PRELIMINARY RESULTS from a postmortem examination of the two Mayo men involved in a boating incident off Inishbofin island, Co Galway, at the weekend have confirmed that both died from drowning.
Gardaí in Clifden are continuing their investigation into the death of former GAA All-Star footballer Ger Feeney (56) and Castlebar-based businessman Donal McEllin (64), but have said they are not treating the deaths as suspicious.
Supt Tony O’Donnell of Clifden Garda station told The Irish Times that gardaí were conducting interviews on Inishbofin and Cleggan, and at Rosmoney near Westport from where the men left on Saturday morning. A forensic examination of Mr McEllin’s 41-foot motor cruiser Quo Vadis had also been carried out, and the boat had been referred to the Marine Casualty Investigation Board for further surveying, he said.
The rigid inflatable boat (Rib), which the two men used to return to their vessel early on Sunday morning, is also central to the two separate investigations.
It is understood that the men had secured the Rib to the motor cruiser on their return from a visit to the island before the incident occurred sometime after 2am on Sunday. Conditions were very favourable in the sheltered harbour at the time, with a southeasterly wind easing. Several islanders had accompanied the two men to the old pier, and had offered assistance in returning to the boat.
It is understood that one man shone his car headlights to ensure they had made the short passage safely back to the motor cruiser, anchored in the harbour. Mr Feeney and Mr McEllin had made an annual pilgrimage by boat about this time of year to Inishbofin, and their final destination was to have been Galway harbour before returning to Mayo.
However, it was not until after 10.30am on Sunday that islanders learned that something had gone wrong, when Mr McEllin’s body was discovered on the shoreline and it was noticed that the Rib attached to the cruiser was upturned. The alarm was raised, and Malin Head Coast Guard tasked the RNLI Clifden lifeboat and the Irish Coast Guard Sligo helicopter. Lifejackets worn by both men were inflated.
Inishbofin Development Company manager Simon Murray said: “Unfortunately, the community knows from its own tragedies how the families must be feeling at this time”. Politicians, business people and residents in Castlebar expressed shock yesterday, with several people recalling how Mr McEllin had led a flotilla of boats during the funeral of Clew Bay islander Tommy Gibbons who drowned in July 2009.
Mr McEllin, a pilot and businessman who pioneered the founding of one of the west’s first airports at Castlebar 40 years ago, was known as “Skinty” and his Piper Aztec plane was nicknamed “Skinticus” by the late journalist John Healy. A single man, he was a champion swimmer and keen scuba diver, and was meticulous about safety on the water, according to close friends.
Michael Gavin, a friend, said he was one of several who Mr McEllin had contacted late last week about the trip. Mr Feeney is survived by his wife Kathleen and children Richard, Alan, Dara and Claire, and by two brothers and three sisters. He will be buried tomorrow and Mr McEllin’s funeral takes place on Thursday.