Heartbroken mum recalls how son was 'the heart of the family'

A heartbroken Donegal mother has recalled how her son, who died in a road traffic accident, 'was the heart of the family'.

Patrick Dooher's devastated mother, Mary, gave a haunting account to the inquest into his death how she telephoned her son on the night of December 30, 2021, and the phone was answered by a member of An Garda Siochana.

Mr Dooher, late of Boyagh, Porthall, was 28 when he was killed in a road traffic accident at Dundee, St Johnston, on December 30, 2021.

After seeing a report of an accident in St Johnston, Ms Dooher telephoned her son and there was no answer.

When she called a second time, the phone was answered by Sergeant Joe Dorrian, who told her that Patrick was involved in a two-vehicle crash and asked that she and her husband travel to Letterkenny University Hospital.

Earlier that evening, Patrick – who often stayed at his late grandfather's house in Derry, was fixing a sink for a friend from whom he borrowed a car.

Ms Dooher recalled how she was shown her son's body at LUH after being informed of his death.

“There wasn't a mark on him,” she said in a deposition which was read to the inquest, held by coroner Dr Denis McCauley at Letterkenny Courthouse.

“He was the most mannerly, civil young man. The house feels empty without Patrick. We are totally heartbroken. Our lives changed overnight.

“He was the leader of the pack. We are devastated at the loss. Patrick was the heart of the family and we have fond memories of him.”

Donegal Coroner, Dr Denis McCauley

Sergeant Dorrian said he was on mobile patrol at 9.15pm when he received a call regarding a two-vehicle collision in St Johnston.

When Sergeant Dorrian arrived at 9.40pm, he noticed a person laying on the road with paramedics 'frantically carrying out CPR'. A defibrillator was also administered.

The road was closed by Gardai. Sergeant Dorrian said the road was wet and said Mr Dooher was the sole occupant of a burgundy-coloured Vauxhall Corsa, which appeared to have travelled over the white line into the path of an oncoming car, a Peugeot 207 being driven by Rosemary McNulty.

Ms McNulty was sitting in her car 'in a state of shock', Sergeant Dorrian said.

Mr Dooher had borrowed the car from a friend, Dara Doherty. Ms Doherty told the inquest how Mr Dooher would carry out work at her home, such as cutting the grass and hedges, as well as some DIY work inside and outside the house

On December 30, 2021, Mr Dooher called to Ms Doherty's home and the two spoke about Christmas over a cup of tea.

Mr Dooher left before later returning with some logs. He was carrying out work on Ms Doherty's sink and went to his grandfather's house to get a change of clothes.

Ms Doherty recalled how Mr Dooher rolled up a cigarette, put it behind his ear and gave her a big hug before leaving. He wished her happy New Year and thanked her for the use of her car.

A tearful Ms Doherty told the inquest that she will miss Mr Dooher 'terribly'. “He loved his parents and he kept saying that,” she said. “He was very mannerly and respectful'.

Ms McNulty remembered driving in the direction of Lifford when she saw lights coming towards her on the same side of the road.

“The car drove straight into the front of my car,” she said in a deposition. “I had no time to take evasive action.”

Sergeant Dorrian told how he heard a phone ringing inside the Corsa and he answered Mary Dooher, who repeatedly asked: 'Is Paddy okay?'. Sergeant Dorrian advised that Ms Dooher and her husband attend Letterkenny University Hospital.

Medical evidence heard that Mr Dooher sustained injuries to his arm and chest and his main artery sustained a 15mm rupture.

Dr Gerry Lane pronounced Mr Dooher dead at 10.30pm and reported the death to the coroner a short time later. At 11pm, Mr Dooher's body was identified by his mother to Sergeant Dorrian.

Garda Damian Mulkearns, a PSV inspector for the Donegal Division, told how he attended the scene of the accident and observed similar damage to both vehicles.

The damage on the 207 was concentrated on its near side. The headlight assembly and bumper were smashed, the wing and bonnet were crumpled, the tyre deflated and the rim impacted The airbags were deployed and the seat belt locked, indicating that it was worn at the time of the impact.

There was heavy frontal damage to the Corsa, with the headlight assemblies, bumper, grill and radiator smashed. The airbags were deployed and the vehicle's steering column collapsed.

The seat belt was in the rest position, indicating that it wasn't worn at the time of impact.

Both vehicles were found to have been in a serviceable condition pre-accident.

A forensic collision report concluded that the driver of the Corsa allowed the vehicle to cross onto the incorrect side of the road, meeting an oncoming car, the driver of which was unable to avoid the collision.

Prior to the impact, there was no evidence of the Corsa losing control. There was no sign that the car entered onto the grass verge and there were no critical speed marks. The report concluded that the Corsa was travelling 16-20km/h faster than the 207.

Dr McCauley said Mr Dooher, who he described as 'a very well liked and sociable young man', would have died immediately from his injuries. “Resuscitation would have been impossible at any time,” he said.

“It was such a tragic event to happen. There is a certain sadness that Patrick's mother rang her son to find a member of An Garda Siochana answering. It's one of the scariest things you could imagine.”

Dr McCauley and Sergeant Dorrian conveyed their sympathies to the family of the late Mr Dooher.

Dr McCauley said the cause of death was haemorrhagic shock caused by a traumatic rupture to his main artery, caused by a road traffic accident.

A finding of accidental death was recorded.