Inishbiggle rocked by drowning

TRIBUTES have been paid to an Inishbiggle man who drowned after the car he was driving veered off the road into a lake on the island.

Sixty-one-year-old Christy Henry died on Friday evening when his car became submerged at around 8.30pm.

Mr Henry was well known as a leader in the small community of the island, which has a population of less than 20 people. Over the years, he had campaigned for greater facilities on the island, including a long and but ultimately unsuccessful campaign for a cable-car link to the mainland to improve accessibility. He was also heavily involved in organising the annual Inishbiggle festival on the August Bank Holiday weekend, which brings people onto the island every summer.

Fr Chris Ginnelly, the Parish Priest of Ballycroy (which includes Inishbiggle), paid tribute to Mr Henry, saying he did much to bring life to the island.

“He was so kind and caring to both his parents when they were alive. The entire island, as well as communities along this part of the Mayo coastline, are in total shock,” he told Áine Ryan of The Irish Times.

Alarm

The alarm was raised just after 8.30pm on Friday evening when neighbours heard the sound of tyres skidding and the splash of the car entering the water. Moments earlier, Christy had left a neighbour’s home, where he had been visiting. He had travelled only approximately 200 metres before entering the water.

The lake is roughly 16 metres from the side of the road, and the Peugeot car was completely submerged when locals arrived at the scene. They managed to retrieve Christy from the car and administered CPR.

Members of the Achill Island Coast Guard unit and paramedics arrived at around 9.20pm and continued CPR, but despite all their best efforts they were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr Henry’s body was removed to Bullsmouth Pier on Achill Island and transferred to Mayo University Hospital. A postmortem took place over the weekend.

The car was retrieved from the lake over the weekend and taken to Castlebar where gardaí were to examine it as part of the investigation into the death.

‘A great man’

Peter McManaman, Officer in Charge of the Achill Island Coast Guard Uunit, expressed his condolences to Mr Henry’s family, saying the deceased had also been of great assistance to the Coast Guard in the past.

“Christy was a great man and very supportive of the Coast Guard whenever we would have to go onto the island. He would be there to collect us at the slipway and was always a great help to us when the need arrived. The assistance and help he would give us will be greatly missed by us, and his death is a great loss for everyone on Inishbiggle,” he said.

Mr Henry was predeceased by his parents, Paddy and Baby, and brother, James, and is survived by his sister, Mary (London), and brother, PJ (Foxford), his sisters-in-law, Patricia and Fran, and his nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and large circle of friends.

He reposed in Lavelle’s Funeral Home, Cashel Achill yesterday evening (Tuesday) followed by removal the Church of Holy Family, Ballycroy, where his funeral Mass will take place at 12 noon today (Wednesday) followed by burial afterwards in the local cemetery.

Gardaí investigating the cause of the accident have appealed to anyone who may have information in relation to the incident to contact them at Westport Garda Station on 098 50230, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.