Co Antrim psychiatrist dies in skiing incident

Siobhan O’Connor died during the Alpine trip this week.

She was originally from Ballycastle but had been living and working in London for roughly the last 20 years.

Family friend Chris McCaughan, a 65-year-old retired business studies lecturer from Ballycastle, said the prevailing mood throughout the town was one of shock.

He said: “She was a very, very professional person, and very friendly. She was bubbly and great fun, and loved life to the full.”

He said she was unmarried and had no children, although she does have surviving siblings.

She had studied at Queen’s University Belfast, and her mother Mary had been a doctor.

Mary passed away a number of months ago.

Mr McCaughan added that she had been a keen skiier, and that she had been either in her late 50s or early 60s.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), of which she was a member, posted the following message on the internet: “Shocked at death of Siobhan O’Connor, much respected psychotherapist & RCPsych fellow in skiing accident earlier this week.”

Many details of the death remained unclear last night.

It is thought she died on Tuesday, but according to different accounts the incident happened in either Switzerland or Austria.