Community left in shock as girl who died while swimming in River Suir named locally

Freya Tobin. Picture: RIP.IE

A local community is "numb" after the death of a 12-year-old girl who drowned in Tipperary on Friday.

The girl was swimming at a spot along the Suir Blueway in the village of Newcastle.

She has been named locally as Freya Tobin.

The former sixth class student at the local Scoil Mhuire Caisleán Nua National School had been swimming with a number of others when she got into difficulty around 4.20pm.

Her friend managed to swim to safety and raise the alarm.

A number of local boys heard the screams of the girls and dived into the water to help. The spot where the girls were swimming is known to have strong currents.

A number of emergency services responded and attended the scene, including gardaí, the national ambulance service and firefighters from Clonmel Fire Station's water rescue team.

Freya was transferred to Cork University Hospital (CUH) by the Irish Coast Guard Air and Sea Rescue 117 helicopter after being recovered from the water at around 4.45pm.

In a statement gardaí said that they and emergency services attended an incident where “a female child got into difficulty in the water at River Suir, Newcastle, Co Tipperary at approximately 4:20pm today.” 

The statement continued: “She was airlifted by Rescue 117 to Cork University Hospital in a serious condition. She has since passed away”.

A file will be prepared for the Coroner’s Court.

The deceased girl’s friend who managed to swim to safety was taken to South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel for treatment.

'No words seem adequate'

“Sometimes no words seem adequate when a tragedy like what happened in our parish in Newcastle today occurs,” said parish priest Fr Michael Toomey.

He added: "No words can give comfort at this time".

A prayer service will be held at midday today (Saturday) in Our Lady of the Assumption in Newcastle for all of her friends, family, the entire village and surrounding areas.

Scoil Mhuire Caisleán Nua, where Freya attended, has organised support for all students and parents today (Saturday) and in the coming days.

The local girl was only two weeks into her summer holidays.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath said that “everyone in the village is numb after what has happened. 

It’s a very close knit community. Our thoughts are with the young girl’s family, her mother and younger brother whom I know well.” 

Deputy McGrath thanked all the emergency services and “so many locals who did their best” to help save Freya and who are now “rallying around her family.”