Man, 40s, dies after collapsing while climbing Co Donegal mountain after helicopter rescue launched
The man, who was in his late 40s, took seriously ill on the mountain around midday.
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The emergency services were immediately called in an operation overseen by the Malin Head
Amongst those who responded to the call was the Rescue 118 helicopter who rushed to the scene.
The helicopter managed to land close to the scene and took the casualty to
However, the man was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later.
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The man's identity has not yet been released.
Elsewhere in Donegal, an urgent appeal has been made
The fire left St Mary's Church in Co Donegal "burned to the ground" on Easter Monday.
And fundraising efforts are now underway to help rebuild the popular church, hoping for a brighter future.
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MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN
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A fire broke out at the church in the Diocese of Raphoe overnight.
Emergency services first received reports of the fire at around 4am on Monday.
Cops launch new body cams for officers in hope to 'increase safety for Gardaí and the public'
Five fire brigade units and
Thankfully, no injuries were reported following the blaze.
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An investigation was launched in hopes of determining the cause of the fire.
Parish of Gaoth Dobhai took to Facebook to share an update, saying together with the local community, they will "rebuild the church."
'UNTIRING DEDICATION AND TIRELESS SERVICE'
The parish said: "We are a resilient community and will stand together to support one another in this moment of deep grief and sorrow.
"We will rebuild our Church with a renewed hope for a brighter future.
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"I wish to express my deep gratitude to all the members of Gaoth Dobhair Fire Brigade Service, supported by colleagues from right across the County, for their untiring dedication and tireless service."
The parish also thanked the emergency services, members of gardai,
The parish added: "To all members of An Garda Síochána who attended, for their professionalism and dedication.
"To Donegal County Council staff members for their selfless support and helping hand.
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"And to the many members of this beautiful community in Gaoth Dobhair, and further afield who have offered help, assistance and sent messages of support and prayers."
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The incident happened around midday
Credit: Getty Images
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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Brother Kevin Crowley remembered for life-long ‘mission' to help homeless as Capuchin Day Centre founder laid to rest
BROTHER Kevin Crowley had a "simple mission" to feed and house the poor, his funeral has been told. Brother Kevin, who 4 Brother Kevin Crowley sadly passed away on Wednesday Credit: Garrett White - The Sun Dublin 4 President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina arrive at the funeral mass for Brother Kevin Crowley Credit: � 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved 4 Diarmuid Martin former Archbishop of Dublin also attended the mass Credit: � 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved Throughout a 55-year history, he oversaw much of its development in response to the needs of homeless people. The centre offers two hot meals per day Monday to Saturday, as well as food parcels and a range of services including clothing, showering facilities, and medical interventions. It provides more than 1,000 hot breakfasts and dinners each day. Brother Kevin was said to be grateful to be awarded the Freedom of the City of Dublin in 2015 and for the visit of Pope Francis to the centre in August 2018. He retired in 2022 to READ MORE IN NEWS His funeral took place at St Mary of the Angels on Church Street in Dublin this morning. President Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell and former primate of Ireland Diarmuid Martin attended the mass alongside Capuchin Franciscans and staff at the day centre. Also present were Commandant Joe Glennon representing Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who is concluding a trade mission in Japan, Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam, and other public representatives from the city council and Oireachtas. Most read in Irish News 'TWO FAMILIES' Leading the service as provincial minister, Brother Richard Hendrick welcomed Brother Kevin's "two families" - his natural family as well as the staff, volunteers and guests of the Day Centre. He said: "You are all welcome here today. While Brother Kevin was the inspiration and face as it were of the work of the centre, without all of you there would be much less reason for our gathering. "We thank you for all you were to Brother Kevin, for all you are to us Capuchin Friars and for all you do to keep that vision alive of a place of refuge and Franciscan welcome in the heart of the city open to all." Brother Richard said they had been "inundated" with stories of the care and love Brother Kevin shared to others, as well as the love shared to him. He said Brother Kevin vision was that no one would go hungry and that all would fall a place of inclusive welcome and peace. Brother Richard said the day centre "will continue and grow" as long as there are guests who need its services. Recalling recent queries from visitors if the centre would stop operating, he added: "I think Kevin would haunt us all if there was even a thought of that." 'GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT' Brother Richard thanked all those who had gathered, as well as all those worked at the day centre. He said: "Yesterday, we heard that there would be two minutes of silence - one in Dublin and one in Cork before the GAA matches take place. "It is probably Kevin's greatest achievement that as a Cork man he has finally silenced Dublin." In a homily, Brother Patrick Flynn said Brother Kevin gave a "life's service" to the poor. He said the proud west Cork man was a "very, very good Capuchin friar", a "man of God", a "disciple of Jesus Christ", and a "humble, devout son of St Francis of Assisi". "He was a Capuchin to his fingerprints. Most people didn't know his family name of Crowley, but they knew of 'Brother Kevin'." Brother Patrick said Brother Kevin was known the length and breadth of the country as a "tireless advocate for those with no voice", acting as the nation's conscience to remind the public of their obligation to help others out of the trap of poverty. "He was fearless, relentless in his pursuit of justice for the poor. I've no doubt that his great spiritual father St Francis is embracing him today for the love and compassion he extended throughout his religious life for God's poor." He added: "Kevin had a mission in life, it was very simple: Feed and house the poor. "He couldn't understand why in our country we couldn't solve this problem." 'COMPASSIONATE HEART' Brother Patrick said Brother Kevin was a man who enjoyed the company of friars and friends, had a love of the GAA marked by a hurley placed beside his coffin during the service, and who had a great sense of humour demonstrated by his ability to laugh at himself. Remembering his friend for over 60 years, he concluded: "He wasn't perfect, he could be feisty and challenging when he disagreed with you. "But what he did have in abundance was a generous, compassionate heart and that is what made the man. "Kevin, thank you for your good example." The service was also read letters containing tributes from the Apostolic Nuncio of Ireland Luis Mariano Montemayor and General Councillor Brother Marek Miszczynski. Brother Kevin's burial site is at Dardistown Cemetery. 4 The order of service for the funeral mass of Brother Kevin Crowley Credit: � 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Obituary: Brother Kevin Crowley, Capuchin friar who fed and clothed generations of people who fell through the cracks
