This article is from page 16 of the 2008-02-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
A RETIRED New York City fireman lost his life after he fell from a cliff while out walking just yards from his holiday home in Quilty.
Ennis Coroner’s Court heard last week that Pat Lusterring (80) had been staying in his holiday home at Seafield, Quilty, last October.
Local woman Margaret Downes
recalled seeing Mr Lusterring, at around 7pm on October 9.
She said he had been out walking, as he normally did. That was the last reported sighting of him.
She later heard that his body had been found on rocks at the base of a cliff.
Garda Ian Kelly said gardai re- ceived a call that the body of a man had been found at the base of a
cliff, across from the Star of the Sea Church in Quilty.
He said he saw an elderly man ly- ing on the rocks. He had suffered the fall, opposite his holiday home.
The drop of the cliff measured 30 feet, said the garda.
Pathologist Dr Peter Fawl said he carried out an autopsy on Mr Luster- ring’s body, on October 11, 2007. He said the base of his skull had been
fractured.
“Death, in my opinion, was due to acute head injuries, include a frac- tured skull, consistent with the de- ceased having fallen from a height,” said Dr Fawl.
Coroner Isobel O’Dea said Mr Lus- terring had suffered a “very sad end.
“He was well-known and liked in the neighbourhood. It is one of these very sad cases where we don’t have
exact evidence as to what happened Mr Lusterring. We can presume he was out for a walk and fell,’ she SP ALOe
“T am quite satisfied there was no suspicion of suicide,” said the Coro- ner.
She said she could not record an ‘accidental’ verdict, aS no-one saw what happened and recorded an open verdict.