Lost teens rescued from County Roscommon forest

Four teenagers had a lucky escape at the weekend after becoming lost in a Roscommon forest.

The group, aged between 15 and 16, had gone for a walk in the Monksland/ Curraghmore forest and bogland area, and were missing 4 hours when the alarm was raised. 

They were very poorly dressed for the decline in temperature following dusk and had no idea where they were.

After about an hour’s search, local man and member of the Defence Forces, Robert Wallace, found the group, which were very shaken and displaying the early signs of hyperthermia. Despite being unwell with a bad flu and having an injured knee, he led them safely home through difficult terrain, including through shin high water. 

Robert, who runs Westshore Survival and Sports Activities Ltd, said this is the third rescue from that area he has been involved in over the past two years. He is urging people to be prepared and cautious when visiting the forest.

“I was sick all day on Saturday. I was having a cup of tea at about half seven and my phone rang, it was a mother on the other end, very upset. Her son and three of his friends, two girls and a boy, were missing,” he said. “They went for a walk and ended up going deeper into the forest, and of course everything looks the same when you’re in a forest. They couldn’t find their way back and sent a message to the mum saying ‘We’re lost, we can’t get out’.” Liaising with Garda Sergeant Paul Kelly and Garda Niall Cahill of Athlone Garda Station, Robert began a search.

“Things were starting to get very bad,” he said. “The temperatures were starting to drop and they were five hours out there. They were only dressed in t-shirts and thin track suit bottoms. The gardaí were going to mobilise the helicopter, and the Civil Defence was also going to mobilise, so it was turning into a big operation. I headed into the forest, and normally, what would take me 20 minutes, just with the injury, it took me nearly an hour to get to them. They were 4kms into the forest.” 

Robert, who grew up in the area, was able to advise the gardaí and Civil Defence to stand down when he found the teenagers at approximately 9 p.m..

“I had been in touch with one of the kids on the mobile, and got them to start calling out every five minutes. One of the teenagers had 13 per cent on her phone, and I got her to turn on her light, as there was very low cloud cover and it was pitch black in the forest. She was able to flash the light through the trees. I had brought spare clothing with me because they were very cold. On the way out, I had them laughing and doing a few exercises but we were very lucky. They were scared and feeling a bit of despair.” 

In July 2024, Robert was involved in the search and rescue party for a young woman who was missing for 36 hours in the same area. Last year, Robert and his son Tadgh, who is now in recruit training with the Defence Forces, recovered two 12 year olds who had become lost in the forest. “It was a dire situation. They were in a shocking state when we found them. They were gone for nine hours and very lucky not to have succumbed to the elements and terrain,” Robert said.

“As humans, we have a sense of immediate danger when it comes to water but with forest and bogland, it is not an immediate thing. You could be fine for two hours and then suddenly you’re in a perilous situation.” 

He asked that people please prepare when going out into difficult terrain.

“It is a fantastic area for families but I would ask people to be cautious. Charge up your phones, bring some water, some food, where appropriate clothes, and let people know where you’re going,” he said. “There are a lot of kids ending up in these situations, and God forbid we don’t get there in time.”