THREE MONKS DROWNED.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 282, 27 September 1878, Page 9

THREE MONKS DROWNED.

Three of the Brothers belonging to the religious order who are managing the "Boys' Reformatory at Upton were drowned on Saturday June 28th while bathing in the Bandon river. Cobk, Sunday Night. Further particulars with respect to the melancholy bathing accident at Innishannon state that Saturday being observed as a holiday at the Reformatory, four of the lay Brothers — Brothers George- Hay, John Rooney, Peter M'Sweeney, and Denis M'Carthy — went as was usual with them at this season, to bathe in the River near Innishannon^ Having arrived on the banks of the river, they selected a place to go in, and proceeded to divest themselves of their clothes. At the place they had chosen the river is about 150 yards wide. The bottom is covered with sand and weeds, and intersected with small channels, caused, it is supposed, by the drainage running in from the low-lying grounds along its banks. Brother George Hay got intp the water first, the other two Brothers not having divested themselves of their clothes so quickly, and Brother Denis M'Carthy having some unex» plained presentment of misfortune, decided not to go in at all, none of them knowing how to swim. The tide was nearly lull in at the time, and Brother Hay had scarcely been a minute in the water when he slipped into one of those narrow bye-channels, where he lost his footing and cried out for help. Brother Peter M'Sweeney seeing the dangerouß predicament his companion was in, nobly rushed to his assistance, but not being able to swim when he got out of his depth he was 83 helpless as the unfortunate gentleman he went to save, but Brother Rooney seeing the danger of his friends also endeavoured to reader assistance, but he too got out of his depth. While they were struggliag the other Brother, who had not gone into the water, rushed up the bank towards where a boat lay. He also cried for assistance, and men who were attracted, got with him into the boat. When they reached the scene of the disaster the three Brothers had disappeared. The bodies were quickly recovered, but life was extinct. Brother Peter was a man of about CO. The other two were young men. The melancholy accident has cast quite a gloom over this city, where the deceased were known. One of the boys belonging to the Grecnmount Roman Catholic Industrial Schools was drowned on Sunday while bathing at Blackrock. Deceased and another boy got out of their depth. One was rescued by one of the Brothers in charge, but the other disappeared before assistance i«eached him,