Woman's body is found on beach

By MARK HILLIARD AND JOANNE LITTLE Drogheda Independent - January 3rd 2002

THE body of a woman in her fifties was washed up on a beach near Bettystown yesterday morning, Monday, December 30th.

Gardai received a call from a passerby who had spotted the body whilst out walking at approximately 10.00 am. The body was later taken to Our Lady's Hospital in Navan where a post mortem examination will take place.

The woman had been reported missing to GardaI by family members at an earlier stage. The name has not yet been released and family members are being notified.

It is the third drowning in a tragic few weeks, and follows the death of two local teenagers in the River Boyne.

Last Monday, December 23, Boyne Fishermen's Rescue and Recovery Service located the body of 18-year-old local girl, Siobhan McKenna, who had been reported missing just hours prior to the discovery of her body.

Meanwhile, the family of local 19year-old man Niall McGahey, whose body was recovered from the Boyne River on Christmas Day, paid tribute to BFRRS following their intensive six week search operation.

BFRRS had promised Niall's parents, Mr and Mrs John McGahey of College Rise, that they would do their best to find his body by Christmas, eventually pulling him from the river at 12.4Opm on Christmas Day.

A spokesperson for RFRRS said that the family, who were in constant contact with the rescue service since Niall first went missing, expressed their gratitude for BFRRS efforts in bringing their son and brother back home for Christmas,

'They were desperate for him to befound and brought home before the though Christmas period and we were delighted to grant that wish. I think God had to be good to them after the suffering they have been forced to endure,' she said.

Michael Hodgins of BFRRS said that the 42 member strong force had been working around the clock in an attempt to find two bodies suspected of being in the river. Rescuers worked in four man shifts from 8am to 12 midnight daily.

On Christmas Day the four man shift was just about to change over when Niall's body was discovered, eradicating earlier fears that he had been washed out to sea. His body was discovered just off the North Quay near the Labour Exchange.

The search for the body of the 19-year-old missing DKIT student was assisted by staff and students of the Institute. The young Electronics Engineering student had gone missing in his native Drogheda in late November after a night out with friends.

Staff and fellow students had assisted rescue services by taking part in early morning searches along the Boyne River's edge, in hope of the young man's body being located before Christmas.

Fr Malachy Conlon, Chaplain at Dundalk Institute of Technology, explained that it was a particularly difficult time for young Niall's fellow students and members of the teaching faculty in the run up to Christmas.

Another potential tragedy was narrowly avoided on Christmas Eve when a member of the BFRRS prevented a local youth from falling into the icy waters. Speaking last week, Michael Hodgins said: 'It doesn't matter what day of the week it is, we will look to getting the person out of the river. It is very hard for families waiting at home for a knock on the door.'

© Drogheda Independent