23/03/2026
Food for thought.
Last night Saturday March 21st i was contacted at 8pm by a very distressed Mum about 4 missing teenagers out in the Monksland/ Curraghmore forest and bogland area.
They had been missing 4/5 hours and were dressed very poorly for the decline in temprature. It was now 8:20pm and they had managed to alert Athlone Garda station but had no idea where they were.
I was at home having been to the Doctor early yesterday suffering with the Flu and with a very poor knee injury. I was informed by the Mum that the Garda in Athlone were trying to get personel out to assist in locating the teens.
I decided time was important i had to go out and get the kids. I informed the Garda at Athlone and they patched me through to operations who were about to call in the Helicopter to use thermal imaging and civil Defense/Army units.
I informed them there was no need i had been intouch with the teens got a run down on how they were doing health and condition wise and that id be with them soon that they would be fine to sit thight.
I managed to then get them to call out every 5 minutes for 30 seconds as i made my way throught the dense forest to them in the dark.
When i got there two boys were in T-Shirts and two girls in light hoodies hands White mouths blue shaking uncontrollably displaying early signs of Hypothermia.
I had brought jackets for them as the Mum had explained how poorly they were dressed. I managed to get them back in good warm condition and reasured them they be fine. At that point they were very scared and shakeing with the cold but delighted i had arrived. One had remarked we were praying to God and i replied jokeingly that he had sent me. This got them into better humour and they felt more reasured.
They were gone 4 hours and in a very poor swamped Marsh area and very dense with young trees( very difficult navigate). It took me 50/60 minutes to get to them over 4K due to my injury and 50/60 minutes back to the safety of family and the Garda units waiting at Sli an Coiste, Monksland.
This is the third time ive been involved with the recovery of teens in the Area. The first being the young girl who went missing close to your home on the Roscommon road two years back. I was in Austria Hiking but i was able to launch a full rescue using guys from Westshore Survival after i had contacted her Mum along with the Garda. We were then able to search and rule out areas useing Google maps send the information the Garda Sgt Paul Kelly and the civil defence as to the location where she was found and lucky to be alive.
Last year both Tadgh my son and i recovered two 12 year old kids 5K out onto the Larkfield bog area of the Monksland near Curraghmore.Impossible terrain for anyone to cross by day let alone 10pm at night. They also were in a shocking state and very lucky to have not sucumbed to the elements and terrain.
On all three occasions i was intouch with Garda Sgt Paul kelly and Garda Niall Cahill Athlone Garda station. Last night after getting the kids back home to the saftey of family and friend waiting, Garda Paul Kelly sent me a text thanking me for the help once again. To which i was only more than willing to help the situation and very humbled for the thanks recieved.
I mean it is a fantastic area but like lough Ree and the shannon it has to be respected too. We associate water with immidiate danger but when your out in forest and bog areas it can be a slow demise and before you know it its dark, wet ,cold your lost underprepaired and in serious bother.
Please parents inform your children be carefull out there.Children Inform parents where your going, bring a warm top/ coat, Water, phone bank, Fully charged phone, hat gloves spare food in a small sports bag/backpack.
My big fear is next time we will not get there in time.
Please note the Monksland/ Curragmore Forest and bog land areas are surrounded and land locked by private land. Tresspassers may be prosecuted.
Kind regards
Rob.
