Warning signs about dangerous currents should be erected at Inch Strand, one of Kerry’s best-known beaches, an inquest jury has recommended.
Two Presentation sisters died in a double drowning after going for a swim in a calm sea on a fine summer’s evening last year, the inquest in Tralee into their deaths was told.
Sisters Imelda Carew (67) of Wainsfort Drive, Terenure, Dublin and Paula Buckley (70) of Kilmahuddrick Walk, Clondalkin, Dublin were swimming out of their depth but did not seem to be in any difficulty 10 minutes before lifeguards ran to pull them from the water, a surfer who had been alongside them said.
A member of the inquest jury, who lives in the area, addressed the inquest from the jury bench. He said 10 to 12 people had been drowned at Inch when there had been no waves and no wind.
“But there’s a current there. A dangerous current straight out from the entrance to the beach. This is well known locally.”
He said 25 years ago a wave came in and snatched a surfer straight from the beach, and several decades ago a horse and cart had been swept out from the beach.
“I went there today and there is no sign about any dangerous current,” he said.
The jury brought in a verdict of accidental death due to drowning in the case of both sisters, and added a rider that warning signs about currents should be erected.
The two nuns who lost their lives were holidaying at Inch with their friend Sr Mary Hanrahan. On August 14th last year, the three went to the beach at about 6.30pm and Sr Imelda and Sr Paula got into the water.
In her statement, read to her by Sgt Gary Carroll, Sr Mary said she watched her friends get into the water but within minutes lost sight of them, She became concerned “as they were not strong swimmers”.
She alerted a lifeguard who tried to reassure her the sea was calm. He and a colleague ran to the shore.
Both women were brought unconscious to the shore very quickly and a number of people including surfers, lifeguards and a nurse holidaying in the area attempted CPR. A defibrillator was brought from Annascaul within 15 minutes and an ambulance arrived within 25 minutes. A helicopter arrived from Shannon and transferred the sisters to Kerry General Hospital in Tralee. Both women were pronounced dead there shortly after 9pm.
Witness Ciarán Kelliher had gone surfing to catch the tide at Inch at about 6.30 pm. He saw two elderly women swimming and saluted them.
“They were out of their depth but comfortable,” Mr Kelliher said in his deposition. Ten minutes later he saw lifeguards running into the sea. He pulled one of the ladies onto his surfboard to bring her ashore. Lifeguards towed the other lady.
Gardai and others gave evidence it had been a “nice evening” and there was no “big swell.”
Coroner Helen Lucey recorded the deaths were due to drowning and Kerry County Council was being asked to erect visible signs about currents in the area.
Ms Lucey said she recalled it had been a very fine summer’s evening and the event had been particularly traumatic for Sr Mary who was with her friends.
“Everything that could be done was done,” the coroner said.