Appeal for aid in canal death

GARDAÍ in Co Laois are still appealing for witnesses to Saturday evening’s tragedy in which a mother drowned after falling into the Grand Canal.

Named locally as Yvonne O’Shea, the woman, in her 30s, is understood to have been helping her partner push their car off the road after it broke down, when she lost her footing and went into the water.

Her partner, George Lawlor from Athy in Co Kildare, dived into the canal in an attempt to rescue her, but eventually had to be pulled from the water himself by gardaí who arrived at the scene.

Mr Lawlor has been treated in the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.

The incident happened at the canal between Vickerstown and Athy at about 7pm on Saturday, when the couple’s four young boys were waiting in the car.

A local resident, Pat Coleman, came on the scene and contacted gardaí while his own partner comforted the children.

Garda Niall Bambrick and Garda Tony Geoghegan from Athy rescued Mr Lawlor, but were unable to save Ms O’Shea. The canal was described as being very cold at the time.

Gardaí said yesterdaythat the investigation into the drowning is continuing.

They said that they are particularly keen to talk to the driver of a dark-coloured 4x4-type vehicle who stopped and gave assistance at the scene.

A postmortem has been carried out by deputy state pathologist Dr Michael Curtis on Ms O’Shea’s body at the Midlands Regional Hospital.

Anyone with information, or who was in the area at the time on Saturday evening, is asked to contact Portlaoise Garda Station on 057 8674100.