Sad farewell to boyfriend after tragic fall
Her last message to him, above the last picture of them taken together this week on her Facebook page read: “He was the best looking man in Meath, and he was mine.”
While other couples celebrated Valentine’s Day together, 27-year-old Sinead fought back tears over the remains of 28-year-old Cathal in his home in Oldcastle, Co Meath.
The remains of the farmer were reposing there before his funeral Mass today, at St Mary’s Church, Kilbeg, Co Meath, and his burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.
Cathal lost his life in a fall while attempting to gain entry into a Sligo town hotel on Wednesday where the couple were on a two-day break — an early Valentine’s Day getaway because Sinead had to be back at her job as a beauty therapist yesterday in the Radisson Blu Farnham Estate in Cavan.
A night out together in Sligo ended in tragedy when they were unable to alert overnight staff at their hotel to open the front door at 1.45am on Wednesday.
Cathal attempted to clamber over a railing to gain entry to the first floor. He was unaware the drop was much steeper on the other side of the railing. He slipped and fell 5m, sustaining head injuries. He was pronounced dead 45 minutes later at Sligo General Hospital. Sinead suffered minor foot injuries in the incident.
A friend of the couple who works with Sinead in the Cavan hotel said: “We are all very upset.
“They were on an early Valentine’s break because Cathal, who I know better than Sinead, wanted to give her a special treat and he knew she was working on Valentine’s Day.”
Cathal was originally from outside Virginia, Co Cavan. His uncle, Eamon, said: “The whole family is devastated.”
A senior garda in Sligo said: “This was a very sad, tragic accident.”
The town-centre Sligo City Hotel, where the accident happened, has refused to make any comment.
Cathal is survived by parents Gerard and Margaret Reilly, and by sisters Grace, Helena, Lorna, and Jessica.
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