Tragic death of county council worker Gerald is recalled at inquest

THE DEATH of a Wexford County Council worker in tragic circumstances in the River Slaney was recalled.

Garda Trevor Buckley said he was on duty on June 12 when he was informed that the body of a man was found in the water 100 metres from the shore at Ferrycarrig.

Gerald O’Reilly, late of Ballygoman, Barntown, was found and taken by the RNLI to the boat house at Wexford Bridge where Dr Stephen Bowe pronounced him dead at 3 p.m.

He was taken to Kearney’s Funeral Home in Selskar where his remains were formally identified by his nephew Gary Doyle.

In a deposition Declan Power said Mr O’Reilly called to his yard at 8.45 a.m. to collect some personal belongings from his car which had been towed the previous night. Mr O’Reilly was talking about his insurance premium and asked Mr Power if it would go up, before leaving in the direction of the Ferrycarrig Hotel.

Consultant pathologist Dr Christine Shilling said she carried out a post mortem on Mr O’Reilly the following day at University Hospital Waterford, saying his remains were in keeping with those of a 57-yearold man.

Dr Shilling said his lungs were hyper inflated and that his death was consistent with drowning.

A toxicology report found that he had a low level of alcohol in his system, 37mgs/100mls.

Coroner Dr Sean Nixon said Mr O’Reilly’s vehicle was found close to where he was and he had left a note that he was sorry.

Dr Nixon recommended a verdict of death by suicide which the jury concurred with.

Jury chairperson Mary Mernagh extended her condolences to the O’Reilly family. Dr Nixon also extended his condolences on their tragic loss, as did Supeintendent John McDonald who said: ‘There are a number of people here today who have found themselves in this exact same situation. There is no one here who hasn’t dealt with tragic circumstances.’