Tag Archives: accidental death

A verdict of accidental death was returned at the inquest into the death of a 15-year-old boy in Killimer at Clare’s Coroner’s Court this week. Described as “every parent’s worst nightmare” by County Coroner Isobel O’Dea, the jury heard how Kevin Donnellan, of Ballycurrane, Knock spent his last few hours with a friend at “his favourite place” – Killimer Ferry. The tragic events that unfolded, after the consumption of a significant amount of alcohol for a boy of his age, has had devastating consequences for his family and for the woman who accidentally caused his death. The court heard that Kevin left his home on Hallowe’en night, 2016 to meet a close friend near Burrane National School. His friend outlined that Kevin had brought a litre bottle of vodka, which was half full and hip flasks also containing vodka. They arrived at the school around 1.40am and decided to walk towards the ferry, which was “Kevin’s favourite place”. His friend …

THE wife of West Clare undertaker George Morrissey led the frantic effort to revive the 73-year-old, after he was penned by a mini-digger. The popular businessman and father-of-four died in a workplace accident at his home on February 27 last. Mr Morrissey sustained crush injuries after being penned down by his Bobcat mini-digger at his workshop at Clonadrum, Mullagh. Mary Morrissey was married to George for 47 years and, in her deposition at a coroner’s inquest in Ennis this week, she said she used to work as a nurse and described how she gave her husband cardiac massage and mouth to mouth resuscitation until the emergency services arrived. Minutes earlier, Paul Coughlan – who worked for the Morrissey family – raised the alarm after hearing a noise in an adjoining shed. Mr Coughlan said he saw that the frame of the mini-digger was on Mr Morrissey and that he tried in vain to lift the forks up, pointing out that the gear stick was in the way of freeing Mr Morrissey. Mr …