This article is from page 19 of the 2006-12-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 19 JPG
A YOUNG man who was killed when his car hit a wall in a west Clare village was not wearing a seat belt, an inquest has heard.
Stephen Corry (21) was killed when his black Honda Civic hit a wall in Kildysart, in the early hours of June 12 last. He was on his way to his home at Moyfadda, Labasheeda, when the single vehicle accident occurred.
Mr Corry’s girlfriend, Helen Nagle, in her deposition, recalled sitting out on the steps at the Square, Kildysart, in the early hours of the morning.
Stephen had dropped a friend home to Coolmeen and then came back. There was a bit of a sing-song going on. After about five minutes, Stephen said goodnight and he went home at 1.50am. Helen was to meet him the following day. However, it was not to be, as moments later she heard the sound of the brakes of her boyfriend’s car.
“All I heard was screeches of brakes. Then I heard a bang. A few minutes later, I saw Stevie lying on the ground,” she recalled.
Garda Michael Ryan, who attended the accident, said the accident happened on the western side of Kildysart Community Centre. Mr Corry was pronounced dead at the scene.
Dr Peter Fawl carried out an autopsy on the body of Mr Corry at Limerick Regional Hospital later on the day of the accident.
He said death was due to shock, secondary to multiple injuries, including a skull fracture, which was consistent with having been involved in a road traffic accident.
Coroner Isobel O’Dea said Mr Corry “wasn’t wearing a seatbelt at the time, which was unfortunate.” She suggested a verdict of accidental death and the jury agreed.