John McVeagh died saving a young boy in river Boyne rescue bid
COURAGEOUS NORTH QUAY MAN HAD PLAYED HIS PART WITH THE REPUBLICAN CAUSE IN 1922
A VERY sad drowning fatality occurred in the Boyne at Drogheda on Sunday evening about six o’clock, when John McVeagh, North Quay, Drogheda, a youth who was prominently identified with the Republican cause in 1922, was drowned after very pluckily rescuing a boy of 13 named John Brien, who was a member of a Dun Laoghaire excursion visiting Drogheda, and who fell into the river near the Viaduct while playing about there.
It appears that the boy, Brien, was throwing stones at birds from the edge of the river when he slipped and fell in. There were several people about, amongst them McVeagh, who quickly jumped into the river and swam to the rescue, overtaking the boy and brought him resting on his back. When within a few yards of the river-bank, however, McVeagh was suddenly seen to collapse and falling backwards into the water, sank to rise no more.
Brien was taken ashore by a man named Heeney. McVeagh’s body was recovered within 15 minutes, but life was then extinct. Considerable sympathy is felt with the relatives of the deceased who met his death under such sad circumstances.
The funeral to the New Cemetery on Tuesday was very largely attended. The coffin was draped in the tri-colour and was borne all the way to the graveyard by deceased’s comrades. The Drogheda Pipers’ Band played the Dead March.
At his father’s home in North Quay, Drogheda, an inquest was held in front of a jury, of which Mr. James Berrill, T.C., was foreman.
Supt. O’Boyle appeared on behalf of the Civic Guards. The Coroner said it was a particularly sad case, as the young man had met with his death trying to rescue another, a little boy of 13, named John Brien of Dun Laoghaire. ‘Deceased made a heroic attempt to save the boy’s life and succeeded but in so doing was himself drowned.’
Thomas McVeagh, father of deceased, gave evidence of identification. Deceased was 20 years of age and left home on Sunday evening at 3.30. Witness did not see him afterwards till he was conveyed home dead at about 6.30pm.
John Brien said he was 13 years old and was a native of Dun Laoghaire. He came on the excursion to Drogheda on Sunday. He was down at the river with other boys. They were throwing stones at birds on the edge of the river when he slipped and fell in.
He remembered going down and coming up again when a man swimming out got under him and told him to rest on his back. He did so until nearing the edge of the water, when the man sank down and witness jumped off his back. He (witness) then sank down but came up again and grasped a crutch which was extended to him by a man in the room (pointing to Thomas Heeney). He did not remember any more after that.
Thomas Heeney, Hardman’s Gardens, next gave evidence, stating he was playing cards near the big bridge when he heard the cry of a man drowning. He immediately ran to the spot and saw deceased swimming out to rescue the last witness. He had a crutch which he extended to Brian he got him to the shore. Witness threw out a belt to save McVeagh, which he lost, but he never got up above the water; if he caught the belt he would have saved
Mr. James Berrill, foreman, and the jury expressed their deepest sympathy with the parents and relatives of deceased and said that the parents of deceased were in poor circumstances and their case should be recommended to the Royal Humane Society.