Thurles mourns the loss of father of three in tragic accident in Wales
The 42 year old died trying to save others in a flood
A father of three who died in a tragic drowning accident in Wales at the weekend, along with two others, is being mourned in Thurles this week, with his grandfather having hailed from Matthew Avenue.
Forty two year old Paul O' Dwyer - grandson of the late Paddy O' Dwyer of 13 Matthew Avenue - died in a tragic incident on the river Cleddau at Haverfordwest on Saturday when he was part of a group of nine adults from the south Wales area who had travelled to Pembrokeshire for a paddle-boarding excursion.
The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated, but it is believed that the group got into difficulty in the flood waters.
A multi-agency response swung into action involving the police, fire, ambulance, coastguard and, at one point, four helicopters, as nine people in total were in difficulty in the water.
Paul O'Dwyer was one of three victims who died in the incident. The married father-of-three, a former soldier and charity fundraiser from Port Talbot was a former director of Swansea's COPR Bar.
Armed forces charity Sa1ute, which he founded, has launched a fund-raiser to help the deceaseds family.
Paul enjoyed SUPing (stand-up paddle-boarding) and had been on an instructors' course and was going along on the tragic excursion. He was physically fit, had completed an Ironman and was also a former lifeguard and so was a very good swimmer.
He was described as “a very lovely, genuine man who always put his children first.”
Paul's wife was also caught up in the incident but was one of those rescued from the water by emergency services. It is understood that Paul went to assist a number of those who had plunged into the freezing water, but was overcome and tragically lost his life. The river had been in flood following major rainfall in the region over the previous week or so.
Paul and his family are regular visitors to Thurles and Holycross where they catch up with the O'Dwyer and Graydon families as well as many other relatives and friends established during summers in the Cathedral Town - his father John grew up in Thurles.
The incident has shocked people in the Pembrokeshire area as well as many people in Thurles who knew Paul and his family.
Sympathy is tendered to all the bereaved at this time.