A man found dead on the summit of Croagh Patrick, Co, Mayo, on Friday has been identified as John ‘Vincent’ Walsh, a 62-year-old beekeeper from the Tullamore area of Co Offaly.
Mr Walsh, who climbed the mountain as often as twice weekly, is believed to have made his final ascent on Thursday last sustaining a serious injury in the process.
His body was found on Friday. It is believed he lay overnight near the oratory on the summit. A group of other climbers found him around 11.30 am on Friday and raised the alarm.
A coastguard helicopter from Sligo was tasked but was unable to land due to difficult weather conditions. But it did manage to lower a paramedic who pronounced the man dead at the scene.
The body was taken from the mountain later by a team from Mayo Mountain Rescue and transferred by hearse to Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar for a post mortem examination.
Mr. Walsh, a single man, who loved at Derrygolan, Tullamore, was described by the parish priest of Tullamore, Monsignor Sean Heaney yesterday as “deeply religious”.