Mystery surrounds tragic drowning of nuns

Mystery surrounds the circumstances in which two Presentation nuns died at Inch Strand, in Co Kerry, on Thursday night.

Gardaí and emergency and rescue services are puzzled as to how Sr Paula Buckley, 70, and Sr Imelda Carew, 67, could have met their deaths in calm and shallow water.

According to reliable sources, the nuns were not suffering from known medical conditions, but speculation continued last night that their deaths could have been due to medical reasons or drowning.

Gardaí said that they are treating the double tragedy as two sudden deaths and are investigating.

Autopsies were being carried out at Kerry General Hospital, Tralee, yesterday, but the results are not due to be made known until an inquest is held at a later date.

The nuns, both Co Tipperary natives and based in Dublin, have been described by their order as wonderful and inspiring women.

The Union of Presentation Sisters congregational leader, Sr Mary Deane, said messages of support were coming in from orders all around the world.

“Words seem inadequate to express our loss and sorrow as we come to terms with the tragic events that unfolded on a beautiful, sunny evening,” she said.

Both women were holidaying in Kerry when they decided to go for a swim at Inch Strand, on the Dingle Peninsula, in what were described as “beautiful and excellent conditions” by the rescue services. Lifeguards saw them in difficulty in the water just after 7pm and immediately mounted a rescue operation.

They started CPR on the strand before paramedics arrived in two ambulances.

Mahmood Hussain, owner of Sammy’s restaurant on the strand, was one of the first people on the scene.

“The women were in swimming gear when they were recovered from the water. It seems they simply got into difficulty, but no one is sure why,’’ he said.

A Valentia Coastguard spokesman said the women were in “touch-and-go” condition when they were taken from the water.

He said both women were swimming at the time and CPR was carried out for over an hour on the beach.

Tributes were paid to the lifeguards and emergency service personnel for their efforts to resuscitate the women, who were then airlifted by Coast Guard helicopter to Kerry General Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.