The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Dog remained with her owner’s body over two nights on lonely bog
Ballylongford saddened at the death of 86-year-old Tom Shanahan who collapsed walking his dog on remote bog
THE beloved pet dog of an elderly Ballylongford man who died while walking the bogs of his remote rural home last week remained huddled by his remains for two nights until his body was finally located.
The remains of 86-year-old Tom Shanahan were discovered less than a mile from the home in which he lived with just his terrier Suzie for company shortly before 10am on Wednesday last.
It’s believed that Mr Shanahan had set out for his daily walk around the Graffa bog on Monday evening, after he was last seen by neighbour and friend John Fealey.
It was Mr Fealey who raised the alarm on Tuesday morning when he arrived to his neighbour’s home – part of his daily routine – to find it empty.
Alerting gardaí, Mr Fealey set out in search of his friend as local coastal rescue units and the Gardaí’s canine team were called into action.
It was to culminate in a discovery that has led to deep sadness in the North Kerry village, where Mr Shanahan is remembered as a kindly soul who had been a central player in the success of the local GAA side in his youth.
“We saw his dog, Suzie, first before we discovered Tom’s remains. She was by his side all the time and only started moving away as we approached. The two of them were together with the last four or five years, morning, noon and night bar when he went into the village for his shopping. He used to say ‘Stay there and I’ll bring you back something’ to her as he was leaving, that was always his way with the dog,” Mr Fealey told The Kerryman.
Mr Fealey had brought his neighbour into the village on the Monday morning, driving him home after he had completed his shopping and putting a fire down for him before returning to his own house. “I returned on Tuesday morning to see if he was alright, but there was no sign of him. I checked around and raised the alarm after about an hour.”
The Garda dog unit searched through the dark of Tuesday evening and night.
It was Mr Fealey who suggested the general location in the expansive Graffa bog where Mr Shanahan’s remains were ultimately found, but atrocious conditions hampered the search and rescue operation all day Tuesday. The Kerryman understands the Coastguard was unable to deploy the helicopter in a vicinity with huge wind turbines due to the poor visibility, with Mr Fealey and searchers eventually discovering Mr Shanahan’s body at around 9.45am on Wednesday.
It is thought that he died suddenly on the Monday evening. “Tom was as sound as you’d get, there wasn’t a bad bone in his body, he was a gentleman and a character. If you needed an aul dig he’d give you one, if you were looking for a smart remark you’d get it off him. You wouldn’t get on your high horse with him ever,” he fondly recalled.
His loyal pet Suzie was meanwhile returned to her home. “We left her in her own house, but we’re feeding her regularly. She can stay in her own home and be looked after there. You couldn’t let an animal go hungry,” Mr Fealey said.