From the archives: Achill boy cheated death on three separate occasions
By Tom Gillespie
IN an edition of The Connaught Telegraph published on Thursday, April 13, 1963, a report, written by journalist Bernie Gillespie, told how a seven-year-old Achill boy spent 18 hours trapped in a rabbit hole.
The headline read: 'Achill boy (7) cheated death three times'.
The boy, the report said, had his third miraculous escape from the jaws of death the previous day when he was rescued after being trapped in the rabbit burrow.
The boy, Peter Gavin, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Gavin, Keel, Achill, was in his home at six o’clock on Tuesday evening having his tea and at 6.10 he had mysteriously disappeared.
His parents immediately went looking for him, thinking he would be in the vicinity of their home, which is situated in the heart of the well-known holiday resort beside the Bervie Hotel, but no trace of him could be found.
More widespread enquiries were made around the village but no one saw him after he left the house.
Around 8 p.m., gardaí, under Sergeant T. O’Neill, and civilians joined forces and started a widespread search around the village and along the seashore, but there was still no trace of the missing boy up to midnight when the search was called off for the night.
At 6 a.m. on Wednesday local gardaí and civilians resumed the search, and later in the morning reinforcements of gardaí from Westport and Newport, under Supt. J.F. Carroll, were drafted in to take part in the search.
The search continued, covering a wide area from Dooagh to Keel, along the seashore and on the Sandybanks without any trace of the missing boy.
It was the most extensive search ever carried out on land in Achill and men, women and children took part in it, while some holidaymakers also assisted.
The boy was well-known locally and fears for his safety grew dimmer as time wore on without any trace of him.
Then, when all hopes of finding the boy alive had faded, the good news of his discovery spread like wildfire throughout the whole island at 5 p.m. when it was announced that he was found unharmed.
He was found by Mr. David Quinn, N.T., the boy’s teacher, under most remarkable circumstances.
Mr. Quinn had joined in the search for the boy and while approaching an area known as the Sandybanks, where Keel golf course is situated, he heard scraping and concluded that it was a rabbit scampering into a burrow.
However, as he continued walking slowly around the area, he noticed that the scraping continued.
This aroused his curiosity and on looking into a rabbit burrow in a large sand dune, he saw a pair of boy’s wellingtons and then found the missing boy.
And the first thing the boy said after being trapped for 18 hours in the burrow was: "I am looking for golf balls."
There was great joy in the village as the news about finding the boy was announced and the search was called off.
Mr. Quinn said that when he found the boy he was far in the burrow and it appeared that he got trapped when his shoulders got wedged in the sand and he could not get out.
Despite his terrifying ordeal, the boy showed no great signs of distress and shortly after he was taken home and united again with his family, he said to his mother: "I want to go playing, mammy," immediately he was cleaned and his clothes changed.
He was treated by Dr. Edward King, Keel, who arrived on the scene after the boy was found.
The report continued: This was the third time Peter cheated death as two years ago (1961) he cut a high tension electric cable and lived to tell the tale, while a year ago (1962) he found a package of sleeping tablets, eat them all, was rushed to hospital and recovered after spending five days in a coma.
Even though he is only seven years old, Peter certainly has had some harrowing experiences and more narrow escapes than most grown men have had in a lifetime.
And the good news is that Peter is still hail and healthy.
Mayo Association in London
In the same edition of the Connaught it was reported that a Mayo Association had been formed in London.
The association had adopted Our Lady of Knock as its patron.
The following were the officers elected: Rev. Fr. Bourke (Craggagh), president; Mr. John Brady (Ballyvary), chairman; Mr. Jimmy McLoughlin (Kiltimagh), vice-chairman; Mr. Pat Masterson (Achill), secretary and Mr. Michael O’Reilly (Ballyvary), treasurer.
The committee included Messrs. J. Foy (Ballyvary), Paddy Walsh (Charlestown), V. O’Reilly (Ballyvary) and Joe Staunton (Ballyvary).
The report said contact had been made with the Mayomen’s Association in Dublin and it was hoped that in the near future some liaison will be established with the New York Association to try and extend the spirit of friendship amongst Mayomen everywhere.