Limerick, Ireland – In a tragic incident yesterday evening, the serene atmosphere along the Floating Dock at the Quays was disrupted when two young girls, Kate Crotty and Mary Ryan, witnessed a man in distress in the water. The quick response of Mr A. McConchy, a diver with the Harbor Board, and Mr J. FitzMaurice, the Harbour Master, aimed to save the day.
The unidentified man, who appeared to be in distress, unfortunately, couldn’t be rescued in time. Despite efforts by McConchy and FitzMaurice, the man succumbed to the water’s depths. The authorities, including the harbour staff and the police, promptly attended the scene, recovering the lifeless body.
An inquest held today, presided over by City Coroner Mr J. P. Mangan, sought to shed light on the unfortunate incident. The deceased was identified as Thomas Moloney, a 72-year-old unmarried labourer residing off Queen Street. Moloney had been under medical care at the Union Hospital for the past seven weeks, and witnesses reported his complaints of feeling unwell just the day before his tragic demise.
The first witness, a cousin of the deceased named Kate Crotty, recounted the harrowing moment when she and Mary Ryan noticed the man in the water, desperately waving his hands. Despite raising the alarm, the rescuers arrived too late, and the man vanished beneath the surface. Crotty vividly described the efforts of Mr McConchy in recovering the lifeless body from the water.
Mr A. McConchy, the diver involved in the rescue attempt, testified about the challenges faced during the operation. He, along with the Barbour Manor staff, diligently searched for and eventually retrieved Moloney’s body from the Floating Dock. Unfortunately, by the time the body was brought ashore, it was evident that life had already ceased.
Dr Shanahan who examined the deceased upon arrival, confirmed the cause of death as drowning. The tragic incident has left the community in shock and mourning for the loss of Thomas Moloney.
The coroner’s verdict, returned as “Found Drowned,” brings some closure to the investigation. The circumstances surrounding Moloney’s presence in the water remain unclear, but the community mourns the loss of a fellow resident and offers condolences to his family and friends.
In a separate incident in Limerick, a six-year-old girl narrowly escaped a potential tragedy when she was knocked down by a motor car near the Thomond Bridge. Miraculously, the child and the driver emerged unharmed, with no blame attributed to the driver by the authorities, who deemed the accident unavoidable given the circumstances.
Freeman’s Journal – Tuesday 17 September 1912
