A farmer has drowned while filling barrels of water for his animals from a river in west Cork.
The body of Eugene McSweeney (55) from Ballyboy, near Dunmanway, was found in the river Bandon outside Dunmanway on Wednesday evening.
Gardaí and emergency services responded to the incident after receiving reports of a person in the water.
McSweeney was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was transferred to Cork University Hospital for a postmortem examination.
READ MORE
It is understood McSweeney slipped into a submerged hole and could not get out. Barrels were removed from the scene by gardaí.
The Health and Safety Authority and the coroner were notified. A file will be prepared for the Coroner’s Court and an inquest will be held at a later date.
Farmers are increasingly under pressure to secure water supplies for their cattle as the long dry spell continues.
