Respected Letterkenny businessman died in 'terrible, tragic accident' inquest hears

An inquest into the death of Letterkenny businessman has found that his death was a tragic accident.

Edward Tinney Snr, 79, died following a farm accident at Tullygay, Letterkenny on the morning of November 20, 2022.

The late Mr Tinney was a hugely respected and hard-working member of his local community and his sudden passing sent shockwaves throughout Donegal at the time.

His inquest, held at Letterkenny Courthouse, heard details of the tragic last moments which led to Mr Tinney's passing on his farm at Tullygay.

Among those who attended the hearing were his grown-up children Cecelia, Joanna, Patrick and Edward Jnr.  

The inquest was told that Mr Tinney, of Knockbrack, Letterkenny was working on the farm with his son, Edward Jnr, on the morning of the tragedy.  

Mr Tinney Jnr said his father was in the shed with animals while he was moving silage into the shed using a New Holland tractor and 15 tonne tipping trailer.

Edward Jnr said this was a manoeuvre he had completed hundreds of times but said that his father never got involved in the machinery adding that he was more likely to have a bucket in his hand working.

"This was a run of the mill and could do this every day," said Edward Jnr.

When the trailer was empty, Edward Jnr looked backwards and saw his father at the side of the trailer but said he had never expected him to help and presumed that he was just looking at cattle.

Mr Tinney Jnr began lowering the trailer and exiting the stage at about 2mph, he said.

He then looked over his right shoulder and noticed that his father was trapped between the door and body of the trailer.

He stopped the tractor and jumped out, banging the door so hard that he smashed the back window. He released his father from the machinery and noticed that he was unconscious.

He rushed to get his phone but couldn't find it and noticed his father had his phone in his jacket and he immediately called an ambulance.

He comforted his father as the emergency services talked him through how to deal with the situation over the phone.

He then called his sister Cecilia, who arrived a short time later.

The emergency services arrived and worked on Mr Tinney for a half an hour on site before taking him to Letterkenny University Hospital.  

Edward Jnr said in his statement to the court that he thinks his father must simply have reached into the trailer to pull out a lump of silage in a spur of the moment action, adding he had no expectation he would do this.

Coroner Dr Denis McCauley interjected saying he got the feeling that Mr Tinney Snr was simply reaching into the trailer when the tragedy occurred.

Coroner Dr Denis McCauley. (North West Newspix)

Cecelia Tinney, who is Transport Manager with the Tinney Oil Company, gave evidence of receiving a phonecall at 11.30am from her brother Edward who was in a distressed state telling her of the accident.

Ms Tinney arrived to find her father lying on his side, unconscious and she said she knew by his colour that he was gone.

She said her brother Edward was just saying "I didn't see him, I didn't see him", adding that the two got on the best.

She was told by medical staff to prepare for the worst and when she arrived at Letterkenny UniversityHospital. Soon after, she was brought to a private room and was told that her father had passed away.

Ms Tinney identified her late father after being told by staff that her father's injuries were just too serious and that they had done everything they could to save him.

A statement from Garda Matthew Lenihan was read to the court saying he preserved the scene and notified senior officers about the accident.

Dr Gerry Lane from Letterkenny University Hospital attended the farmyard and then escorted Mr Tinney to Hospital after he said he had suffered blunt force trauma.

Despite the best efforts of medical staff, Dr Lane pronounced Mr Tinney deceased at 12.24pm.

Garda Aidan Mulvihill, a PSV Inspector, said he examined both the tractor and the trailer and told the court that both were in serviceable condition at the time of the accident.  

Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers said an autopsy had been carried out on the late Mr Tinney which showed a history of cardiac disease which resulted in a heart bypass in 2016.

However, she outlined Mr Tinney's injuries and said that death was due to spinal injuries he suffered.

Coroner Dr Denis McCauley said this was a process that Mr Tinney Snr was never involved in but that Mr Tinney Jnr had done "hundreds of times”, noting that he lowered the trailer to make sure he did not hit the shed and that his father was just trying to be helpful.

"This was just a terrible, tragic accident really," he added.

He added that the cause of death was multiple injuries as a result of crush injuries.

Both the coroner and Gardai expressed their sympathy with the Tinney family on the loss of their beloved father after the inquest concluded.