Brother Kevin Crowley, a man of profound goodness and faith, who died on July 2, need have no fear of judgment. The Capuchin friar, who died in his 91st year, lived the values of his Catholic faith right to his fingertips. Through his work in the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin, he fed and clothed generations of people who either fell through the cracks or the rest of society preferred to forget. 'And we never asked any questions,' was his unshakeable philosophy. As prosperity ebbed and flowed, the need for the vital services in Dublin's north inner city never eased. With more families experiencing homelessness, Brother Kevin and the centre were there to offer a hot meal or a food parcel — and respect, dignity and the knowledge that someone cared. As the cash machines pinged on Dublin's most fashionable streets in the run-up to Christmas every year, the queues for the Capuchin food vouchers grew longer and longer. The last person who would want to be eulogised would be Kevin Crowley. The only reason he even had a public profile was that fundraisers managed to convince him he was the face of the work, and people wanted to donate because they admired him. He was born William, in Enniskeane, Co Cork, in 1935, and his parents, William and Catherina (O'Donovan), had him baptised in the local parish church. Those were hungry days when the scars of the Civil War were still raw, and there were real fears that the new Free State might fail. After schooling locally, he worked for Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) as a railway inspector, but he felt deeply the call of a religious vocation. It must have seemed like an act of insanity at that time, to leave a comfortable job for life to volunteer for a life of perpetual poverty. When he announced his shift in career at the boarding house where he lodged, the bean an tí confidently predicted he wouldn't last a week. But a gentle hand always seemed to guide Kevin, and he recently celebrated 67 years as a religious brother. He entered the Capuchin Postulancy in Co Kilkenny on April 7, 1958 — Easter Monday of that year. Before he entered, he called into a bookmaker to put a bet on a horse. Years later, he would recall with glee how he never found out how the horse fared, since radios and newspapers were forbidden in the community. Regardless of his fortunes on the racecourse, he found in his ministry a life dedicated to service that brought him priceless happiness. In 1968, he was asked to take over the running of a clothing guild on Church Street in Dublin to collect unwanted clothes for those in need. As he watched grown men rummaging through bins to try to feed their families, he quickly realised something more was needed, and the soup kitchen was born. There were brief stints at other Capuchin projects around the country, but his heart was always in the north inner city, and the proud Corkman quickly took to the Dublin wit. He was there to defend the church when he thought it was getting an unfair lashing Brother Kevin would always say that the people he served were not subjects of charity, but people with hopes and dreams in need of respect and dignity. He could be caustic about politicians, but saw that they could be a means to an end, and he would hold them to public commitments to do more to help the homeless. While he never gave in to despair about the challenges facing the church, he was there to defend it when he thought it was getting an unfair lashing. When a left-wing TD told the Dáil that she thought the church should be 'consigned to the dustbin of history', he told an interviewer that history would 'put her in the bin'. It was typical of his style of straight-talking and went hand in hand with his determination to never take no for an answer. Whenever a politician called, Brother Kevin was happy to oblige for a photo opportunity, but he would also bend their ear, and usually got what he wanted. He was passionately pro-life, and until recent years was a feature of the annual Pro-Life Campaign dinner. A disciple of St Francis, like his hero Pope Francis, he saw care for the vulnerable as part of the same Christian witness: whether the poor, the sick, the unborn, the homeless, the powerless, the addict or the elderly, he was a powerful advocate for those he saw as having no voice. Brother Kevin was never robust of health, but he wasn't one to mind himself too much either. He was awake each day at around 4.30am, and after going to the kitchens to turn everything on, it was back to the friary for two hours of prayer — sometimes, his confreres say, peppered with a well-deserved snooze in the chapel. He was not in thrall of celebrity, and the story is told about the day a famous folk singer arrived to announce he was donating the proceeds of one of his gigs to the Capuchin Day Centre. Brother Kevin had no idea who it was, but professed himself to be suitably grateful. He was proud of what his mission achieved, but depressed that it was still necessary. A crowning moment was when Pope Francis visited in 2018. As the papal motorcade made its way to the centre, he turned to a colleague and said: 'I never thought I'd see the day when the Pope would be coming to Bow Street.' We all know the vocations crisis facing the Catholic Church in Ireland, and it would be easy to see this as a mere sociological reality. But the pragmatic truth is that the fall in vocations means we will no longer have people such as Brother Kevin — people who will willingly embrace a life of poverty, putting their own needs aside to live their life for and alongside those most in need. 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The Irish Sun
3 days ago
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‘Damned if you do & damned if you don't – Frustrated Irish mum ‘punished' by strict means test while caring for son, 22
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The carers group is also urging the Coalition to increase funding for respite services to give carers help in day services or overnight services. 5 Lynsey O'Donovan doesn't qualify because her income is slightly over the threshold Credit: Sam Boal/Collins 5 The carers group is also urging the Coalition to increase funding for respite services Credit: Sam Boal/Collins
