The news that well known local man John Fenlon (56) died in a tragic drowning accident in Wexford Harbour on Saturday evening has been met with an outpouring of shock and sadness.
The father of four from Wolfe Tone Villas was the husband of recently retired Fine Gael county councillor Anna Fenlon.
At approximately 4.20p.m. Mr Fenlon fell into the water while tending to a small boat that was moored in the harbour.
RNLI members stationed at Wexford Lifeboat Station were immediately alerted to the scene and an intensive search and rescue operation was co-ordinated between different facets of the emergency services.
The Rescue 117 helicopter, members of An Garda Siochana and Coast Guard Units from Rosslare and Curracloe also arrived at the scene promptly.
A spokesperson for the RNLI said: “The crew were already in gear with the boat on the slip as they had just come back to the station following an exercise. The lifeboat was on scene within a minute where they were given reports of the person’s location. A lifeboat crewmember entered the water and the crew performed extensive searching of the area assisted by local vessels from Wexford Harbour boat and tennis club.”
At 6.10p.m. the body of Mr Fenlon was recovered close to where he had entered the water.
His remains were brought to the lifeboat station and subsequently conveyed to Waterford Regional Hospital where a post-mortem examination was performed the following day (Sunday).
Speaking to The Echo, Mr Fenlon’s son Mark explained that he and his siblings are in deep shock at the sudden loss of the head of the family.
“We are all so proud that we can call him our dad,” said his son.
He continued: “But he wasn’t just a great dad, he was also a brilliant granddad.”
Mr Fenlon is survived by his loving wife Anna and children; Brian, Mark, John and Kathriona as well as his grandchildren; Chloe, Layla, Harry, Sean and Ella Louise.
His son Mark noted that it has been difficult to explain his father’s untimely passing to the children in the family who admired their grandfather greatly.
“It’s after affecting the whole community,” he added.
Mr Fenlon was born one of 11 children to the late George and Ellen Fenlon of Wolfe Tone Villas.
Neighbours described him as a “well respected man of the community”.
After he met Anna while the couple were working at O’Leary’s Poultry of John’s Street, the couple made a home together in Wolfe Tone Villas and raised a family.
Mr Fenlon worked in the construction industry.
His family fondly recall that their father was always quick to lend a hand to a person in need.
“I remember one day a few years ago it was raining really hard and there was an elderly man on Hill Street who had lost some tiles off his roof…dad just got the ladders out and climbed up and fixed it for him. That was the kind of person he was he would do anything to help a person who needed it,” said Mark.
He continued: “He’d put a smile on everyone’s face, that was the kind of good character that he was. We’ll always remember him that way.”
The Fenlon family wish to extend their deepest appreciation to all members of the emergency response services who assisted in the recovery operation on Saturday evening.
“They did everything that anyone could possibly do in a situation like that and we want to thank every single person who was involved in the search. They are a brilliant group of people who work voluntarily, often for no thanks,” said Mark.
He continued: “I think people only appreciate their hard work when they find themselves in a situation like this. The service that they provide to the community is just brilliant…they really are unsung heroes.”
Mr Fenlon’s funeral Mass takes place today in Bride Street Church at 12 noon. Afterwards, he will be laid to rest at Crosstown Cemetery.