THE HEARTBROKEN FAMILY of a 32-year old swimmer who drowned in Galway has paid tribute to all those who spent eleven days and nights searching for her.

The family of Máire Ní Fhátharta from Doire Locháin Thoir, An Spidéal on Co Galway, whose funeral details have been announced, said they will be forever in the debt of all those who searched for her.

She sadly died after going for a morning swim at Silverstrand near Barna on 12 November.

The body of another swimmer, 74-year old songwriter Johnny Duhan, was found in the water the same day at Rusheen Bay a few hours after he was reported missing after going for his daily swim at Silverstrand the same morning. He was laid to rest in Killaan Cemetery in east Co Galway last week.

The search for Máire Ní Fhátharta, who worked as an Irish language planning officer in An Spidéal, was one of the largest and most organised ever mounted along the west coast.

Search parties, organised into zones, combed the coastline each day and each night in line with tidal movements from south Connemara through to Galway city and on through south Galway and along the north Clare coast.

Over 500 searchers were involved at weekends with over one hundred craft including fishing vessels, jet-skis, kayakers, sailing boats and paddle boarders, in addition to all the multi-agencies.

A fundraising drive launched to help defray the costs of the search reached over €225,000. Excess funds will be distributed among various rescue bodies.

The search came to an end on Friday before 4pm, just as it was being stepped down for the night ahead of the arrival of Storm Bert, when her body was discovered near the shoreline between the beach at Silverstrand and Barna village.

“We would like to say a massive thank you to you all for everything you have done between searching, organising, delivering, donating and all the other things that we may not even be aware of. Your generosity, kindness, dedication and hope have helped us bring our beautiful Máire home.

“We will be forever in your debt and Máire can finally rest in peace,” said her family.

She will be laid to rest in Reilig Mhaoiris, Cloch Mór in south Connemara on the shores of Galway Bay on Wednesday following requiem mass at noon in An Spidéal. Máire Ní Fhátharta will repose at the Cillín in the Church of Mary Immaculate Queen, Barna, on Tuesday from 4pm to 6pm.

“It is with great heartache that Máire’s partner Dan and all her family share the news of her death,” said a family notice.

She is survived by her parents Peig and Johnny, her sisters Fionnuala and Maighréad, and brothers Tomás, Stiofán and Eoghan.