An 82-yr-old man passed away from hypothermia after he was unable to rise from a fall outside his isolated home in west Clare on a winter night, following the collapse of his 78-year-old wife who lost consciousness while attempting to call for help, an inquest revealed, reports The Mirror.
During the proceedings at the Clare Coroner’s Court in Kilrush, County Coroner Isobel O’Dea issued a verdict on the death of Bernard Kennedy from Drumellihy, Cree, aligning with the medical findings that indicated Mr. Kennedy died of hypothermia after falling outside his residence on the night of November 5, 2023.
Ms. O’Dea noted that Mr. Kennedy’s health was further compromised by heart and bronchitis issues, as highlighted in the post-mortem report, reports The Mirror.
Mr. Kennedy’s body was discovered outside his home around midday on November 6th by a neighbor, who then informed the Gardai, at which point rigor mortis had already set in.
Originally from Thomondgate, Limerick City, Mr. Kennedy and his wife, Annette, were married for 59 years and had resided in Cree in west Clare for the last two decades. The inquest revealed that both spouses had experienced declining health in recent years. In her testimony, Mrs. Kennedy stated that she had been ill in bed with Covid-19 on November 5, 2023.
She explained that on that evening a friend had called for Bernard—who had worked as a painter for Limerick Corporation for many years—and when she went to look for him, she found him outside and witnessed him falling, reports The Mirror.
Mr. Kennedy was barefoot and shirtless, and Mrs. Kennedy recounted, “I walked over to Bernard and tried to lift him up. I said a prayer to Saint Mary, but I couldn’t lift him. I attempted twice to raise him, but I was unable to do so.”
Mrs. Kennedy mentioned that she called for help but received no response; the next morning, missed calls from one of the contacts she tried to reach were found on her phone. She added, “I then went inside the house. I was very ill and collapsed. That is all I remember until the following morning when I was told that Bernard had died,” reports The Mirror.
Neighbor John Considine testified that around 11:55 am the next day, while checking his cattle, he noticed something on the ground outside the Kennedy residence and upon approaching it, realized it was Bernard Kennedy, who was deceased.
Mr. Considine stated that Annette Kennedy was discovered on the floor of a bedroom with her legs against the inside of the door, necessitating a push to enter the room. He described Mrs. Kennedy as “seeming dazed and confused” and remarked, “Her face was all swollen. She didn’t look like the woman I’ve known from walking the road,” reports The Mirror.
Tony Hannon shared with the inquest that Mr. Kennedy was his “best pal” and described Annette as “a very good person who had cared for Bernard for many years.” The inquest also heard that Bernard experienced several falls around that period, including one a few days earlier that resulted in two black eyes.
Ms. O’Dea commented to Mrs. Kennedy, who was present at the inquest, that the events must have been incredibly shocking for everyone involved. In response, Mrs. Kennedy affirmed, “Absolutely,” reports The Mirror.
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