Funeral arrangements for caoln seoige webster announced

The funeral arrangements for 15 year old Caolán Seoige Webster, who died after getting into difficulty while swimming in the River Shannon in Athlone on Wednesday, have been announced.

The teenager is reposing at his home, 13 St Patrick’s Terrace, today (Friday). Requiem Mass on Saturday in St Mary’s Church at 12 noon with burial afterwards in Coosan Cemetery, with house private on Saturday morning.

Caolán, who recently celebrated his 15th birthday, got into difficulty while swimming in the river near Wansboro Park, between the railway bridge and the N6 bypass bridge, on Wednesday evening. He was in the company of three friends at the time.

The alarm was raised at around 5.30pm and ambulance personnel and local gardai attended the scene.

Members of Athlone Sub Aqua club had been preparing for a routine Wednesday evening training exercise at the time and two of its divers, along with the Garda Water Unit, assisted in locating the teenager.

Around the time he was located, the Lough Ree RNLI lifeboat also arrived at the scene.

Lough Ree RNLI volunteer Stewart McMickan assisted with administering CPR, and said: “Emergency and volunteer services were well-coordinated; the young man was located in the water quickly and medical care was on hand when he was brought ashore.”

After being attended to by the ambulance crew, Caolán received a Garda escort to Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe. He was then airlifted to Temple Street Children’s Hospital between 9pm and 10pm, and passed away in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Liam Sheringham of the Athlone Sub Aqua Club stated that even though air temperatures were in the region of 20 degrees celsius on Wednesday, the water temperature was just seven degrees. Swimming in such cold water “can be a shock to the system,” he said.

“This was a tragic accident and the thoughts and sympathies of all at Athlone Sub Aqua Club are with the family at this time,” said Mr Sheringham.

A Garda spokeswoman also expressed her sympathy with the family on behalf of the Gardai.