Father of three dies as wife survives car lake tragedy

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The scene of the crash in Roscommon where Shane Donnelly (inset) tragically lost his life

A father of three died and his wife was lucky to escape after their car plunged into a lake.

Shane Donnelly (38), from Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, died when the car in which he was a passenger drove off an open slipway in a tragic error during heavy rain.

His wife Aisling (34) was driving the car at the time but it is understood that she was unaware that they were parked so close to the water.

It was dark at the time of the tragedy and a heavy downpour further hampered visibility.

Mr Donnelly was a highly respected local government official and former town clerk at Navan Town Council in Co Meath.

The accident happened at around midnight on Saturday at Grange Lake on the River Shannon near Strokestown, Co Roscommon.

The couple had been attending a family dinner at the lakeside Silver Eel restaurant to celebrate the 40th birthday of Mr Donnelly's brother, along with his parents, two other brothers and their wives.

Shane and Aisling had left their three children, aged six, four and two, in the care of Aisling's parents in Roscommon. Their youngest daughter, Sarah, turns three in February.

It is understood that Shane had driven to the event and that afterwards Aisling was about to drive off to collect the children when the accident occurred.

Unaware that they were parked at the top of a slipway and in the pitch dark, Shane instructed his wife to "drive straight on".

When the car entered the lake, Aisling was able to free herself but was unable to assist her husband, who struggled because of difficulties with his seatbelt.

Swimming to shore, she quickly raised the alarm since another car was exiting the carpark at the time.

They managed to get Mr Donnelly from the car but were unable to revive him and he was subsequently pronounced dead.

Strokestown parish priest, Fr Ciaran Whitney, who attended the scene and administered the last rites, said it was a very tragic situation.

A post-mortem examination will be carried out today at Roscommon General Hospital.

Mr Donnelly worked with Meath County Council as a meetings administrator and was formerly town clerk in Navan.

SOURCE-IRISH INDEPENDENT