The sudden death of 64-year-old Breda ‘Betty' Harrington from Donoughmore in a Galway hotel on Monday morning has shocked and saddened the close-knit Mid Cork community she came from and those that knew the mother of five.
BY KIERAN O’MAHONY
THE sudden death of 64-year-old Breda ‘Betty’ Harrington from Donoughmore in a Galway hotel on Monday morning has shocked and saddened the close-knit Mid Cork community she came from and those that knew the mother of five.
Betty Harrington’s body was located in a bedroom in the Connemara Lake Hotel in Oughterard at approximately 11.30am on Monday morning. It is understood she had been visiting the hotel with other members of the Bishopstown Walking Club, who had been visiting the area.
Emergency services attended the scene and her body was brought to Galway University College Hospital where a post-mortem was carried out on Tuesday. Gardaí are investigating the cause of her death, while the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has now launched a full investigation into her death following an assessment of the incident and they are to examine whether carbon monoxide led to her death.
The hotel remains closed and other guests were evacuated on Monday and it is understood that several of them also reported feeling unwell and they were admitted to Galway University College Hospital.
The Connemara Lake Hotel issued a statement following the incident and confirmed that a guest tragically passed away while staying in the hotel over the weekend. ‘The hotel is closed until further notice while an investigation takes place by the Garda Síochána. Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased, their family and friends.’
Betty is survived by her husband Donal, her five children Debbie, Jennifer, Donna, Daniel and Anne as well as her five grandchildren. She is fondly remembered by her fellow members in Bishopstown Walking Club and her set dancing friends.
