This article is from page 8 of the 2007-06-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
THE circumstances surrounding the death of a north Clare man were recalled at an inquest last week, ex- actly one year after the fatal accident which claimed his life.
Michael Nagle (59), a stonema- son, from Caherbarnagh, Liscannor, died in a single-vehicle accident, in Kilshanny, on May 29, 2006.
Ennis Coroner’s Court heard last Wednesday that Rita Flaherty worked
in Tully’s bookmakers in Ennistymon on the afternoon in question. She said that Michael Nagle went in and out of the premises a number of times. He seemed to get “very drunk, very quickly” around teatime.
Another man, Michael Murphy, recalled meeting Mr Nagle in a pub in Ennistymon that evening. He said he asked him did he have his car and Mr Nagle replied, “That’s too much information you are looking for.” He said Mr Nagle drank a can of
Heineken and left the pub.
Andrea Guerrer recalled seeing Mr Nagle outside the Holywell res- taurant in Ennistymon, shortly af- ter 8pm. She said he appeared to be fumbling in his pockets and looking at his hands. She was the last person to see him alive.
Daragh Considine said he was driv- ing near the former ESB shop in En- nistymon that evening. A car pulled out in front of him and “was all sides of the road.” He said there was steam
coming out of the car.
“Just before he crashed, he was on the wrong side of the road… The car flipped,” he said.
He said the accident happened at around 8.40pm near the pub in Kilshanny.
Garda Louise Casey attended the scene of the accident. She saw a car on its roof and a man was being put into an ambulance. He was bleed- ing and had severe head injuries, she said. He died in hospital at 9.45pm,
as aresult of his injuries.
Pathologist Dr James O’ Driscoll carried out a post mortem on Mr Na- gle’s body. He noted that death was due to cardiac respiratory failure, as- sociated with an extensive fracture of the skull.
A verdict of accidental death was reached by the jury. Coroner Isobel O’Dea sympathised with the Nagle family and said, “I am conscious of the fact it is just a year and a day since the accident.”