Pier tragedy mum: My ray of light is my daughter
Pier tragedy mother’s tribute
HEARTBROKEN Louise James yesterday paid an emotional tribute to the partner she lost in the Buncrana pier tragedy and to her little daughter who survived.
The devastated mother who lost two sons, her sister, mother and partner stated outside the inquest that her ‘heart is shattered’, but her one ray of light is little daughter RionaghacAnn who was rescued.
In her statement read out after verdicts of death by misadventure were returned, she also acknowledged the revelation that Mr McGrotty was three times over the drink-drive limit when the family’s jeep slipped into Lough Swilly.
‘Regarding Seán, notwithstanding the evidence that has emerged, I wish to add that he was a wonderful partner to me and an adoring father to his children.
‘He lived for them and it is clear from what this inquest has heard that he in fact died as he lived in that he could have saved himself but chose not to,’ a solicitor read out on behalf of Ms James.
Ms James was returning from a hen party in Liverpool when she heard the horrific news that several members of her family had died. Yesterday she fought back tears as she stood in the bitter cold outside the Lake of Shadows Hotel where she had heard harrowing evidence of the last moments of her loved-ones’ lives over the past two days.
The statement was delivered through her solicitor, with Robert Anderson who said Louise was making a statement in the hope that she would live her life as best she could. She said that it is with a heavy heart and great sadness that she had listened to the evidence during the inquest.
‘There are simply no words to express my pain, my disbelief and indeed my anger over what happened on that fateful day,’ she said. ‘My heart is shattered. Every moment of every day is filled with thoughts of my beautiful boys Mark and Evan, my mother Ruth, my sister Jodi Lee and my partner Seán. The one ray of sunshine in my life is my beautiful daughter Rionaghac who survived this horrible tragedy and for that I must once again thank Davitt [Walsh] and those others who helped to save her on the day.’
Ms James said the slipway at Buncrana pier should never have been opened on the day in March, 2016 when the accident happened. ‘I firmly believe that the slipway should have been closed to the general public or else proper warning signs displayed as it was an accident waiting to happen.
‘Hopefully lessons will be learned and the recommendations made following this inquest will be implemented.’
The jury at the two-day inquest into their deaths yesterday found they had died due to drowning, while the cause of death was death by misadventure.
Jurors also recommended that Irish Water Safety take a prominent role in advising and working with all interested parties to introduce best international practice for safety on slipways and piers.
Speaking at the close of the inquest, coroner Dr Denis McCauley paid tribute to all involved in the incident including the RNLI, gardaí, fire service and all emergency services. He also offered his condolences, remarking: ‘Each death will be felt differently but it is still eternally tragic.’
Garda Inspector David Murphy commended the emergency services and paid particular tribute to passerby Davitt Walsh who managed to rescue Rionaghac from the sinking jeep. He said: ‘He is an ordinary man who did an extraordinary thing.’