An inquest has been told about the tragic event that likely caused a journalist, Dave McCall, to fall unconscious 50 years ago. McCall, who was only 21 years old at the time and resided in Uam Var Drive, Bishopstown, Cork, was presumably incapacitated after colliding with rocks when an unexpected wave carried him out to the sea off Co Cork. Despite extensive searches, his body was never discovered following the accident on 18th March 1974.
Frank O’Connell, the western Cork coroner, conducted an enquiry into Dave’s death, a procedure requested by his family and sanctioned by the justice minister under the Coroner’s Act of 1962. This particular act allows inquiries into deaths where no body has been recovered. Several of McCall’s friends, who had witnessed him being carried out to sea, testified before the coroner.
Michael Ryan, one of the witnesses, narrated his recollection of the heart-breaking incident. He, John Coughlan, Gary Galvin, and McCall, who was then a reporter for the Southern Star, had visited Coughlan’s family’s vacation home in Owenahincha for St Patrick’s weekend. On that fateful date of March 18th, the four friends decided to take a morning walk on the beach.
Coughlan and Galvin took a trail on the cliff, while Ryan and McCall chose to walk on the beach along the shore to the Pollock Rock, where they paused to observe the waves. Ryan recalled the sea being rough but not stormy, yet was unable to determine the tide level. However, he was certain that it was neither high nor low tide.
Ryan recounted that there was a gap between the Pollock Rock and another cliff formation that led to a cavity with a 4.5 to six-meter drop behind them. His lasting memory was of a massive, out of nowhere wave approaching. Ryan remembered McCall, who was known for his expressive nature, raising his arms as the wave crashed against the rock.
The water and spray drenched them, and then suddenly, McCall was not there – only emptiness. He disappeared, swept backward into the ravine. All Ryan could see was McCall being tossed around in the rush of the sea water within the channel.
The account states that Mr Coughlan and Mr Galvin swiftly moved to join him on the rock, watching as Mr McCall was tragically swept into the channel. Mr Ryan recalled the unfortunate sight of Mr McCall’s lifeless body, face down beyond the outcrop, not moving.
He pointed out that Mr Coughlan, a trained rescuer, attempted to get into the water in an effort to save Mr McCall, whilst Mr Ryan tried to guide him in the direction of their friend. However, they lost visual contact with Mr McCall’s body that was bobbing in the water.
Recounting their experience, Mr Coughlan told the inquest that both he and Mr Galvin had been situated in a spot known as the Coosheen, watching their friends Mr McCall and Mr Ryan at Pollock Rock. It was then that they noticed a series of large waves approaching and crashing onto Pollock Rock.
Describing the incident, he noted how Mr McCall appeared to raise his arms as if to brace for the oncoming spray. But as the wave retreated, only one person remained visible on the rock – leading them to believe that Mr McCall had slipped. Mr Coughlan then spotted Mr McCall being dragged by the backwash through the channel between the rocks, motionless and face down in the water, possibly rendered unconscious from the fall.
The coroner was informed by Mr McCall’s brother, Barry, of Mr McCall’s capability as a strong swimmer. However, despite the extensive search operation involving the Courtmacsherry RNLI lifeboat, onshore search teams and a team of divers spread across several days, Mr McCall’s body was never recovered.
The inquest concluded with Mr O’Connell ruling the cause of death to be accidental drowning as a result of being carried away by a wave at Pollock Rock, Owenahincha, expressing his condolences to the McCall family for their tragic loss.