A teenager who died in a fall at a lake at the Conor Pass in Co Kerry, has been named as 16-year-old Darragh Byrne from Charleville in Co Cork.
He was a student at CBS Charleville and an only child, it is understood.
He had been visiting the waterfall alongside the road at the pass with his parents. The teenager had set off to climb in the direction of Pedlar’s lake, also known as Doon lake, a 15-minute climb overhead.
When he did not return his parents Siobhán and James raised the alarm at around 3.30pm on Tuesday.
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Rescue services were quickly on the scene in an operation coordinated by Valentia Marine Rescue Station. The Coast Guard helicopter located the teenager.
Emergency medical assistance was administered at the scene and a doctor attended, but he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
Gerry Christie, an experienced member of Kerry Mountain Rescue, said that while it is not known exactly what occurred, the scramble up to the lake was not particularly dangerous and the boy’s injuries were consistent with a considerable fall.
Darragh’s body was removed to University Hospital Kerry, where a postmortem examination will be conducted.
It is understood Darragh was a keen rock climber, cyclist and a popular student. Friends and classmates gathered at the CBS in Charleville on Wednesday to open a book of condolences for him.
In a statement on social media, the school said: “Darragh was a bright and uplifting presence in our school community – a gentle, kind-hearted, and considerate young person who radiated warmth and positivity. Whether in the classroom, walking our corridors, or spending time with his friends, he left a meaningful and lasting impact. His generous nature, intelligence and talent inspired all who knew him.”
