A West Cork community was in mourning yesterday after a schoolgirl was killed when she fell through the roof of a farm building while accompanying her father on a painting job.
Brid Keohane (14), from Bealad, Clonakilty, had gone with her father, John, on a painting job to Toormore, Schull, where the tragedy occurred.
Brid - a second-year pupil at the Sacred Heart convent in Clonakilty - had climbed on to an outhouse roof which her father was preparing to paint, at around 11 a.m. when a perspex sheet gave way and she fell over 20 feet to the floor. It is thought she died instantly. A local doctor pronounced id her dead at the scene.
Insp Maurice Walsh of Bantry said gardai were investigating the circumstances of the tragedy. "There doesn't appear to have been any wind - it was just a desperately tragic accident. It's very sad and our sympathy goes out to her family," he said.
Brid was due to return to school today after the Easter holidays. A popular student, she had recently won a Glor na Gael scholarship to go to Irish summer school on Cape Clear Island.
Sacred Heart convent acting principal Ms Mary Wycherley said staff at the school were shocked by the tragic news. "She was a lovely girl; she was very involved in everything in the school. We're all just devastated at the news."
Brid's remains were yesterday brought to Cork University Hospital where a post-mortem will be carried out today. She is survived by her parents, John and Joan, and two brothers and two sisters.
