Tragic Drowning of Eight-Year-Old Boy in Kimmage Quarry

Kimmage, Dublin — A heartbreaking incident unfolded on Thursday evening, July 11, 1935, when an eight-year-old boy, Edward Holmes, residing at 3 Ferns Road, Kimmage, tragically drowned in a disused quarry off Sundrive Road. The quarry, formerly used by the old Kimmage Brick Works, had become a dangerous water-filled site, with depths reportedly reaching up to 100 feet.

Edward was playing with a group of his peers near the edge of the quarry when he accidentally slipped and fell into the water. The steep sides of the quarry meant that Edward fell approximately twenty feet into the pool below. Despite the desperate attempts of his companions, including a valiant effort by a little girl who tried to grasp him by the hair, the boy could not be saved. She was eventually forced to let go, and Edward tragically drowned.

The children’s cries for help drew the attention of Richard Masterson, a local man from St. Kevin’s Avenue, Blackpitts. Upon arriving at the scene, Masterson made several courageous dives into the water, reaching depths of up to 30 feet, but was unable to locate the boy’s body. The depth and murkiness of the water made the rescue efforts exceedingly difficult.

The Terenure Gardai were promptly called to the scene. Equipped with grappling irons, they initiated a recovery operation. After an exhaustive search lasting several hours, the Gardai managed to recover Edward’s body from a depth of about 30 feet, only two feet from the bank. The tragic event has left the local community in shock and mourning.

An inquest was scheduled to be held later that afternoon to ascertain the circumstances surrounding this tragic accident. The incident underscores the perilous nature of disused quarries and the need for heightened safety measures to prevent such heart-wrenching occurrences in the future.