A heart-wrenching incident unfolded at Portumna as a new bridge was being constructed across the Shannon River. This article recounts the tragic accident that occurred, resulting in the loss of two lives, and details the harrowing experience of those involved.

On a fateful evening, tragedy struck at the construction site of the new bridge in Portumna. John Monaghan, a resident, and Myles Walsh from Nelson Street, Limerick, lost their lives in a devastating accident. The men, along with another worker named Whitehead from Manchester, were engaged in sinking one of the cylinders at the bridge’s foundation.

As they worked on the cylinder, a horrifying turn of events unfolded. The massive cylinder toppled over, breaking the stays that held it in place, and sank rapidly to the riverbed, which was nearly thirty feet deep. The calamity unfolded before the eyes of several onlookers, leaving them in shock and disbelief.

Amidst the tragedy, a glimmer of hope emerged through the remarkable escape of Michael Noonan from Portumna. Acting as the signalman under the compressed air box, Noonan found himself in a perilous situation. The sinking cylinder had trapped Monaghan and Walsh, while Whitehead managed to surface and cling to a hanging wire until rescued.

Noonan, despite the chaotic circumstances, displayed incredible resilience. Locked in at the top, he had to navigate through a passage that was ten feet square and thirty feet long within the submerged cylinder. A powerful swimmer, Noonan miraculously escaped and was later witnessed swimming with the current. His survival, considering the circumstances, is deemed nothing short of miraculous.

The cylinder, weighing 50 tons, now rests at the bottom of the river, creating a formidable obstacle to recovery. The bodies of Monaghan and Walsh remain unrecovered, adding to the sombre atmosphere that has enveloped the district. Plans are underway to dismantle the cylinder at the riverbed before it can be raised.

The authorities have called in a diver to aid in the recovery efforts and retrieve the bodies of the two unfortunate workers who are believed to be entombed within the sunken cylinder. The accident has cast a profound gloom over the community, as the repercussions of this tragic incident ripple through Portumna and beyond.

Freeman’s Journal – Thursday 18 January 1912