Boy (17) drowned chasing after ball

THE River Boyne has again lived up to its tragic and ancient reputation of claiming three victims each year.

Last night at 8.45 p.m. another boy was drowned here, making three drowning tragedies in the Drogheda portion of the river within three weeks, the other two victims being also schoolboys.

Kevin Eustace, aged 17 years, a son of Mr. Charles Eustace, of Trinity Street, the well-known Drogheda painter, is the latest victim and he met his death last night when he fell, fully clothed, into the river at the Quays, opposite Mr. J. Kiernan’s public house.

The unfortunate boy, who was playing ball on the Quay with some companions, followed the ball to the edge of the wharf and when trying to prevent a from being lost in the river, fell into the water himself.

A large crowd of people ran along the Quays to the spot. The boy’s companions shouted for help and two girls named Driscoll and Rooney, who were in the vicinity, called some men who rushed to a lifebuoy hanging nearby and threw it into the water near where Eustace was struggling in the water, but being unable to swim, he could not reach it, and soon sank from sight.

Some Guards under Supt. Casserley came on the scene a few minutes after and, after some twenty minutes’ work with grappling irons, succeeded in bringing the boy to the surface. but there were no signs of life.