
'His loss will be felt far and wide': Man who died after car entered water in Co. Mayo is named locally
A MAN who died after his car entered the water on Clare Island in Co. Mayo has been named locally as Charles O'Malley.
A death notice for the 88-year-old, who was known locally as Charles Gerry, said he passed away 'tragically following an accident'.
It added that Mr O'Malley was the owner of O'Malley Ferries, a family-owned business that operates services between Roonagh Pier on the mainland and Clare Island and Inisturk.
A post on the Clare Island Facebook page said it shared the new of Mr O'Malley's passing 'with heavy hearts and sadness'.
"A man of the sea, a man who dedicated his life to service to island communities, gentle and kind and most of all a family man," it read.
"His loss will be felt far and wide and in particular in his native home of Clare Island."
A statement from gardaí said they attended the scene of a fatal single-vehicle road traffic collision at Glen on Clare Island on Tuesday.
"A car entered the water at approximately 1pm and the driver, a man aged in his 80s, was pronounced deceased at the scene," it read.
"His body was removed from the scene to Mayo University Hospital, where a post-mortem examination is due to take place.
"A Forensic Collision Investigator carried out an examination of the scene."
Mr O'Malley will lay in repose at a funeral home in Louisburgh, Co. Mayo on Thursday before being brought home to Clare Island aboard his own boat, the Tormore, ahead of his funeral on Friday.
See More: Clare Island, Mayo

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Sunday World
08-05-2025
- Sunday World
Family of tragic ferry man ‘forever grateful' to those who came to help
HEARTBROKEN | The death of Charles O'Malley (88) who lost his life when his vehicle entered the water at Glen, on Clare Island on Tuesday afternoon has been met with profound shock and sadness in his native Mayo Charles O'Malley The death of Mr O'Malley (88) who lost his life when his vehicle entered the water at Glen, on Clare Island, has been met with profound shock and sadness in his native Mayo. He was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was removed to Mayo University Hospital, where a post mortem examination was due to take place. Gardaí have appealed for witnesses but are said to be treating the matter as a tragic accident. The 88-year-old from Strake on Clare Island was the proprietor of O'Malley Ferries and through his business activities was among the best known personalities in his native island. Mr O'Malley's body will be brought by boat to repose at his home in Strake from 9.30pm tonight ahead of his funeral mass and burial tomorrow. According to his death notice on Charles O'Malley (better known as Charles Gerry, of Strake, Clare Island, Co Mayo, the proprietor O'Malley Ferries, died on May 6, tragically following an accident, aged 88 years. He is the 'son of the late Gerry and Agnes and brother of the late Mary Maher, Nora McNamara and Philomena O'Malley. 'Sadly missed and remembered with love by his wife Pauline (née O'Malley), daughters Bernie, Maria, & Cathriona, sons Charles & Gerard, brothers Michael & Josie, sons-in-law Gay & David, daughter-in-law Annmarie'. The notice also refers to 'Ger's partner Tina, his adored grandchildren Darren (Katie), Niamh, Louise, Cathal, Emma, Farrah, Brayden, Noah, & Cullen, great-grandchildren Charlie & Callum, his brother-in-law Michael Bob, sisters-in-law Ann & Eileen, the extended O'Malley families, cousins, and a wide circle of friends, the Island community, and the many generations of people he skippered to Clare Island. Read more Charles will rest in repose at Sweeney's Funeral Home, Louisburgh on Thursday, from 5pm, concluding with Vigil Prayers at 7pm. This will be followed by removal to his home via Roonagh Pier, where Charles will travel home on his own boat the 'Tormore' to repose at his home in Strake from 9.30pm on Thursday night. Removal on Friday from his home will be at 12.30pm, to arrive at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Clare Island for 1pm Mass of Christian Burial, followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery. The notice adds that the 'O'Malley family will be forever grateful to all those who assisted them and Charles on Tuesday May 6, An Garda Síochána, the Coast Guard, Achill RNLI, and the island community.' In the condolences section, people have left messages to 'Pauline and all the family on death of Charles'. One offers: 'Our heartfelt condolences to Pauline, Maria, Bernie and Catriona, and a special mention to Ger, Chuck and Michael Gerry, you and all Charles Family and in laws, neighbours, Friends and neighbouring Islands who mourn his loss, our thoughts are with you all.' Another adds: 'To say we are saddened, shocked and heartbroken to hear of the tragic passing of Charles is an understatement. 'He was one kind gentleman and served us all well for many years. We are thinking of you all and pray God will strengthen and comfort you all at this difficult time and in the weeks and months ahead. 'Sincere condolences to Pauline, Bernie, Maria, Charles, Catriona, Gerard and extended family. May his gentle soul rest in eternal peace.' Paying tribute to Mr O'Malley, Councillor Chris Maxwell described him as 'a pillar of the Clare Island community'. 'Charles was salt of the earth, a gentleman,' he said. 'People are devastated by this news. He was just a lovely man who had a kind word for everyone he met.'


Irish Post
07-05-2025
- Irish Post
'His loss will be felt far and wide': Man who died after car entered water in Co. Mayo is named locally
A MAN who died after his car entered the water on Clare Island in Co. Mayo has been named locally as Charles O'Malley. A death notice for the 88-year-old, who was known locally as Charles Gerry, said he passed away 'tragically following an accident'. It added that Mr O'Malley was the owner of O'Malley Ferries, a family-owned business that operates services between Roonagh Pier on the mainland and Clare Island and Inisturk. A post on the Clare Island Facebook page said it shared the new of Mr O'Malley's passing 'with heavy hearts and sadness'. "A man of the sea, a man who dedicated his life to service to island communities, gentle and kind and most of all a family man," it read. "His loss will be felt far and wide and in particular in his native home of Clare Island." A statement from gardaí said they attended the scene of a fatal single-vehicle road traffic collision at Glen on Clare Island on Tuesday. "A car entered the water at approximately 1pm and the driver, a man aged in his 80s, was pronounced deceased at the scene," it read. "His body was removed from the scene to Mayo University Hospital, where a post-mortem examination is due to take place. "A Forensic Collision Investigator carried out an examination of the scene." Mr O'Malley will lay in repose at a funeral home in Louisburgh, Co. Mayo on Thursday before being brought home to Clare Island aboard his own boat, the Tormore, ahead of his funeral on Friday. See More: Clare Island, Mayo