A WOMAN who lost her engagement ring at the beach found it two days later after a man she did not know gave her a loan of a metal detector.
Antoinette Fitzgerald reckoned she had little chance of finding the ring at the beach in Salthill, not least as the tide had gone in and out in Galway Bay several times.
Ms Fitzgerald and her husband Eamonn spent hours searching over two days for the ring, and had all but given up hope.
She turned to the internet community for help to find the precious solitaire ring, which she has had for almost 16 years. The ring was of even more sentimental value as it had been made by her uncle, David Courtney.
Antoinette had gone to the beach with her three youngest children Oisin (7), Orlaith (5) and Aoibhe (3), and had put the ring in the pocket of her jeans when they went swimming. "It was only when we got home I realised the ring was lost. I was sickened." She got a huge response to her net appeal on boards.ie. One man, John Lally from Knocknacarra, said he would lend her a metal detector.
After about an hour and a quarter of searching, the ring was uncovered. "I just couldn't believe it. I think it's a miracle," said Ms Fitzgerald, of Currach Bui, Rahoon.