Tales From Times Past

 100-Foot Cliff Fall Claims Life of Well-Known Naturalist.

Mrs. Kathleen C. Mackay, a prominent field naturalist and botanist from Dunmore East, met her untimely demise when she fell from the cliffs of "Clough na Brandy," Creaden, Dunmore East, between Wednesday, 29th of March and Friday, 31st of March, 1944. Mrs. Mackay was a familiar figure to countless Irish readers for her daily column "Land and Water" in a leading Irish newspaper, resided at Wellington Terrace, Dunmore. She was the late wife of John Mackay, a solicitor renowned for his work on Ireland's reforestation, including the notable publication "The Rape of Ireland."

Mrs. Mackay's passion for natural history, particularly in botany and ornithology, was widely acknowledged. She served as the secretary of the Dunmore East Woods Committee and authored the engaging feature "Land and Water" under the initials "K.C.M." in the "Irish Press." It is surmised that her fatal accident occurred while she was in pursuit of botanical specimens.

Her routine walks along the cliff face were well-known in Dunmore, and her tragic death deeply saddened the district. Mrs. Mackay was last seen alive on the Wednesday evening when she embarked on her customary cliff walk. On the Friday morning a newsboy and milkman noticed that the papers and the milk had not been taken in. This prompted concern, leading to a search conducted by the Gardai, under Sergeant J. J. Campbell, and members of the L.S.F., under Mr. Peter Roche.

That afternoon, about 4.30 p.m., a little punt, the property of Mr. Roche, and manoeuvred by Jeff Power, coxswain of the Dunmore East lifeboat, put out in a choppy sea, and at no little risk to themselves, succeeded in finding the body on the rocks at a place called "Clough na Brandy." In the boat, in addition to Mr. Power, were Mr. Roche and Sergeant Campbell.

THE INQUEST PROCEEDINGS:

An inquest, held on Saturday afternoon at Lawlor's Hotel before Dr. J. C Walsh, Coroner for East Waterford, returned a verdict in line with the medical evidence, establishing the time of death between Wednesday and Friday.

SISTER'S EVIDENCE:

Miss Bridget Hennessy, sister of the deceased, deposed that she recognised the body lying at Wellington Terrace, Dunmore, as that of her sister, who was aged fifty-nine and widow of Mr. John Mackay, solr. She last saw her sister alive on Monday, March 27th, 1944, and she had been in her usual good health. At the time she was on a visit to Kilkenny. She left to go back to Dunmore on the Wednesday. She was in the habit of going for walks on the cliffs at Dunmore regularly. She was a field naturalist, and studied natural history, botany and birds. She wrote a daily article entitled "Land and Water" for an Irish journal. However, her sight had become so bad that she had ceased writing in the previous few weeks.

CLERGYMAN'S DEPOSITION:

Canon J. Going, Wellington Tee. Dunmore, stated that he resided next door to the late Mrs. Mackay. He last saw her alive on Wednesday last at about 5 p.m. in her garden. She was in the best of spirits. She was in the habit of walking the cliffs, and they often compared notes of what they saw there.

FINDING OF BODY:

Coxswain Geoffrey Power, Dunmore, deposed that he found the body of the late Mrs. Mackay on the rocks at "Clough" na Brandy, Dunmore, on the Friday at about 4.30 p.m. With Mr. Peter Roche, Local Security Force Group Leader, he found the body, lying face downwards, on the rocks, with the head facing down to the sea. A very high cliff of about 100 feet overlooks these rocks. There is a path on the top of the cliffs. The rocks are jagged. He noticed that some rocks and ivy had given away just directly over the body.

SERGEANT'S EVIDENCE:

Sergeant John J. Campbell, Dunmore East, deposed that he found a ton of fallen rock below the body. He had listened to the evidence of Geoffrey Power, and he corroborated all he had said. It was quite obvious that the cliff gave away and that the lady fell over. He would estimate that she fell 100 feet.

DOCTOR'S STATEMENT:

Dr. P. F. O'Sullivan, in evidence, said that he examined the body on Friday evening and found a large lacerated wound and an extensive depressed fracture on the left frontal region. That was the only extensive anti-mortem injury. The cause of death was due to shock and haemorrhage and fracture of the skull. The injuries would be consistent with those likely to be caused by a fall from the cliffs. Death had occurred, in his opinion, about 36 hours previously.

The Coroner expressed sincere sympathy on behalf of himself, the Gardai, the Dunmore East L.S.F. and the local community as a whole.

Mrs. Mackay's funeral, held on the Saturday in Killea, drew a large gathering, with Reverend D. Slattery officiating at the graveside. May she rest in peace.