A DUBLIN COMMUNITY was left reeling yesterday afternoon after the bodies of a local man and his son were found dead at Ashington Park.
Seán ‘Curly’ Sweeney, who was in his 30s, and his three-year-old son were on a visit to nearby relatives when they took a shortcut through a fence and across a stream.
It is understood they slipped and fell into the water which was deep at the time. They had been visiting relatives to exchange Easter eggs.
A passer-by discovered the pair at about 3pm yesterday. Emergency services were called but paramedics were unable to save them.
Neighbours gathered on the green yesterday evening as gardaí preserved the scene. An investigation is ongoing but indications remain that it was a tragic accident.
The bodies were removed from the scene at about 6pm. Post-mortem examinations are due to take place today.
Originally from Finglas, Sean Sweeney’s family live in Ashington Park and the boy’s mother lived across the Royal Canal. Locals told TheJournal.ie that the pair often used the shortcut through the fence – where a hole had been cut – and across the stream.
Local councillor Brendan Carr (Labour) said that the local area is “in shock”.
He was a nice young lad, from a very respected family.
A couple of hours after the bodies were found, gardaí were called from the scene to a nearby house where a distressed young man – believed to be a grieving relative – had caused a disturbance. He and another young man were detained briefly by gardaí.
The site is close to where a plaque has been erected in memory of another child who drowned some years ago.
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