FOUR people died in weekend accidents - one was drowned, two lost their lives in fires and a fourth was killed in a tractor accident.
The young man who died in a frozen lake near Gort, Co Galway, on Saturday was a strong swimmer and athlete, neighbours said.
Mr Alan Glynn (25), died while trapped under ice despite a desperate attempt to rescue him by his brother Frank (26), who waded into the water and came "within inches" of him, according to gardai.
The two brothers were walking with another brother, Conor, a first year post primary student, and the family's golden labrador. The dog ran out on thin ice about 40 ft from the shores of Lough Cutra and broke through into the freezing water.
Mr Glynn stripped to his underwear before venturing onto the ice in an attempt to save the dog. The ice broke and he was pitched into the water, where he slipped under the surface. He is believed to have drowned or died of exposure within minutes. The dog survived.
Locals joined firefighters and gardai in the search for the body. It was brought to University College Hospital, Galway, where a post mortem examination will be carried out this morning.
A local priest, Father John Mahon, said: "The whole community is shocked. He was a lovely fellow, an absolute gentleman in every way," he said. A neighbour said: "It's one of the biggest tragedies that has happened in the town and we've had our fair share of them," she said.
Mr Glynn was the son of a well known veterinary surgeon in Church Street in the town. He was an environmental biologist with a company in Galway.
A four year old Limerick city girl, Laura O'Donoghue, of St Munchin's Street, St Mary's Park, died in a fire at her home on Saturday night. The fire occurred about 10 p.m. in a bedroom of the two story corporation house. The dead girl was the daughter of Willie and Trisha O'Donoghue and was one of a family of seven.
Limerick fire brigade managed to confine the blaze to the bedroom. On arrival the bedroom was well ablaze and firefighters using breathing apparatus found the victim. They tried to revive her but were unsuccessful.
Shocked neighbours and family made frantic efforts to rescue the girl but were driven back by smoke and heat. Garda forensic experts were yesterday trying to establish the cause of the blaze which is believed to have been accidental.
An elderly woman died in a fire at her home in north Co Galway on Saturday afternoon. Mrs Winnie Glynn (86), of Carrownuraur, Milltown, is believed to have fallen into a large open fire in her kitchen.
The alarm was raised by a neighbour and two units of the fire brigade, from Tuam and Claremorris, came to the scene.
The body was removed to University College, Galway.
In Co Mayo, Mark Greham, a 17 year old student of Cloonaghaboy, Swinford, was killed in an accident near his home early yesterday. He fell off the buckrake of a tractor on which he was being brought to his home by a neighbour. The accident happened at Cloonlara at about 3 a.m. and he died later at the Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar.
He was studying for the Leaving Certificate in Swinford. He is survived by his parents, Pat and Mary, and a sister Joanne.
Meanwhile, members of the Boyne River Rescue Service from Drogheda continued a search of the River Barrow and a section of the Grand Canal in Kildare yesterday for a man who went missing last month. Gardai believe George Payne (32), a single man from Forest Park, Athy, may have fallen into the river.
Mr Peter Govern, head of the rescue unit, paid tribute to the efforts by the searchers.
"They gave up Christmas and the New Year celebrations in the hope of ending the anguish and uncertainty which the missing man's family is going through. It deserves public recognition," he said.