LAST UPDATE | 27 Jul 2025

A DONEGAL MAN has died after getting into difficulty while swimming at a popular cliff diving spot in Co Donegal yesterday.

Emergency services were called to the ‘Diving Boards’ area near Bundoran shortly after 4.40pm yesterday.

The cliffs, located between Bundoran’s main beach and the Rougey walkway, are a well-known local diving location.

An RNLI lifeboat crew was dispatched to the scene, and two local lifeguards also entered the water to help with the rescue.

The man was then lifted from the water onto the rescue boat and taken to Sligo University Hospital, where he later passed away.

The victim has since been named as 69-year-old Patrick O’Donnell, a Donegal native.

O’Donnell, who was originally from the Glenties and lived in London, was a member of the band the Bollock Brothers.

Fellow band member Pat Pattyn paid tribute to O’Donnell in a post online, saying that the band “are in shock”.

“Rest in peace my friend, I will miss you,” Pattyn said.