Thanks to Jim who sent me this interesting follow-up note to my YEATS post: Jean, Six years later a local newspaper reported on Yeats' contribution (1895) towards preventing a child being stolen by the waters: "On Tuesday last, at about three o'clock in the evening, when a large number of people were skating on the river at Cleveragh boat-house, a small boy named HOPPER, who was walking across the ice, suddenly fell through in about 20 feet of water, and would undoubtedly have been drowned only for the timely assistance which was rendered. The gentlemen present, including Captain BIDGOOD, Captain G. McNEILY, Colonel WOOD-MARTIN, R.B.McNEILY and W.B. YEATS, immediately formed a line by lying on the ice and grasping each other by the heels, but they were unable to get the boy out. The youngster had gone down twice when Captain BIDGOOD, R.A., Adjutant D.C.C. Sligo Artillery Militia, dashed up, and taking off his coat threw it to the boy to catch hold of. This , however, he was unable to do, and in his further endeavours to save the boy, the gallant Captain also went through the ice, and disappeared beneath the water. He quickly reappeared and supported the drowning lad, while renewed efforts were made to get both removed from their perilous position. Captain G. McNEILY who was first in the line which was formed, seized hold of Captain BIDGOOD. The boy was got out first, and then the great difficulty was to get out the brave rescuer, for every time he tried to clamber on to the ice it broke beneath his weight, and he fell back again. He was first got out onto the ice by the whole line pulling together, but in making his way across the weak ice, with the aid of a sleigh, it gave way and he was immersed again. Finally, a rope was procured at the boathouse, which Mr. R. McNEILY threw to him, and the Captain taking hold, was dragged out, just in time as he was becoming cramped with the intense cold, having been fully fifteen minutes in the water. Later in the evening another boy who was sliding went through a hole in the ice, but fortunately the water there was not beyond his depth, and he was got out with-out any difficulty. There had been a thaw and the ice was in a very dangerous state. Captain BIDGOOD and the other gentlemen mentioned were accorded great praise for their gallantry in saving another life at the risk of their own, as only for their prompt and timely assistance a home would have been left desolate. (Sligo Independent, 1895). > Jim McDonald Source: A Sligo Miscellany A Chronicle of People, Places & Events of Other > Days. by J. C. McTernan. Illustrated. Avena. 2000 >