School left devastated after NI teenager dies on holiday in Wicklow

Lewis Fleming, 15, was a pupil at Coleraine Grammar School.

Gardaí said he was pronounced dead at the scene at Powerscourt Waterfall on Wednesday afternoon and airlifted to hospital.

Coleraine Grammar Principal Dr David Carruthers paid tribute to the youth on the school’s Facebook page.

He said: “The whole school community is devastated to hear of the tragic death of Lewis Fleming on holiday in County Wicklow, which Gardai are treating as an accident.

“Lewis was a lovely young man, about to enter Year 12, who contributed hugely to school life in the classroom, on the rugby field, the athletics track and in the swimming pool.

“Lewis had a wide circle of friends, a great sense of fun and will be sorely missed by everyone.

“I personally found Lewis to be an engaging, pleasant pupil who was always happy to have a chat. This is a real tragedy and a terrible loss for Lewis’s whole family and for our school community. Our thoughts and prayers are with Lewis’s family at this tragic time.”

The incident was also attended by the Dublin Coastguard, fire services, ambulance personnel and mountain rescue team.

A second individual was rescued near the top of the waterfall. It is understood gardaí are treating the death as a “tragic accident”.

Irish Minister for Higher Education and local TD Simon Harris paid tribute to the coastguard for its efforts in saving the second individual.