Family celebration in Mayo ended in tragic fatal accident

A Mayo emigrant, who had returned home from California for a family birthday celebration, was tragically killed when his brother inadvertently reversed his Mercedes SUV over him, an inquest has heard.

The heartbreaking circumstances of 46-year-old Alan Callaghan’s death in the early hours of July 25, 2022, was outlined at an inquest in Ballina Courthouse conducted by Mayo coroner Eleanor Fitzgerald.

Mr Callaghan, a father of two, was originally from the Tiernaur area near Mulranny. He was involved in a construction business in the Mill Valley area of California in the United States.

At the resumed inquest last week, Dr Fitzgerald was informed by Gda Martin Kelly that a full investigation had been carried out and a file sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, which had ruled there should be no prosecution in the matter.

The location where the accident took place is a narrow laneway in Dooagh, Achill Island, close to a licensed premises known as ‘Lourdies’. There were no witnesses and no CCTV footage was available to investigators.

Michael Callaghan, brother of the deceased, in a statement to Gardaí which was read into evidence, outlined how he and Alan had been drinking together in the Annex Bar at around 5pm while they watched the second half of a Gaelic football match involving Mayo.

Mr Callaghan said he left around 7.30pm to get things ready in the Chalet restaurant for Alan’s father-in-law's birthday party which had been booked some months earlier. He recalled that the party finished quite late, and when he left the Chalet at 3am after tidying up, Alan got into the back seat of his car.

In his deposition, Mr Callaghan continued: “When I told him (Alan) to get into the front seat of the car he replied, ‘I am in the front’. I answered, ‘You’re not in the front. Hop in here’. He didn’t answer, just grunted. I said ‘suit yourself, stay there’."

Mr Callaghan explained that the conversation was all good natured. As they drove down the hill towards Dooagh, a light came on in the dash indicating that a door had opened. It was on Alan’s side.

“When I looked back I saw that Alan had his hand on the door and it was opened about six inches. I asked Alan three or four times to close the door.

Mr Callaghan said he stopped outside Lourdies, just past the road to the shore, next to Katie’s Coffee Dock.

“Alan jumped out of the car when we came to a stop. I couldn’t see where he had gone so I began to search for him, checking all around, calling him many times.

“I went to get the car as I was afraid that as Alan was somewhere near he’d hop in and drive the car. As I backed down the narrow side road I felt a bump and when I got out, Alan was there, his body on a mound.

“I shouted his name. He made some noises. I was going to lift him and put him in the car and bring him to hospital in Castlebar. I shouted for help. Gracie and Johnny Cafferkey came on the scene. Gracie stayed with Alan until an ambulance came and did some CPR. She tried to do everything she could to save him.

“Gracie then took me to Lourdies and a glass of brandy and a coffee was put in front of me."

Gda Martin Kelly testified that when he arrived on the scene with Garda Ashling Barrett at 4.16am there was a black Mercedes SUV parked in a laneway across from Lourdies with the remains of a male on the ground beside it.

He said that he spoke to Dr Elsayed at the scene who told him he had pronounced the male dead.

Gda Kelly said he spoke to Grace Cafferkey who said the driver of the vehicle was in shock and was sitting in the bar area. He entered the pub (Lourdie’s) and found Michael with a half bottle of brandy open in front of him and a glass with brandy in it.

Witness said he spoke to Michael Callaghan who told him he was the driver of the car and he had collided with his brother.

He spoke with Supt Joe McKenna on the phone and informed him that Mr Callaghan had been drinking since the incident. Supt McKenna advised him not to test for alcohol.

Garda Kelly said he then left the scene and went to Mulranny Park Hotel where he met the wife of Alan Callaghan and informed her of the passing of her husband.

Evidence of vehicle forensic tests given to the inquest showed the Mercedes to be serviceable and its condition could not have contributed to the collision.

Consultant pathologist Dr Fadel Bennani gave the cause of death as multiple injuries including rupture of the liver due to a road traffic accident.

Dr Bennani said the injuries were consistent with injuries received when the victim was on the ground. He went on to say that toxicology tests showed an extremely high - almost fatal -  blood-alcohol level.

Returning a verdict of accidental death, Dr Fitzgerald said that what had started as a night of celebration had turned to tragedy and Alan Callaghan had suffered serious internal injuries from the tyres running over him.

Describing what happened as a huge tragedy, the coroner said alcohol had been a contributory factor in Mr Callaghan getting out of the car either in a confused or disoriented state.

Gda Sgt Noel Crinnegan joined the coroner in expressing sympathy with the immediate family and other relatives of the deceased.

• Published as part of the Courts Reporting Scheme.