Ireland

Woman who drowned in Louisburgh, Co Mayo named locally as artist Cathy Hughes

Ms Hughes (60s) was living in Salthill, Galway but grew up in Westport, Co Mayo

Artist Cathy Hughes was a regular visitor to Louisburgh.
Artist Cathy Hughes was a regular visitor to Louisburgh.
Tom Shiel
Mon Jul 22 2024 - 12:11

Communities in Co Mayo and Co Galway are in mourning over the death in a drowning incident at Old Head beach, Louisburgh on Sunday of a woman who has been named locally as Cathy Hughes (60s).

Ms Hughes, a talented artist, had been living in Salthill, Galway city but grew up in Westport, a member of the entrepreneurial Hughes business family.

A regular visitor to Louisburgh and Westport she drowned at Old Head on Sunday despite efforts to save her.

Her remains have been taken to Mayo University Hospital where a postmortem is expected to be conducted later today.

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Ms Hughes was one of a family of 13. She grew up in Westport in the 1960s.

Her mother, Maura Kelly, was a cousin of actress Grace Kelly whose grandfather, John Kelly emigrated from Newport to the US in the late 1800s.

Maura Kelly specialised in Irish antiques and began Irish craft and knitwear business Carraig Donn.