Ailish Sheehan, the Limerick rower who had been on a life-support machine in Poland since Sunday night, has died. The Kildimo woman had been fighting for her life in a Poznan hospital after sustaining serious head injuries in a fall.
The accident came just hours after Ailish (23) had won a bronze medal at the World University Rowing Championships. Ailish had been competing for TEAM GB as she was doing a Masters Degree at the University of London.
Lee Boucher, the team British team manager in Poznan, said the following: “It is with great sadness that I have to report that within the last hour our teammate Ailish has passed away in hospital in Poznan surrounded by her family. Our thoughts at this time are with all of her family and friends.
“Like her performances on the water, Ailish gave everything right until the very end but unfortunately she was unable to win this battle. Ailish’s family take comfort in knowing that she didn’t suffer and that she was happy in her final moments.”
“I know that this will hit you all hard but Ailish would want us all to rally together to support one another at this tragic time. Please do not hesitate to contact me at any point,” Mr Boucher concluded.
A former member of St Michael’s Rowing Club and Dooneen Athletic Club, Ailish graduated from the prestigious Notre Dame College in the USA where she had been on a rowing scholarship. She had won Irish championships as a junior and senior oarswoman in Limerick and represented Ireland at the World Under-23 Championships in 2013.
