Inquest hears how driver's U-turn had tragic consequences

A motorist performed a U-turn on the N5 near Swinford which resulted in a crash that caused fatal injuries to her husband, an inquest has heard.

Michael Donnellan, aged 74, who lived at Barnadearg, Tuam, Co Galway, was a back seat passenger in a car driven by his wife that was involved in a collision with a Scania articulated lorry at Cloonlara, Swinford, in the early hours of February 9, 2022.

Mr Donnellan, a father of six, died five days later at Mayo University Hospital. His wife, Kathleen, the driver, was injured in the impact as was his daughter, Michelle, a front-seat passenger.

An inquest some years ago into Mr Donnellan’s death was opened and adjourned by the now retired coroner for Mayo Pat O’Connor.

Evidence was given at a resumed hearing in Ballina last week before coroner Dr Eleanor Fitzgerald that the Donnellans had attended a social dancing event at the Brusna Inn, near Ballaghaderreen, earlier that evening. On the way home, after missing the N17 turnoff near Charlestown, Mrs Donnellan pulled into the hard shoulder at Cloonlara before performing a U-turn into the path of an oncoming lorry which was travelling to Ballina to collect product from the Ballina Beverages plant.

At the outset of the hearing, Sgt Noel Crinnegan outlined that an extensive garda investigation had been conducted into the crash and the Director of Public Prosecutions had decided there should be no prosecution of either driver.

The truck driver, Enda McAuley, with an address in Donegal Town, did not attend the inquest but provided a statement to gardaí which was read into evidence by Sgt Crinnegan. Mr McAuley outlined that he was driving on the N5 at around 12.20am when he saw a car parked on the left hand side partly protruding onto his lane.

“I slowed down," the witness deposed. “Suddenly the car turned right into my path. I did not have time to react. The front of the truck collided with the offside rear of the car. I could not avoid a collision."

John Corcoran, an off-duty advanced paramedic living in Castlebar, was one of the first on the scene. He raised the alarm before attending to Mr Donnellan and the other accident victims.

In a statement to gardaí, Mr Corcoran said it appeared the occupants of the car did not know the area and had gotten lost.

Gda Sgt Gabriel McLoughlin, public service vehicle inspector for Mayo, examined the car and the lorry and said both were roadworthy prior to the collision.

The inquest heard that Mr Donnellan spent five days in hospital without regaining consciousness. The medical cause of his death, as outlined by pathologist Dr Fadel Bennani, was multiple extensive brain injury and hemorrhage.

Noting that both Kathleen and Michelle Donnellan had suffered injuries, the coroner said there could have been three fatalities.

Returning a verdict of accidental death, Dr Fitzgerald commented that the decision to turn the car on the road proved to be fatal.

“Doing a U-turn on a main road is fraught with danger," she added.

• Published as part of the Courts Reporting Scheme.