A woman has died in hospital after sustaining multiple stings from a swarm of bees in north Co Mayo.
The incident happened at around 5pm on Monday while the woman, aged in her 70s, was tending to beehives near her home in Ballycastle.
The emergency services were contacted and the woman was collected by the Rescue 118 helicopter and taken Sligo University Hospital.
A local man, who did not wish to be identified, said neighbours rushed to assist the woman as soon as they became aware of the situation. Some of the locals were also stung by the swarm while attempting to help.
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“Neighbours raised the alarm and the victim was on the ground when I arrived,” the man said. “Two local people were treated by ambulance personnel at the scene for stings.”
The man said there was a “shock, horror and disbelief” in the community as a result of what happened to the woman.
“I understand the woman who died showed an improvement while in the rescue helicopter but died later,” he said.
Michael Loftus, a Fianna Fáil councillor, described the incident as “a tragedy” for the woman, her husband and family “and the entire north Mayo community”.
“We are all shocked and taken aback about what is considered to be a relatively rare event – the death of a person from bee stings,” he said.
“In the public interest, the full circumstances of what happened will have to be fully investigated”.
It is understood the woman and her husband are well-known beekeepers in the area and have won many awards for their honey over the years.
The Coroner for Sligo, in whose jurisdiction the death occurred, has been notified and an inquest will be held at a later date.
