Sadness at tragic kayak death on Caragh River
DESPITE valiant efforts to save 21-year old Aisling O’Connor following a kayaking accident on Caragh River in Glencar last Saturday afternoon, she tragically lost her live on Monday evening.
The University of Limerick student was one of a group of more than 20 kayakers on a trip to Kerry last Saturday when the tragedy unfolded.
Two of the group got into difficulties while kayaking north of the Blackstone Bridge on the Caragh River close to the townland of Lyranes Lower in Glencar. There was a yellow weather warning on Friday due to heavy rainfall and on Saturday there were high water levels in the river.
A 23-year-old man and the 21-year old woman were both pulled from the water and heroic efforts were made to resuscitate the students.
The 23-year-old male was rushed to University Hospital Kerry by ambulance while 21-year-old Aisling was taken by the Irish Community Rapid Response (ICRR) air ambulance to University Hospital Kerry. She tragically lost her life on Monday evening.
Aisling O’Connor, had celebrated her 21st birthday in September, and was a third year industrial biochemical student at the University of Limerick.
Aisling and her family are living in Ballyshannon in Donegal but Aisling grew up in Skibbereen in Cork. It is understood that her death will not be in vain as the deceased’s organs were donated.
The University of Limerick issued a statement following Aisling’s tragic death: “Our prayers go out to Aisling’s family especially her parents Sorcha Begley and David O’Connor, her brothers Ciaran, Matthew and her sisters Clodagh and Maeve. We will work to support Aisling’s friends, class mates and club mates here at UL in coming to terms with this loss.”
More than 15 volunteers rushed to the scene of the accident on Saturday to help rescue the students who had got into difficulty on the Caragh River.
Three first responders from Killorglin Fire Service attended the scene and were on hand to help resuscitate the two casualties. Members of UL kayaking club had already pulled the two victims from the water – one on either side of the bank. Valiant efforts were made by club members, including an emergency technician, who was with the group to try and save their lives. Emergency services in Kerry praised the club’s efforts and said they did everything they could and halted what could have been a much worse tragedy.
Ms O’Connor was resuscitated by trained paramedics from the ICRR air ambulance crew and the local fire officers. The marshy ground where Aisling was pulled from the river made it difficult to remove her but the air ambulance managed to land close by. The male, meanwhile, was taken by jeep to an ambulance waiting at The Glencar Hotel. Iveragh Coast Guard and the Gardaí also attended the scene.
Acting senior assistant chief fire officer John Hegarty said that every effort was made by all involved to ensure everyone’s safety but there is tremendous sadness at the tragic death of Aisling.