The Lynn man who died while swimming in Katama Bay Saturday morning was a native of Dublin and well-known figure on the Vineyard, where he had played Irish music at the Bloomsday event in Vineyard Haven last week.

Massachusetts state police confirmed Sunday that David O’Docherty, 75, was pronounced dead just before noon on Saturday after he had gone swimming in Katama Bay and had not returned.

Mr. O’Docherty was staying in a friend’s home on Edgartown Bay Road with his wife at the time; he had come to the Island last week for the annual Bloomsday event, where he has performed for many years.

He went swimming in the bay at about 10 a.m. Saturday, state police trooper David Parent said. Trooper Parent said when Mr. O’Docherty did not return from his swim, police were called, at about 11:20 a.m. In addition to state police, the Edgartown harbor master, Edgartown police and state environmental police responded to the call, using boats from the Edgartown harbor master’s dock. Mr. O’Docherty was brought back to the harbor master’s dock at the end of Morse street, where he was pronounced dead by the coroner.

Trooper Parent said it appeared that Mr. O’Docherty, who had a heart attack five years ago, had some kind of medical event while he was swimming. He said the investigation is ongoing pending the results of an autopsy.

An artist and acclaimed Irish musician, Mr. O’Docherty’s ties to the Vineyard reach back for some 40 years, when he first came here to play Irish music. A complete story will appear in the Tuesday Gazette.