THREE CHILDREN and their summer school group leader were taken to Letterkenny General Hospital yesterday after they got into difficulties in the sea at Glencolmcille, Co Donegal.
The youngsters, two girls (12) and a boy (13), were among a group of 13 children on an outing with an Óige na Gaeltachta summer camp.
The 30-minute noon drama at An Trá Mór began when some youngsters ran into the sea after a ball that was swept out by a current.
They got into difficulty in large waves and strong currents and their 18-year-old group leader went in after them and helped pull a number of children to safety before he also got into difficulty and had to be rescued by onlookers.
Seán Ó Fearraigh of Óige na Gaeltachta Donegal paid tribute to the children’s leader Ciarán McFadden for his part in the rescues. Mr Ó Fearraigh said: “It could have been a lot worse but for the prompt actions of the leader. Children could have been drowned but thanks to their leader they weren’t. Then he got into difficulty himself and somebody had to rescue him.”
Locals described the beach, which is near the Glencolmcille Folk Village, as popular but one on which care has to be taken.
One resident said: “It’s safe for the most part but like any beach on the Atlantic it can be dangerous in parts, especially up around the rocks.” There are no lifeguards on the beach.
One child at the centre of the drama is understood to be connected to local Naomh Columba GAA club chairman Ruaidhrí Ó Cuirrín. He was on his way to a GAA garden party hosted by President Mary McAleese when word of the incident reached him and he did a U-turn at the Áras an Uachtaráin gates.
A HSE spokesman said all four taken to hospital were “fine”.