Headford death a ‘salutary lesson’ for alcoholics

Inquest hears of sudden death of 47-year old woman

A CORONER has said he hoped the death of a Headford woman following the consumption of a fatal level of alcohol would be a ‘salutary lesson’ to others suffering with alcohol problems.
The coroner for Mayo south, John O’Dwyer, made the comments following the inquest into the death of Nora Ann Murphy, Ballycurran, Ower, Headford, Co Galway, which returned a verdict of death by misadventure yesterday (Monday).
The inquest heard that the 47-year old died from acute alcohol intoxication complicated by acute alcohol stenosis of the liver.
Ms Murphy was discovered dead in her neighbour’s house on May 31 last and her death was initially deemed suspicious by gardaí.

Sudden death
The inquest heard that on Sunday, May 31, Garda Aidan Connaughton attended the home of Patrick Sweeney at Ballycurran, Ower, Headford, where the sudden death of a woman had been reported. Garda Connaughton told the inquest that on arriving to the house he was met by colleagues from the Tuam District and a WestDoc doctor.
Ms Murphy was discovered on the floor of the sitting room in the house, where there was  some blood on the floor, a small axe adjacent to her body, and a knife on the couch.
Garda Connaughton deemed the scene suspicious and Assistant State Pathologist Margaret Bolster performed an autopsy on the deceased the following day.
The inquest heard that on Saturday evening, May 30, Ann had gone to Patrick Sweeney’s house with her sister Bridget to drink. Ann’s sister Bernie McPadden said her sister Ann had a ‘major drink problem’ and would ‘drink for the day’.

Lift
Ms McPadden said earlier on Saturday she had given Patrick Sweeney a lift from Joyce’s shop in Headford to his home. She said Mr Sweeney told her he had picked up four bottles of wine, a bottle of brandy and a bottle of whiskey. Later that evening, Ms McPadden knew her sisters were at Mr Sweeney’s house because she saw Ann’s dog outside. S
he later heard from her husband that Bridget had allegedly been punched a number of times by Mr Sweeney.
A statement read out on behalf of Patrick Sweeney detailed that Bridget and Ann came to his house on Saturday evening and they all sat drinking wine in the sitting room. He said Bridget left between 10pm and 11pm and there was ‘no problem’ between them before she left.
Mr Sweeney said he went to bed at 1am and that Ann was still sitting on the couch when he went to bed. It wasn’t until after 1pm when he got up the next day that he discovered the body of Ms Murphy on the floor of the sitting room. He contacted his son to get a number for his sister-in-law who he thought might have a phone number for Bernie McPadden. In his statement he said he did not think to ring gardaí or a doctor.  

Autopsy
Deputy State Pathologist Margaret Bolster told the inquest that an autopsy on Ms Murphy’s remains found 502mg of alcohol in her blood, which would equate to approximately 14 pints of beer or four bottles of wine.
Ms Bolster said the alcohol level was ‘well into the fatal range’ of 400mg to 600mg. Diazepam was also present in her blood. The autopsy showed no evidence of head, neck or rib injury and that the very high alcohol level would have put Ms Murphy in a comatose state.
Coroner John O’Dwyer said he was satisfied with the findings and that Garda Aidan Connaughton was correct in requesting the assistance of the deputy state pathologist following the situation he was faced with.
Mr O’Dwyer said ‘nothing untoward happened to Ann Murphy’ and recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.
The coroner extended his sympathy to the Murphy family and said he hoped this case would be a ‘salutary lesson’ to those with alcohol problems.
“Four bottles doesn’t sound like a big intake but it can cause this. I have heard inquests this year where people go to bed after alcohol and don’t wake up,” he concluded.
Members of An Garda SíochΡna also extended their sympathy to the Murphy family.