The body of Shea McCabe, a young father from Co. Tyrone, was recovered from the River Lee in Cork on Boxing Day, following what his family described as a 'freak accident'. The 26-year-old had entered the water near Brian Boru Bridge in the early hours of 18 December.
A major nine-day multi-agency search was launched, involving Gardaí, Coast Guard, Cork City Fire Brigade, National Ambulance Service, and volunteer groups including Cork City Missing Person Search and Recovery, Mallow Search and Rescue (MSAR), Irish Search Dogs, and sub-aqua clubs. Some volunteers even searched on Christmas morning.
MSAR located Shea's body using side-scan sonar on the afternoon of 26 December. The tragedy adds to the family's grief, having lost Shea's brother Jason in October 2023 and their mother in May 2024.
A GoFundMe page set up by Shea's sister Stacey has raised nearly £9,000 to repatriate his body to Pomeroy, cover funeral costs, support his three-year-old son Cahan, and thank the Cork search teams. Stacey wrote of their 'heartbreak' and gratitude for bringing him back.
The Miners' Rest pub in Coalisland paid tribute, thanking donors and offering ongoing support. They plan a New Year's Eve raffle to aid the fundraising.
