“A death can be unsuspicious, but it has to be explained”
“What happened to Kelly? All we need is the truth… what went wrong?”
“If it did turn out that it was just a very, very tragic accident, I want evidence to prove that”
The Girl in the Water tells the story of 23-year-old Kelly Marie Lynch whose body was discovered near Horseshoe Bridge in County Monaghan on St Patrick’s Day 2024. That day marked the beginning of her family’s search for answers about the circumstances surrounding her final hours and their mission to raise awareness of Kelly’s death which received little public attention at the time.
This one-hour documentary which will air on Wednesday 8 July 2026, at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, follows the Lynch family as they navigate grief, uncertainty and embark on a quest to understand what really happened to their daughter. The initial post-mortem report by the state pathologist’s office concluded that Kelly Lynch had died by drowning. A desktop review by a second pathologist disagreed and said it was likely hypothermia. A desktop review from Dr. Fintan Garavan, an Irish-trained pathologist concluded it was neither of these things and that Kelly had most likely died after a violent attack.
Set against the borderlands of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, the documentary examines questions raised by the family and explores the differing interpretations of evidence and post-mortem findings that have emerged during their search for answers.
The documentary follows the Lynch family’s deeply personal story of grief for their much-loved daughter. It features contributions from independent experts, including James Brannigan, a retired PSNI detective and founder of Katie’s Trust, an organisation that supports families seeking answers when they are dissatisfied with the outcome of investigations.
The documentary also hears from Dr. Garavan who provided the desktop review of Kelly’s case. He said:
“I have concerns because there are injuries here that don’t make any sense.”
Through the words of family members, friends and independent experts, The Girl in the Water chronicles one family’s determination to find answers in the face of an unimaginable tragedy.
The Girl in the Water will air on Wednesday, 8 July 2026 at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
ENDS
For further information:
Caoilinn Putti | RTÉ Communications Lead
