Luke McAuliffe, 19, sadly died after he switched from his regular bathing place.
A young man from Louth tragically drowned last year during his first swim in Balbriggan, Co Dublin, having changed his usual spot in Malahide due to the water there being “too shallow,” an inquest heard.
Dublin District Coroner Court learned of the sad events leading up to the death of Luke McAuliffe, 19, from Loughanmore, Gyles Quay, Dundalk, Co Louth, whose body was retrieved from the sea by the Irish Coast Guard just north of Balbriggan on April 30, 2024. Alan McAuliffe, the father of the deceased, expressed his alarm when his son failed to show up to catch a train, prompting him to inform gardaí after he did not collect him as planned from Dundalk railway station on the evening of April 30, 2024.
Mr McAuliffe at first suspected that his son might have missed his train or dozed off on board when he wasn’t on the expected service. His concern escalated after another train arrived without sign of his son.
He traced his son’s location to Balbriggan via his Snapchat and subsequently contacted local gardaí, revealed Mr McAuliffe to the court. He recounted how the gardaí notified him that a body had been discovered near Balbriggan’s Martello tower, matching his son’s description.
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Responding to coroner Clare Keane’s questions, Mr McAuliffe noted his son had previously been swimming alone at Malahide for several weeks. Luke, however, found Malahide unappealing for swimming as the water was “too shallow.”, reports Dublin Live.
He believed his son might have chosen to swim in Balbriggan because the local gym, which he occasionally frequented, was small and potentially too crowded. The father described his son as “a fair swimmer” with “no fear of water” prone to impulsively diving into the sea in just his boxer shorts.
Mr McAuliffe portrayed Luke as a typical 19 year old brimming with vitality who was “absolutely loving” his apprenticeship as an electrician. At his untimely passing, the young man had been studying at a training college located near Howth Junction in North Dublin.
His father mentioned that he wasn’t aware of any issues troubling his son, emphasizing that Luke had a girlfriend, was arranging holidays, and was looking ahead to the future. Another witness at the inquiry, Gerard McKenzie, mentioned his apprehension upon spotting a swimmer in the waters by the lighthouse at Balbriggan Harbour.
Mr McKenzie, a frequent swimmer but not in Balbriggan, explained he wouldn’t choose to swim there due to the windy conditions and “choppy” water, with waves that were “very high” where Mr McAuliffe was. He recalled there were no other swimmers in the vicinity that day.
He initially observed only the swimmer’s head above the water but then saw him lying on his back with arms outstretched, appearing “tranquil.”
Reassured at that moment, Mr McKenzie relaxed, convinced the swimmer was alive and enjoying the water.
Mr McAuliffe became concerned when, after moving towards the beach in Balbriggan, he lost sight of the swimmer. The inquest was told that he contacted emergency services upon discovering clothes on the pier at Balbriggan Harbour, which lacked any form of identification.
Garda Ciara MacPhee testified that a body was found in the water near the Martello tower north of Balbriggan Harbour at 7.20pm. Garda MacPhee also stated that a jacket containing a phone and wallet was retrieved from the sea at Bell’s Beach, later confirmed to belong to the deceased.
She informed the coroner that the area where Mr McAuliffe had been swimming was a common spot for swimmers in Balbriggan, but noted that there was a current and a breeze on the day, causing choppy conditions.
The postmortem revealed that Mr McAuliffe had drowned without any alcohol or drugs in his system, leading Dr Keane to record a verdict of accidental death. The coroner extended her deepest sympathies to the deceased’s family, acknowledging their “absolute shock” over Luke’s untimely passing.
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