A BEEKEEPER who died after after being stung had recently taken a step back from looking after bee colonies after suffering some allergic reactions.
Tragic Kathleen Devine, who was in her 70s, passed away after being attacked by several bees while tending to hives outside Ballina in Co Mayo on Monday evening.
Kathleen had recently taken a break from beekeeping due to allergic reactions
Jude Walsh of Mayo Beekeepers Association paid tribute to popular Kathleeninstagram/@nationalmuseumofireland
Several other people who went to assist her were also injured in the incident, which took place at about 5.40pm on Monday evening.
One woman, who was in her 40s and lived nearby, came to Kathleen’s assistance and was also hospitalised.
The emergency services were contacted and the woman was collected by the Rescue 118 helicopter and taken Sligo University Hospital, where she later passed away.
The Irish Sun has learned that Kathleen and her husband Des had only gone out to assist another beekeeper when the tragedy unfolded.
The couple were well-known in the beekeeper community of north Mayo and had won several awards for their honey at shows up and down the country.
Jude Walsh, from the Mayo Beekeepers Association, said Kathleen had been taking a step back recently after suffering some reactions.
He told the Irish Sun: “It’s very sad and such a rare thing to happen.
“She had told someone I know that she didn’t want to do as much beekeeping the future because she had suffered some reactions, I don’t know how serious they were.
“But it’s important to say that she only went out to help out another beekeeper.
“I think he’s older so she was just giving him a hand which makes this even more tragic.”
Mr Walsh also rubbished earlier reports that Mrs Devine had died after being attacked by a ‘swarm’ of bees.
He explained: “It’s the wrong time of the year for bee swarms, but if you get attacked by 10 or 20 bees it might feel like a swarm.
“They can be like wild animals when they’re upset and that’s what this must have been what that was like.
“Her and her husband have been involved in Mayo Beekeepers Association for years and everything is thinking of the family at this time.”
The Irish Sun has also learned that Des and Kathleen had only attended the wedding of their daughter last Friday.
Fianna Fail councillor Michael Loftus described the incident as “a tragedy” for the woman, her husband and family “and the entire north Mayo community”.
FULL INVESTIGATION
He added: “We are all shocked and taken aback about what is considered to be a relatively rare event – the death of a person from bee stings.
“In the public interest, the full circumstances of what happened will have to be fully investigated”.
The Coroner for Sligo, in whose jurisdiction the death occurred, has been notified and an inquest will be held at a later date.
A Garda spokesperson said: “Gardaí assisted emergency services at a medical incident involving a woman at Ballycastle, Ballina, Co Mayo, at approximately 5:40pm on Monday.
“The woman, aged in her 70s, became ill and was transferred by air ambulance to Sligo General Hospital. She subsequently passed away.
“A woman who rendered assistance, aged in her 40s, was brought by ambulance to Mayo University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
“A post mortem examination will be carried out, the results of which will determine the course of the Garda investigation.
“The local Coroner has been informed.”
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