Irish holidaymaker drowned at notorious New Zealand blackspot just days before Christmas
A 27-year-old man from Co Mayo, Peadar Togher, drowned after diving into the Waikato River in New Zealand earlier this month. His family and community are preparing to welcome his remains home next week.
A grief-stricken community in Co Mayo is preparing to welcome home tomorrow the remains of a 27-year-old local man who drowned earlier this month after diving into the Waikato River in New Zealand.
In warm, southern hemisphere, summer weather, Peadar Togher - a multimedia designer, from Tirrane, Clogher, Belmullet, who was a passionate swimmer and enjoyed other outdoor pursuits - leapt from Hamilton City’s Pukete Bridge on December 14.
He was holidaying in NZ, where John, one of his two brothers is living, and he was accompanied by friends at the time of the incident.
It was several days before Peadar’s body was recovered from the Waikiato River, a national blackspot for drowning, according to Water Safety NZ, New Zealand’s leading water safety organisation.
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His death is described in his funeral notice posted today (Sunday) as “a tragic accident”. News of the popular multimedia designer’s death has been greeted with shock, sadness and disbelief in his native Belmullet and surrounding area.
In a message of condolence, Kilmore Drama Group (Erris) described Peadar, one of its former actors, as “a gifted young man taken far too early in life”.
In online posts Peadar, a graduate of University of Limerick Institute of Technology, is described as “a bright spark, a truly lovely guy who always had a smile on his face.”
Wrote another: “Peadar was super-kind, hilarious and great fun to be around. His positive energy was infectious. I am so thankful to have known him.”
In his earlier years Peadar acted as a ‘cinnire’ (guide) in Coláiste Uisce, a Gaeltacht college for adventure sports, on the Erris peninsula. “He brought a warm energy and plenty of laughter to every room he was in”, wrote one of his former colleague associates.
A crowd-funding campaign to repatriate Peadar’s remains and pay for his funeral and other family expenses, has raised more than €40,000, ten times the original target of €4,000.
Patrick’s devastated parents, Patrick and Margaret, brothers, John, Michael and Padraig, are preparing for his sad homecoming, via Dublin, today.
Remains will repose at McDonnell’s Funeral Home, Belmullet, tomorrow evening from 4 pm to 6pm before being waked overnight at the Togher family home
Funeral will arrive at St. Brendan’s Church, Tirrane on Wednesday afternoon for Funeral Mass at 1pm followed by burial in Emlybeg Cemetery.
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