"ironically" again

[Laurence Horn]

At 6:41 AM -0700 9/4/06, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>In describing the shocking death of Steve Irwin on Fox News this
>morning, an Australian journalist explained that he was killed by
>the poisonous barb of a stingray. She continued immediately:
>
>   "Ironically, he was filming a documentary on the ocean's deadliest
>creatures."
>
>   In context, this sentence needs no introductory modifier.  If one
>is desired, "indeed" or "as a matter of  fact" would be appropriate.
>In other words, virtually the opposite of "ironically."

Hmmm. I see the point, but for me, "indeed" or "as a matter of fact"
seem even less plausible here, seeming to suggest that Irwin's
filming the documentary was a demonstration of the point illustrated
by his getting fatally stung.  The only way this would work for me is
if another sentence intervened before the "indeed", e.g. [after
announcing the death] "Stingrays are known to be among the ocean's
deadliest creatures.  Indeed, at the time of his sudden death, Irwin
was filming a documentary..."

So what adverb would be "better" here?  Perhaps "coincidentally"?
"synchronistically"?  naaah.

[Note AHD4's Usage Note on the new "ironically"--if indeed it is new.]

LH

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