Lady Rachel Dudley

“In the summer of 1920, while the War of Independence was raging, Lady Rachel came once more to Screebe Lodge. She was alone. On the morning of June 26, she went for a swim, and never returned. Her body was later retrieved from the sea.”

https://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/68802/lady-rachel-dudley-a-superwoman-of-her-time
Lady Rachel Dudley

On June 26th 1920 after traveling from England to Screebe House, the family’s summer residence in Connemara just the day before, Lady Dudley went for a swim to freshen up. After a long and tiring journey, she decided to take a dip as a way of revivification. She did not return.

Lady Dudley was swimming off the jetty at the back of her residence and had taken a lifebelt with her when she entered the water. On the jetty observing her was her maid, Ms Norman, who remarked that Lady Dudley had swum 30 yards from the jetty and appeared to be enjoying herself when she suddenly got into trouble. She threw her hands in the air and sank below the water’s surface. She disappeared from sight and only her lifebelt came to the surface. Her body was later recovered.

https://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/lady-dudley-drowns-in-connemara-bathing-tragedy

Sources

https://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/68802/lady-rachel-dudley-a-superwoman-of-her-time

County Express 17 February 1912

Belfast News-Letter 06 July 1920

https://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/lady-dudley-drowns-in-connemara-bathing-tragedy