Mine employee"s tragic death

A tragic underground accident at Tara Mines in Navan at the weekend claimed the life of a mine employee in his 40s. Deep shock and sadness has been felt throughout Meath following the death of 44 year-old Barry Castles from Athboy in the accident at Tara Mines in the early hours of Saturday. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is undertaking an investigation into the incident. Mr Castles, who lived at Gillstown, Athboy, began working at Tara Mines in 2004. He was a member of the SIPTU union whose Navan branch secretary, John Regan, has expressed sympathy with his wife, Mrs Dympna Castles; children, David and Leah; mother, Sheila, other family members, and the deceased"s colleagues at the Navan mine. The company, in a statement, said that Mr Castles had been fatally injured in an accident underground but provided no further details of the accident. Boliden Tara Mines Ltd 'immediately suspended operations at the mine', its statement said. The statement added that mine management and the appropriate authorities would carry out a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident. Tara Mines human resources manager, John Kelly, expressed sincere sympathy to deceased"s wife and family on behalf of the company and all employees, while Tara"s managing director, Magnus Arnqvist, said: 'We are all very saddened by this accident and our thoughts go to Barry"s wife and children, and to his mother, brothers and sisters. There will be no further comment from Tara Mines or from the family, the company added. The dead man is also survived by his mother-in-law, Bridie, and father-in-law, Patrick Clyne, Clonmellon; brothers, Seamus and John; sisters, Bernadette, Ellen, Theresa, Anne, Catherine and Sinead, and other relatives, to whom sympathy is extended in their tragic loss. The death of Mr Castles brings to five the number of employees of Tara Mines from the Athboy area to have died in tragic accidents at the Navan mine.