A brother and sister died in the sea together despite his valiant attempts to pull her out to safety.
Dessie Byrne, 50, and Muriel Eriksson, 62, were swimming in the water of a County Kerry beach together on the first day of a holiday on Thursday evening.
The older sibling had found herself struggling in the Atlantic waves off the south west coast of Ireland at Bundoran beach, the Irish Mirror reported.
Dessie, who lived in Lecarrow in Roscommon, rushed in to help Muriel, who had settled in Malmo in Sweden.
Tragically the water overwhelmed them and they both lost their lives.
One of Dessie’s sons is understood to have been on the beach at the time and is in a state of shock after witnessing the deaths.
Members of Ballybunion Sea and Cliff Rescue and Ballybunion Coast Guard unit began CPR on Dessie, but he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Rescue workers searched for Muriel but by the time they had brought her to the beach CPR could not revive her.
The Taoiseach has spoken of his shock and sadness at the tragedy, paying his deepest sympathy to the family and particularly family members who were on the beach and witnessed the incident.
Micheal Martin also paid tribute to the first responders and the emergency services who did “everything they could as quickly as they could”.
Speaking in Tarbert, Co Kerry, Mr Martin added: "It reminds us all how treacherous the seas and oceans can be."
Following the siblings’ tragic deaths, the tight-knit community of Dessie's hometown of Lecarrow has been left shocked and numb.
Dessie, who was an active member of Lecarrow Lazers Cycling Club, has been described as “a gentleman, a sociable man and a family man,” who was devoted to his wife Paulette and their two sons Josh and Dean.
“Their tragic deaths are unspeakable,” a shocked local Councillor Laurence Fallon told The Star yesterday.
“People here are numb. Dessie was a gentleman, a sociable man, a family man. He was always available to the community and would always pop up unannounced to help.
“He was very devoted to his family.
“His sister was over from Sweden and sadly she is gone now too, making it even more of a tragedy.”
Cllr Fallon said Dessie, who was a talented carpenter, arrived in Lecarrow about 20 years ago from their hometown of Athlone in County Westmeath, and “immediately got involved with the community and fitted in perfectly.”
“We had flooding at houses several years ago and Dessie was on top of it all with sandbags and all types of work,” the councillor recalled.
“There was an old ball alley quite close to where he lived that had fallen into disrepair and Dessie was there to lend a hand with its repair,” Cllr Fallon continued.
“He also had a special association with the Carer’s Association that he was actively involved in trying to improve the care of people.
“He was a kind, decent man who helped out wherever he could,” said Cllr Fallon.
“Everyone is in complete shock. He was always there to help the community and we want his family to know we are all here for them as well during this tragic time.
“My deepest condolences to both Dessie and Muriel’s families,” he added.
Cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council, Aengus McCarthy, who was also a friend of Dessie’s described him as “a softly spoken man who was the epitome of great craic.”
“He had the turn of phrase, he had the sense of humour, he had the timing, he had the memory of all the stories going back 30 years that we had forgotten about.
“I only bumped into him two weeks ago when he and his family were out for Sunday lunch and he was in great form as usual,” said Cllr McCarthy.
“Everyone is in disbelief of the awful tragedy and loss of Dessie and his sister Muriel.
“Dessie loved his two boys Dean and Josh and he was always attending Dean’s football matches.
“He was fit in body and mind and a great craftsman."
