Patrick Oliver and his 18-year-old son, Morgan, found the pair near one of the Aran Islands, about 20 miles from where they were last seen.
Nephews Ellen Glynn, 17, and Sara Feeney, 23, had been paddleboarding from Furbo Beach, near the town of Galway, around 9am on Wednesday night,
After a strong northeast wind blew them to sea and a family member looking after their lost sight, the lifeboat services were called, according to Mike Swan, the Galway RNLI Lifeboat for operations.
Swan told CNN that the crew on his lifeboat had to be changed three times throughout the night while they searched.
They were assisted in the search and rescue operation by other rescue boats from the surrounding area and by three Coast Guard rescue helicopters, the rescue boat service said in a statement.
The Olivers joined the search Thursday morning, and eventually found the paddleboarders about two miles southwest of Inis Oírr, the statement added.
The women had been holding on to the lobster pots for four or five hours at that stage, Swan said.
Speaking after she was rescued, Glynn told national broadcaster RTÉ: “We were pretty sure we were found. The only thing I worried about was just how cold we were – we were shaking like leaves.”
The nephews were brought to the hospital at their discretion. Feeney was fired Thursday night and Glynn is likely to be able to return home on Saturday morning, RTÉ reported.
Describing the moment his team heard the couple was rescued, Swan told CNN: “We were on cloud nine. It’s the best feeling ever because the whole station was involved.”
He added that Patrick Oliver, who found the paddleboarders, and three of his brothers were all volunteers for the RNLI.
“It’s in her blood.” he said.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin was among those who praised the rescue services for their work.
“Great news in Galway today marks the remarkable work of our rescue and volunteer services. Great community spirit shown by all,” he tweeted.
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