‘Lives lost and property destroyed’. ‘Pitiable scene at Ballylanders’. ‘Two men killed’. ‘A horse roasted alive’. ‘Several ricks of hay burnt’. These were the headlines from The Limerick Leader of July 29, 1911 as issued to The Avondhu by Edward English of Killeen, Ballylanders. The report continues:

“A terrific thunderstorm, which has had few parallels, if any, for years back, and which wrought immense havoc, swept over the whole of Munster and raged in some districts outside it on Saturday last. Its severity was perhaps greater in County Limerick than in any other part of the province, two lives being lost and there being many miraculous escapes. The subjoined reports to hand show the terrific nature of the storm, which raged with ferocity from about noon until between four and five o’clock, accompanied by a heavy downpour of rain.

FARMER AND LABOURER KILLED IN BALLYLANDERS

A truly terrific thunderstorm burst over the Ballylanders vicinity at about 2 o’clock on Saturday, whereby a farmer named Pat Coleman and a labourer named John Allen were killed instantly and simultaneously. Coleman and others were engaged loading hay in a meadow. Coleman was on a load of hay and Allen on another, about twelve yards apart. The same flash struck both and also Coleman’s horse, killing all three instantly. Two men who were piking hay escaped untouched.

“It seems from the account of one of them, Allen was struck first, Coleman was stripped naked, had a jagged wound in the neck and his great toe shattered; his boots were scattered some distance off. Allen had not a wound, but his skin was discoloured. Coleman’s load of hay instantly took fire and presented a terrific spectacle with the horse roasting under it. In spite of heavy rain, the whole lot was burned.

“One of the men, Patrick Heffernan, pluckily jumped into the flames and pulled poor Coleman’s body out of it. Heffernan’s conduct is much to be commended. The deplorable occurrence has created a great sensation and the deepest sympathy is felt with the friends of Mr Coleman and Mr Allen. The coroner has been communicated with, but he has decided that there is no necessity to hold an inquest.”