Sad Drowning Fatality in Castlemaine Harbour - Two Lives Lost

(Extract from the Kerryman, 4/12/1909)

At about 10 o’clock on Friday morning two farmers named John Neill and Michael Clifford were going to the fair at Dingle to buy cattle. There is a great short cut from Killorglin to Dingle by crossing the bay or harbour of Castlemaine from Cromane to Inch, thus cutting off the necessity of going around by Castlemaine.

Accordingly they employed a boatman named Timothy Teahan and his son James to put them across from Cromane to Inch by boat. They launched the boat and all went well until about a mile and a half out form the shore, when a sudden squal struck the lug sail on the boat, capsizing her and throwing all the occupants into the sea. Michael Clifford and Timothy Teahan clung onto the boat but were washed off owing to the heavy sea. They succeeded in getting onto the boat again, and Clifford hung onto Teahan’s legs. In this way they struggled with the waves for life, and fortunately were observed from shore by Mr P J Kelly, Dan McEnery, Pat Kelly, Wm O’Neill, and Dan P Healy, who, at great risk of their own lives, gallantly went to their rescue. They found Michael Clifford and Timothy Teahan hanging onto the boat in an exhausted condition, and brought them into their boat.

On their return to shore they picked up the body of John Neill, floating on the water, and on bringing him to land, Constable Dunne, Sergeant Quinlivan, Sergeant Power and other men of the R.I.C. who happened to be in the locality applied artificial respiration, but without effect.

The body of James Teahan has not been recovered up to the time of writing – it is believed he was caught in the rigging when the boat was overturned.  The two unfortunate men who lost their lives were John Neill, 35, and James Teahan, 20, both being unmarried.  The Rev. Father Lawlor and Dr Dodd were sent for but their services were unavailing.

The Coastguards at Cromane on observing the disaster at once manned their small boat, under the command of C.O. Mr Bland, and brought the derelict boat ashore with great difficulty.

A singular circumstance occurred in connection with the sad affair. Three other men named Denis Clifford, Dan Clifford, and Batt Doyle were also going to the fair of Dingle, intending to go by Teahan’s boat, but were about five minutes too late, and thus providentially saved the risk of their lives.

Few accidents of this nature have occurred in this locality for the past fifty years.

The funeral of the first victim , which took place on Sunday, was of huge dimensions, as the deceased, John Neill, was well known and greatly respected by the people of both town and country, and his quiet, unassuming manner had made him a friend of everybody, and the sympathy felt by all for his relatives was manifested by their attendance at the burial, at which the Rev. T. Lawlor, P.P., assisted by Rev. M. O’Flynn, C.C., officiated.

The second victim, Tim Teahan, has not been found as yet and despite the inclemency of the weather many of the sympathetic friends and neighbours are looking out anxiously to know if any trace of the body could be found. The greatest sympathy is felt for his parents. The other three passengers are fully recovered again, but the thoughts of that dreadful event will not soon leave their memories.