Child who survived pier tragedy which claimed lives of her family honours lifeboat crew

Little Rioghnach-Ann McGrotty, the sole survivor of the 2016 Buncrana pier tragedy, met with Lough Swilly RNLI members this week to make a special presentation.

The eight-year-old, who survived a tragedy that claimed the lives of five of her family members, presented €4,100 to members of the lifeboat crew.

Two donations, each of €4,100, have been given to the Lough Swilly RNLI and to Danny Quigley’s Celebration of Life charity from the Evan McGrotty Fund.

On Tuesday evening, Rioghnach-Ann was back at the Ned’s Point lifeboat station to make the special presentation.

She was just four months old in March 2016 when she was saved from the freezing waters of Lough Swilly by passerby Davitt Walsh. The former Finn Harps player jumped into the water.

Sean McGrotty, Rioghnach-Ann’s father, managed to hand baby Rioghnach-Ann out a window before the car in which the family was travelling became submerged in the water.

Sean McGrotty, who was aged 48, her brothers eight-year-old Evan and Mark who was aged 12, her grandmother Ruth Daniels (57) and aunt Jodie Lee Daniels (14) all drowned when the car slid off a slipway at Buncrana pier.

A Lough Swilly RNLI spokesperson said: “Lough Swilly RNLI were delighted to welcome little Rioghnach-Ann McGrotty back to the Station this evening.

“It was fantastic to see Rioghnach back at Ned's Point Station with her lifeboat family.”