Shock and sadness have been expressed after a young boy died after getting into difficulty in the water at a Co Sligo beach yesterday afternoon.
The seven-year-old boy has been named locally as Alan Singh from Ballisodare.
The alarm was raised shortly before 3.30pm when a member of the public spotted a person in difficulty in the water.
A multi-agency operation got under way and the boy was given medical assistance on shore before being airlifted by the Irish Coast Guard rescue 118 to Sligo University Hospital where he later died.
Volunteers from Sligo RNLI also responded to a call out.
Fr Tom Hever PP Drumcliff Maugherow in Sligo speaks of the shock and sadness in the area at the death of a young boy who got into difficulty in the water at Lissadell Beach yesterday @rtenews pic.twitter.com/tDbAT8Hig6
— Teresa Mannion (@TeresaMannion) May 18, 2025
Gardaí said investigations are ongoing and a file will be prepared for the Coroner's Court.
Prayers have been offered for Alan's family at mass in Maugherow.
Parish priest Fr Tom Hever said people were devastated by the news and extended his deepest sympathies to the family and their wider community.
Fianna Fáil councillor for the Sligo Drumcliffe area Dónal Gilroy said news of the little boy's death has caused great shock and sadness in the area.
"I live nearby and know Lissadell Beach very well. It is a very popular spot with locals and visitors and the good weather has attracted big numbers of holiday caravans and campers this weekend.
"People are devastated to hear that a little boy has lost his life and our thoughts are very much with his family at this time."
"Lissadell is widely considered to be one of the safest beaches in the northwest and has emergency services close by that get to scenes like this in minutes.
"But we can never exercise enough caution. It's the third such life lost in the northwest in the past week and while it's lovely to avail of the good weather we must all be vigilant when it comes to being safe in the water," Cllr Gilroy said.
'It's heartbreaking', says eye-witness
Suraya McDonagh was on the beach playing with her children yesterday when the incident occurred.
"We were out with our kids, and they were just playing in the water, and we had come down to the beach to watch them going out.
"They were wading up to their waist but there are pockets of depth in between, you know, sand and stuff.
"And the levels are different, so we were just telling them to get back.
"Then at that stage, we seen the helicopter coming, and noticed then that someone was performing CPR on a person a good bit away from us.
"But by that stage, the helicopter had landed at the scene. It all happened pretty quick," she said.
Ms McDonagh said she was devastated for the family of the little boy.
"It's hard to take in, everybody was happy here playing and absolutely loving the fine weather.
"It's heartbreaking and I don't think anyone could ever understand how that would how anyone would feel in that situation," she added.
