Body of Barry Davis Ryan has been formally identified
The body of Barry Davis Ryan has been found off the coast of Cork.
The 20-year-old had been missing for ten days after he, his father and girlfriend were swept out to sea.
The remains of all three have now been recovered.
Local woman Geraldine Sheehy was among the team of volunteers providing sustenance to various search teams at the pier.
After the discovery of the body yesterday, she said: “I’m here since 7.30am this morning. The search was due to wrap up early afternoon.
"We didn’t want to go home because of the fact we were waiting for some good news which thank God we got.
“It’s hard to talk about it. I know the family quite well. Charlotte and her brother Arthur were in my children’s classes at school - it’s been horrendous for all of them.
"There’s a sense of grief but relief too, a sense of happiness that it’s all over,” she said.
The breakthrough came after an emotional appeal earlier this week from Barry's mother, Ann Davis, for experienced divers to come and help local search teams.
The efforts of search teams received praise last night, with Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, among those tweeting. "Thank God - body has been recovered in Baltimore, my heart goes out to the family but at least now the search is over," he wrote.
The Baltimore Lifeboat Station Facebook page had also carried an update regarding the search efforts.
"We are all so relieved that a body has been found following an extensive search for Barry Davis Ryan.
"A formal identification has yet to take place. Divers recovered the body around midday and have brought him to the lifeboat station. We are so relieved that he can be returned to his family and offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of all affected by this tragedy."
Barry's girlfriend Niamh O'Connor and his dad Barry Ryan had been laid to rest last weekend.
