Two “inseparable” friends from childhood were drowned when their SUV was swept downstream by floodwaters as they tried to cross a normally shallow stream in the early hours of Christmas morning.
Darkness was falling some 15 hours later when the bodies of Martin Needham (27) and Declan Davitt (26) were recovered from a lake on the Carrowniskey River, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, near where the river empties into the Atlantic.
A third person in the vehicle, Tom McGrail (19) managed to escape from the submerged vehicle and raise the alarm.
They were returning after a night socialising with friends when they entered the swollen waterway at about 2.30am.
Seaboard communities in south west Mayo are numbed by the tragedy.
“Christmas is not only on hold, it has been forgotten about altogether,” one resident of the Carrowniskey area told reporters on Monday as the grim search for the bodies continued.
One of the bodies was found at about 3.30pm on Monday in a deep pool of water after an earlier search of the submerged SUV found no traces of the missing men. The second body was found a short time later downstream from where the vehicle was found - about 1.5km from the coast.
Louisburgh man Peter Sweeney, a relative of Declan Davitt, said in normal water flow conditions vehicles could easily traverse the Carrowniskey River and enter and exit the village of Roonith.
However, the river, swollen by rain in the previous few days, was in a treacherous state.
“The lads were in a good, strong jeep,” Mr Sweeney said. “They probably thought they were safe.”
Mr McGrail who managed to escape the vehicle as it was carried downstream made his way to a local farmhouse where he raised the alarm. A full scale search and rescue operation ensued.
Friends from school
The two victims were friends since school days and worked for a time, though not together, in New Zealand for agricultural contractors.
“Since they returned from New Zealand the boys were once again inseparable,” said Mr Sweeney. “They were deeply involved in agricultural work and were passionate about tractors and other farm machinery.”
Both of the men were single.
Relatives, friends and community are supporting the grieving families.
Mr Needham is survived by his parents, Pat Joe and Breege; sisters, Olivia, Patricia, Caitriona and Elaine; and their families.
Mr Davitt, who was predeceased by a sister, Kathleen, is survived by his parents, Walter and Mary; a brother, Christopher; and sisters Mary and Patricia.
Mr Needham will be buried on Thursday following Requiem Mass at midday in the Church of the Holy Family, Killeen, Louisburgh.
His friend will be laid to rest on Friday following Requiem Mass, also at midday, in the same church.
The families of both men, grateful for the huge search operation carried out on Christmas Day, have requested that donations, if any, in lieu of flowers, be made or the benefit of the emergency services and local volunteers.
Post mortem examinations on both bodies were to be completed on Tuesday at Mayo University Hospital in Castlebar prior to the release of the remains for burials.
A full forensic investigation is underway into the tragedy. As part of the inquiry, the vehicle is to be subjected to a technical examination once it is removed by heavy lifting gear from the waterway.