Tributes paid to showband singer who died in floods

A showband singer who died in the weekend floods has been described as “hugely popular and highly respected”.
Gardai recovered the body of Ivan Vaughan around 10 metres from his car in Corraghdown, near the village of Glaslough in Co Monaghan, on Monday.
It is believed the 70-year-old musician was returning to his home in Caledon across the border in Co Tyrone on Sunday night when his vehicle was swamped by heavy flooding caused by Storm Desmond.

Mr Vaughan, whose stage name was Simon Scott, was a member of the Plattermen showband in the 1960s and 1970s. In recent years he performed as a solo act.
Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Tom Elliott said he was saddened by the singer’s death.
“Ivan was well known in music circles for over four decades,” he said.
“He played in many of the leading showbands in the 60s and 70s and was a hugely popular and highly respected figure.
“He went under the stage name of Simon Scott and was especially well known in the Cookstown and Dungannon areas where he was extremely popular.
“He moved to Caledon in recent years and was held in the highest esteem by everyone who knew him and I extend our deepest sympathies to the entire family circle at this tragic time.”
A major search operation to find the missing man was mounted on Monday morning.
A Garda spokesman said: “It is believed the car the man was driving entered the flood water and he got out of the car and was swept away by the force of the flood.”
Mr Vaughan was pronounced dead at the scene.