The woman found dead in the bathroom of a ferry from Wales to County Wexburg has been named locally as Mary Cash as police continue to investigate her death
A woman who was found dead on a ferry on which a major brawl broke out has been named locally as Mary Cash.
Ms Cash, 39, was belived to be travelling with a group of people to Rosslare Europor in County Wexford on a ferry from Fishguard in Wales when she tragically died on Tuesday afternoon. She was reportedly found deceased in the ferry’s toilets, with reports of a huge brawl breaking out following the discovery of her body.
The tragedy happened on the Stena Nordica Stena Line ferry, which was subsequently held at Rosslare Europort. Ms Cash is believed to be Irish but had been living in the UK and had been with a group of family and friends travelling to a funeral in County Kildare when she was found dead in the bathroom in a cabin of the ferry.
Following the discovery of her death, a fight is understood to have erupted in the ship’s bar area while the vessel was around 35 miles off the coast of Wexford, reports the Irish Mirror. The ship’s captain radioed an emergency distress call at around 5pm, with a huge number of gardai, including officers from the Armed Support Unit as well as the Public Order Unit, boarding the vessel once it had docked.
A man was arrested by gardai in connection with the incident and remains in custody. A postt mortem is due to take place on the woman found in the toilets today, with sources saying at this stage gardai do not believe Ms Cash suffered a violent death. Instead, officers suspect her death was a personal tragedy.
Ms Cash has not been formally named by gardai, however, several sources have identified her to the Irish Mirror. In an updated statement this afternoon, the force said: “Gardaí in Wexford continue to investigate all of the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman on board a passenger ferry en route to Rosslare, Co. Wexford on the evening of Tuesday, 25th February 2025.
“A post mortem examination is currently being carried out at Waterford University Hospital, the results of which will determine the nature and course of our investigation. A man arrested in connection with the investigation, remains currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda Station in the Eastern Region.”
A spokesperson for Stena Line said: “An incident occurred this afternoon on the 2pm sailing from Fishguard to Rosslare. This is a police matter, so please direct all further questions to the gardai. The 7.30pm sailing from Rosslare and 1.30am sailing from Fishguard are cancelled as a result.”
A witness said the gardai turnout was “massive” and that the port was placed on lockdown. They added that there was a large National Ambulance Service presence at the scene, joining forces with gardai to form a “ring of steel” around the port. One witness described the scene as “extremely shocking”.
Local councillor Ger Carthy attended the scene as part of his role as an ambulance officer with the National Ambulance Service. He said: “There’s an air of shock and sadness here in Rosslare tonight over waht unfolded onboard the Stena Nordica. The specifics are subject to a garda investigation at this stage, the outcome of which we’ll learn in the fullness of time. Regardless, at the centre of it is a woman who has lost her life and the thoughts of the community here are with her family.”
