymous THE FETHARD LIFEBOAT CREW, which contains the lines:

The thunder roared, the lightning flashed, the seas like mountains ran,
But onward ‘mid that tempestuous storm the lifeboat proudly came.
The signal which she flashed that night was the white o’er the green in view:
The signal which a sailor reads: ‘I will not abandon you’.

As she neared the ill fated Mexico, oh heavens what a shock,
Their boat was dashed to pieces on the dreaded Keeragh Rock.
Oh God what a sensation, to behold those heroes brave,
Contending with the raging seas, their precious lives to save.

The crew of the gallant Mexico, though terror stricken too,
They rendered all assistance to the drowning lifeboat crew.
Five of those gallant heroes were all that could be found.
The other nine, by the Keeragh Rock, I’m sorry to say were drowned.

May God have mercy upon their souls, who gave their noble lives,
And heaven guard the helpless ones those heroes left behind.

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can we add more to the above lyrics, and add other songs and poems to commemorate the Fethard Lifeboat Disaster?

"The ballad features on the wonderful 'Ar Scáth A Chéile' CD by Joe & Connor & friends and all proceeds went towards the RNLI." (20 Feb 2021 post at https://www.facebook.com/traditionalarchivechannel/ ) The facebook Traditional Archive Channel includes the same selection from the Fethard Lifeboat Crew, along with some photographs and this more detailed background:

"On Friday February 20th, 1914 the Norwegian registered schooner 'Mexico' found itself between the Saltee Islands and Kilmore Quay just off the Wexford Coast. Conditions were treacherous with very poor visibility and the rocks of Keeragh Islands (Oileáin na gCaorach) in Ballyteige Bay is where this tragic story unfolds. The Fethard-on-Sea lifeboat, the 'Helen Blake' set off with 14 crew. Nine of the crew of the Fethard life boat were killed and drowned in a gallant attempt to save the crew of the 'Mexico'...... Today we remember The Fethard lifeboat crew who lost their lives: Coxswain, Christopher Bird, Michael Handrick, Patrick Stafford, William Bird, Thomas Handrick, Patrick Roche, Patrick Cullen, James Morrissey and William Banville. Richard Bird did survive but unfortunately he died two years later in 1916 aged 24 from injuries that he had received."