Two drown in separate tragedies on Lough Derg
TWO men have died in separate tragedies after getting into difficulty while swimming in Lough Derg – the second double drowning tragedy to hit the country in the space of a week.
The latest tragic incidents occurred yesterday afternoon within an hour of each other and just two miles apart.
Valentia Coastguard received reports of a male swimmer in difficulty near Terryglass, Co Tipperary, at 5.53pm and his body was recovered a short time later.
The second swimmer in distress, a man in his 30s, was reported to the coastguard at 6.14pm and his body was also recovered from the water.
Last Thursday, teenage pals Shay Moloney and Jack Kenneally lost their lives tragically after going for a swim in a disused quarry at Ennis, Co Clare.
TWO men have died in separate tragedies after getting into difficulty while swimming in Lough Derg on the River Shannon – the second double drowning tragedy to hit the country in the space of a week.
The latest tragic incidents occurred yesterday afternoon within an hour of each other and just two miles apart.
Valentia Coastguard received reports of a male swimmer in difficulty near Terryglass, Co Tipperary, at 5.53pm and dispatched rescue crews to the scene.
The man’s body was recovered a short time later.
The second incident, at Portumna, Co Galway, was reported to the coastguard at 6.14pm and involved another man in his 30s.
A source told the Irish Independent that he also got into difficulty while swimming in Lough Derg.
The man’s body was also recovered from the water.
“These tragic incidents occurred only a couple of miles away from each other,” said a source.
“They were two entirely separate cases that occurred in different parts of Lough Derg.
“The Lough Derg life support unit, the coast guards and helicopter were dispatched for both operations.
“The men’s bodies have been recovered and their families have been contacted,” said the source.
Last Thursday, teenage pals Shay Moloney and Jack Kenneally lost their lives in a drowning tragedy after going for a swim in a disused quarry at Knockanean, outside Ennis, Co Clare.
The boys, aged 15, both perished as Shay tried desperately to save his best friend after he got into difficulty while swimming.
They were remembered this week by devastated family and friends as ‘brothers in arms’
The latest double tragedy came as Ireland’s weather continues to send the mercury soaring in the first week of June.
Last month, temperatures here hit a high of 26.3C at Shannon Airport – the highest in six years.
The latest monthly report from Met Éireann says that rainfall was below average and temperatures above monthly norms in May as the first signs of summer arrived. All weather stations reported above average sunshine levels.
The monthly sunshine values ranged from 104pc at Cork Airport, rising to 118pc at Casement Aerodrome, Dublin, and Shannon Airport, Clare.
This equates to 201.1 hours and 220 hours of sunshine.
The first half of May was marked by rain and showers on most days and a noticeable drop in temperature towards the end of the second week.
But things changed for the latter half, as summer clothes were dusted off and winter coats were discarded.