THE ARAN island community of Inis Oírr has expressed its shock and sympathy at the death of a Dublin man in a surfing accident at the weekend. The 56-year-old man, whose name has not yet been released, was an experienced surfer who was on the island with his family for an Easter break.
It is understood he was surfing off Ceann na Faochán on the southwest of the island on Saturday evening when he sustained serious head injuries in a fall. Weather conditions were good at the time.
He was pulled ashore by his family and his son, who is a medical student, administered first aid while another family member ran for help.
A Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter was alerted and arrived on the scene shortly after 9pm.
The helicopter winchman assisted with first aid, but it is understood the man died at the scene. His body was flown to Limerick regional hospital.
Fr Joe Jennings of Séipéal Mhuire on Inis Oírr said people were at 9pm Mass when they heard the helicopter and knew someone was in difficulty.
“It is a shocking tragedy for the man’s wife and two children, and people on the island are very upset. The family has been with us before, and know the island well. It all happened in a very isolated place.”
Mass was said for the man’s family on Inis Oírr yesterday morning, and local people and visitors expressed their condolences before his wife and two children left for the mainland.
The Shannon-based helicopter was also involved in several call-outs to assist walkers over the weekend.
A female walker with a broken ankle was flown from Maam Cross in Connemara to University College Hospital, Galway.
A walker who got into difficulty on Carrauntouhill, Co Kerry, was assisted by the Kerry Mountain Rescue and winched on to the helicopter. The walker was flown to Tralee general hospital.
Both Irish Water Safety and the Irish Mountain Rescue Association (IMRA) have issued safety warnings over the Bank Holiday weekend as people take advantage of the good weather.
IMRA, which represents 12 mountain rescue teams, reported involvement in 214 incidents last year (2008), compared to 201 in 2007. Over half of last year’s call-outs occurred at weekends, and summer 2008 – which was marked by bad weather – was almost twice as busy as the three seasons during the rest of the year.
Up to 350 volunteers gave 14,200 hours to search-and-rescue calls alone, apart from training and fundraising which almost doubled that time.
Gerry Christie of Kerry Mountain Rescue has reminded walkers to check weather forecasts and ensure that they have suitable equipment and food and made adequate plans before setting off.
