THE funeral will take
place this Saturday of a crab fisherman who died
while working on his boat at Malin Head. The body of
Hughie McColgan, 55, was discovered washed ashore on
a beach near Portmór Pier on Wednesday, around
4.20pm.
Gardaí are not treating the death as suspicious. It
is thought Mr McColgan from Ardmore Manor, Muff, may
have taken ill and fallen into the water while
working on his 39-foot crabbing vessel 'Leanita' at
Portmór Pier.
His body was found on a beach about 200 yards from
the pier, by his brother Michael, also a fisherman,
and the manager of Malin Head Fishermen’s
Co-operative, Charlie O'Donnell. They went looking
for him when he could not be located around the pier
in the afternoon.
A post mortem was carried out at Letterkenny General
Hospital yesterday.
Mr McColgan, a father-of-two, was originally from
the fishing village of Glengad. He was an
experienced crab fisherman who employed his own
crew. He was a long-time member of Malin Head
Fishermen's Co-operative.
Mr McColgan’s death is the third tragic death in as
many months to befall the Glengad community. Edward
Doherty, 65, and his nephew, Robert McLaughlin, 43,
from Ross Head, Glengad, died while fishing for crab
and lobster on November 1, last.
Mr McColgan was described yesterday by colleagues as
an "able and energetic fisherman".
Mr O'Donnell said the local community was saddened
by the incident. "We are all shocked and saddened by
Hughie's death and we offer our sincere condolences
to his family," he said. Mr McColgan will be laid to
rest in Lagg, Malin, on Saturday, February 12,
following 12 midday funeral mass. |
