Descendants of families who suffered the loss of loved ones were among the huge crowd which gathered near a small town in Co Cavan yesterday to commemorate one of Ireland's worst inshore drowning tragedies, which claimed the lives of 17 people.
Teacher Michael McCabe, his wife, Margaret, and other staff and pupils of Cullies National School near the town of Shercock were on a boat cruise on Lough Sillan when the vessel sank on July 25th, 1878.
A stone memorial, bearing the names of all who died, was unveiled yesterday on a winding roadway near the lake shore by Ms Bridget McCabe, a niece of one of the victims.
The ceremony included a guided tour along the route taken by the teachers and children on their last journey to the lake on that fateful day.
Cllr Joe O'Reilly, chairman of Cavan County Council, said: "This is a very fitting way to remember those who lost their lives, and left so many families heartbroken on that terrible day. It is a tragedy that will never be forgotten in this part of Ireland."