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Displaying items by tag: quarry

Two teenage boys have died in hospital after getting into difficulty swimming in a quarry lake in Ennis, as TheJournal.ie reports.

Emergency services were called to the scene at a quarry lake near Ennis, Co Clare at 3.30pm yesterday afternoon (Thursday 31 May).

It’s understood that the casualties were recovered from the water and airlifted to University Hospital Limerick in critical condition.

According to The Irish Times, the deceased have been named locally as Jack Kenneally and Shay Moloney, both aged 15.

Thirty children aged 14 and under have died by drowning in the last decade, according to Irish Water Safety’s recent campaign for vigilance on the water.

Published in News Update
Tagged under

#WaterSafety - Four more people have drowned in separate incidents around Ireland as the heatwave continues.

As RTÉ News reports, a 24-year-old man died while swimming in the sea near Ardara in Co Donegal yesterday afternoon (20 July).

Later, the body of a second victim was recovered from the Shrule River in Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone after getting into difficulty.

A third man in his 60s is was drowned after failing to return from a swim in a quarry near Carrick-on-Suir. His body was recovered earlier today.

The tragedies follow news of a 19-year-old who drowned while swimming with friends in Lough Leane in Killarney on Friday evening (19 July).

And a woman in her 30s was lucky to be rescued after getting into difficulty swimming in the River Nore near Kilkenny. She is currently in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

Irish Water Safety have renewed their appeal for the public to take extra care when taking to the water during this extraordinary hot weather that had already claimed seven lives as of Thursday last.

Published in Water Safety
Four divers were airlifted to hospital yesterday after getting into difficulty while exploring a flooded quarry in Portroe, Co Tipperary.
RTÉ News reports that one of the divers, a man in his 20s, was airlifted by the Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter to Navy headquarters at Haulbowline in Cork, where he was treated in a decompression chamber.
His three companions were taken to Cork University Hospital as a precaution against decompression sickness.
A hospital spokesperson told the Irish Examiner that none of the group is in a serious condition, though all four are being kept under observation.

Four divers were airlifted to hospital yesterday after getting into difficulty while exploring a flooded quarry in Portroe, Co Tipperary.

RTÉ News reports that one of the divers, a man in his 20s, was airlifted by the Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter to Navy headquarters at Haulbowline in Cork, where he was treated in a decompression chamber.

His three companions were taken to Cork University Hospital as a precaution against decompression sickness.

A hospital spokesperson told the Irish Examiner that none of the group is in a serious condition, though all four are being kept under observation.

Published in Diving

Whether you're a boat enthusiast, historian, archaeologist, fisherman, or just taken by the natural beauty of Ireland's waterways, you will find something of interest in our Inland pages on Afloat.ie.

Inland Waterways

Ireland is lucky to have a wealth of river systems and canals crossing the country that, while once vital for transporting goods, are today equally as important for angling, recreational boating and of course tourism.

From the Barrow Navigation to the Erne System, the Grand Canal, the Lower Bann, the Royal Canal, the Shannon-Erne Waterway and the Shannon Navigation, these inland waterways are popular year in, year out for anyone with an interest in rambling; flora and fauna; fishing; sailing; motorboating; canoeing, kayaking and waterskiing; and cruising on narrowboats.

Although most will surely identify Ireland's inland waterways with boating holidays and a peaceful afternoon's angling, many varieties of watersport are increasingly favoured activities. Powerboat and Jetski courses abound, as do opportunities for waterskiing or wakeboarding. For those who don't require engine power, there's canoeing and kayaking, as Ireland's waterways have much to offer both recreational paddlers and those looking for more of a challenge. And when it comes to more sedate activities, there's nothing like going for a walk along a canal or river bank following some of the long-distance Waymarked Ways or Slí na Sláinte paths that criss-cross the country.

Ireland's network of rivers, lakes and canals is maintained by Waterways Ireland, which is one of the six North/South Implementation Bodies established under the British-Irish Agreement in 1999. The body has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of inland navigable waterways on the island of Ireland, principally for recreational purposes. It also maintains Ireland's loughs, lakes and channels which are sought after for sailing; the network of canal locks and tow paths; as well as any buoys, bridges and harbours along the routes.

Along the Grand and Royal Canals and sections of the Barrow Navigation and the Shannon-Erne Waterway, Waterways Ireland is also responsible for angling activities, and charges Inland Fisheries Ireland with carrying out fisheries development, weed management and ensuring water quality.

Brian Goggin's Inland Blog

Giving his personal perspective on Ireland's Inland Waterways from present-day activities to their rich heritage, Brian Goggin tells it like it is with his Inland Blog.

From recognising achievements in management of the waterways to his worries on the costs of getting afloat on Ireland's canals, Goggin always has something important to say.

He also maintains the website Irish Waterways History that serves as a repository for a wealth of historical accounts of the past commercial and social uses alike of Ireland's rivers and canals, which were once the lifeblood of many a rural community.