THE families of two fishermen tragically lost at sea
yesterday off Glengad Head have described their
anguish as the search for one of them was called off
for the night.
The body of 65 year old, father-of-seven, Eddie
Doherty (Liza), was recovered from the sea yesterday
but the search will continue today for his nephew,
Robert McLaughlin (Jackie), a 41-year old single
man.
Robert McLaughlin, left, still
missing and his uncle, the late Eddie Doherty.
Both men lived less
than 100 yards from each other at Ross Head in
Glengad, a cliff top townland overlooking the sea in
the far north of the Inishowen peninsula. They had
gone out fishing from Portmore Pier, Malin Head, in
Eddie’s 26 foot fibre-glass boat, ‘Jennifer’ at 7am.
But the boat got into difficulties sometime before
10.45am when Eddie Doherty’s body along with a
scattering of debris, were spotted in the water by
another fisherman.
The scene at Portaleen Pier, Glengad,
yesterday as the search continued for local
fisherman, Robert McLaughlin.
Their families say they
cannot understand how the tragedy happened,
stressing that both were highly experienced
fishermen.
This was the first year uncle and nephew had fished
together.
Robert McLaughlin's distraught 81-year old mother,
Mary, with whom he lived, was last night being
comforted by her other grown-up children as she
struggled to come to terms with the loss of both a
brother and a son.
"Robert was the best son ever and Eddie was my
youngest brother. I don't know what we're going to
do," said Mary McLaughlin, a mother-of-thirteen. The
81 year old lost another son, Shaun, 21, to a
fishing tragedy in Killybegs, in 1974. Another son,
Paul, 32, died in sudden and tragic circumstances in
England around 12 years ago. Her daughter, Eilish,
described a fun-loving younger brother who was most
content when out fishing. "He fished all his life.
That is all he knew and all he would ever do. He was
a great storyteller and he loved his old cat. He was
very good to our mother and always helped her with
the garden," said Eilish.
"Everybody is baffled by what's happened because
they were both very experienced fishermen," she
added.
Eddie Doherty's devastated wife, Marian, was also
struggling to come to terms with the loss of a
devoted husband and father. The couple, who had five
daughters, two sons and nine grandchildren, were
enjoying retirement together and were regulars on
the local ceili dancing circuit.
"Eddie was a very experienced fisherman, he was a
great father and grandfather and we will miss him
so, so much," she said. Both families thanked the
emergency services and everyone who was continuing
to help in the search for Robert, including more
than 13 boats from the fishing villages of Glengad,
Malin Head and Greencastle.
The scene at
Portaleen Pier, Glengad, yesterday.
A major air and sea
search got underway yesterday in squally, blustery
conditions, involving the Lough Swilly and Portrush
Lifeboats, the Greencastle Coast Guard shore team
and the Coast Guard helicopter from Sligo. The
tragedy took place the day after the clocks went
back and search leaders were conscious of there
being at least an hour less daylight with visibility
worsened due to overcast weather and a heavy
sea-mist that descended in the afternoon.
The wreckage of 'Jennifer' was located near Glengad
Head around 4pm while the search for Robert
McLaughlin will get underway again at first light
this morning.
