Man drowns while walking his dogs near Co Clare lake

A man has died following an apparent drowning in Clare, the third tragedy in the county in as many days.

The man, named locally as Colm Devitt (41), is understood to have been walking his dogs at Lough Burke near Kilmaley on Saturday when he fell into the lake.

Mr Devitt, who worked for an oil distribution company, suffered from epilepsy and it is believed he may have suffered a seizure before he falling into the water.

When Mr Devitt did not return from his walk a friend travelled to the lake and found his van parked on the slipway with the dogs nearby.

In the meantime, two fisherman found Mr Devitt’s body near the lake shore.

Mr Devitt was pronounced dead at the scene by the emergency services.

His body has been removed to University Hospital Limerick for a postmortem.

Friends paid tribute to Mr Devitt on social media on Sunday describing him as a “gentleman” who was “always laughing and smiling.”

His death was the third in Co Clare over the last three days.

On Thursday night, 54-year-old Thomas Bernard Walsh suffered fatal injuries while operating a rotary mower on land at his home at Shragh, Doonbeg.

Mr Walsh was buried in Doonbeg on Sunday.

On Friday, a 52-year-old man died when he became trapped in the dumper truck he had been working on.

Kieran O’Driscoll, was working on the vehicle in the yard of a house at Crumlin overlooking the sea at Fanore in the north of the county.

Mr O’Driscoll is understood to have become trapped between the bucket and the chassis.

Gardaí­ are investigating all three incidents and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is investigating Mr Walsh's death.