SAD ACCIDENT ON LOUGH NEAGH
FOUR MEN DROWNED
ANOTHER - melancholy occurrence has to be added
to the long list of which this lough has from time
to time been the scene. The storm of Thursday
night, so general is its effects, visited Lough
Neagh with all its severity , and from the easily.
disturbed state of the waters soon raised a heavy,
dangerous swell. The Toome side, of course,
suffered most, the violence of the waves being
almost unprecedented. The season being rather
late, the eel fishing was in full operation, and the
poor fishermen of that district, taking advantage
of a rather fair run of fish, were out over night in
large numbers. Amongst the boats there was one
owned by a John Campbell, and on the night in
question he and his son and another fisherman,
named Francis Connolly, were the occupants.
Having cast the net, they remained at anchor till
daybreak and than made for the shore, but, as it
is said, fearing the water bailiffs, owing to some
illegality connected with their operations, they
deemed it desirable to lie off for some time. The
storm increasing they were unable to manage
their little craft, and she, capsizing, precipitated
the Whole party into the water. Some of them
were reputed excellent swimmers but, of course,
under such circumstances no human being could
exist. They were at once lost to view of their
brother fishermen and the upturned boat was all
that remained to be taken charge of. In another
boat there was Edward Beatson, and he, by some
unfortunate means, fell out, and got drowned
quite alone to the shore. An might be expected,
the occurrence created great excitement amongst
the people of Toome and those of the adjoining
districts, and even at that early hour--half past
seven on Friday morning - large numbers of
people collected to hear the melancholy tidings.
As soon as the brunt storm [passed?] over
Dragging for the bodies was commenced but up
till last evening it had proved unsuccessful. Those
acquainted with the lough question the possibility
of their recovery just now, as under the circumstances
the bodies might be carried far out or cast upon any
part of the shore. [Some?] of the deceased leave
families behind them to mourn their loss, who are
now bereaved of any means of [making?] out an existence,
which with them at best has only been precarious.
Transcribed by Jonathan Engstrand
