- The family of three brothers who died in a tragic fishing accident have spoken of how Donegal fishermen have helped make their pain a little easier.
The three Bolger brothers – Paul (49), Kenny (47) and Shane (44) left Dunmore East in Waterford to go lobster fishing, only for the conditions to change and their boat, Dean Leanne, to be swamped and capsize with devastatingly tragic consequences.
The three brothers who died were given a heartbreaking final farewell by more than 1,000 mourners at their funeral mass yesterday.
The Bolger brothers who perished at sea
Mourners at the Mass, which was celebrated by local parish priest Fr Brian Power, also heard the Bolgers’ cousin, Michael Connors, speak of their professionalism as fishermen and how highly regarded and respected they were among the fishing community.
Mr Connors revealed how the family had been contacted by many Donegal fishermen who knew the Bolger brothers well form the industry.
Several Donegal fishermen traveled to yesterday’s funeral.
“If you were giving marks and grading fishermen and you were giving 100 marks, all three of them would be over 95 and that’s not just my thinking – that the whole fishing industry, because they knew them well.
“I’ve had calls from Donegal, from one end of the coast to the other – nobody would believe how well got they were, how well known they were – they left their home that morning to go out to fish and their boat would have been up to the mark with everything.
“And they proved that themselves by the fact that when they were picked up, they had their lifejackets on them – three fine fishermen gone from us, and if you were here where I am now and saw the pain on people’s faces – I can’t find words,” said Mr Connors.
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