A coroner yesterday called for the erection of a warning sign at a small lake where a 16-year-old boy was drowned while swimming half a mile from his home. Kieran Keane, of Rosscahill, Co Galway, died on May 20th at Loch an Airn. His sister, Sharon Keane, told the inquest that they had never swum in the lake before. They went into the water at a place where there were not many reeds.
They both swam close to the shore for a while but then Kieran swam out towards the middle of the lake. It was not long before she saw that he was in trouble and he began shouting for help.
She tried to go out to him, but as she was not a strong swimmer she decided to run for help to a neighbour's house. She could hear her brother calling for help until she got to the top of the hill, but after that she could not hear him.
Sharon called for help at Seamus Lydon's house and he ran down to the lake. He returned to the house after failing to find Kieran and phoned around for help.
Mr John Keane told the inquest he was at the lake shore the following day when his son's body was taken out, and he identified him to gardai.
The coroner, Dr Ciaran MacLoughlin, said the boy had been only about 15 yards out from the shore. He suggested that a sign be erected warning of the danger of swimming in the lake.