A heartbroken mother has told her son’s inquest of how he was the heart of their family and how they are just devastated without him.
Popular Patrick Dooher was killed following a head-on collision at Dundee, St Johnston on the evening of December 30th, 2021.
The 28-year-old from Boyagh, Porthall, Lifford was the eldest of four children of local couple Mary and Jim Dooher.
Mary Dooher fought back tears as she told the inquest at Letterkenny Courthouse of how her son was the most mannerly and civil young men there was and a person who “kept the house going with his stories.”
Patrick died at Letterkenny University Hospital following the collision with another car being driven in the opposite direction by Ms Rosemary McNulty who was driving in the opposite direction.
Ms McNulty told the inquest that she was driving from St Johnston to Lifford around 10pm when she suddenly noticed a car coming towards her on her side of the road.
She said she simply couldn’t understand why the car was on her side of the road but had no time to take evasive action and could not avoid a collision.
Ms McNulty, who was represented by solicitor Frank Dorrian, suffered chest and other injuries as a result of the collision.
The inquest heard from Ms Dara Doherty, a close friend of the deceased man who spoke of his mood in the days before the tragedy.
She had loaned Patrick her Vauxhall Corsa car as his onw car was not working.
An emotional Ms Doherty said she had so much time for their friendship and how she missed him terribly adding that she would always his his banter and described how much he loved his parents and how he was always very mannerly and respectful towards her as a person.
Garda Sergeant John (Joe) Dorrian told how he was on duty at Castlefin Garda Station on the night of the collision and had attended the scene of the crash.
He told the inquest how the collision had occurred on a straight stretch of road which was governed by a continuous white line, that the road was wet and that it was dark and there was no street lighting on the road.
He said he witnessed a man lying on the road who was surrounding by paramedics who were working on him and giving him CPR.
Sgt Dorrian said he spoke to the female driver of the other Peugeot car who was complaining about a sore chest and arm and was suffering from shock.
A phone rang at the scene and it was a woman who identified herself as Mary Dooher and she was enquiring about her son.
Sgt Dorrian explained that Mrs Dooher asked a number of times if her son was okay and he explained to her that he was injured and had been taken to Letterkenny University Hospital and suggested she attend the hospital.
He said he later met with Mrs Dooher and her husband Jim and that Dr Gerry Lane had informed them a short time later that their son Patrick had died as a result of his injuries.
Medical evidence was given in the case which showed that Mr Dooher had suffered a rupture to his main artery as a result of the crash.
Garda Damian Mulkearns, Public Service Vehicles Inspector, outlined how he examined both vehicles and deemed that both were in a serviceable condition pre accident.
He did note that Mr Dooher’s seatbelt had been in a resting position meaning it was not worn at the time of the crash whereas Ms McNulty had her seatbelt on.
He added that there was no evidence of braking or skidding or that Mr Dooher had lost control on a bend.
Coroner, Dr Denis McCauley said the court did not know what caused Mr Dooher to come across the road but told his family that because of a rupture ot his main artery, Patrick would have died immediately.
“He seemed to be a very well-liked young and sociable young man ans this is a terrible tragedy that happened,” he told Mr Dooher’s family.
He said death was due to hemorrhagic shock caused by a traumatic rupture to his main artery caused by a road traffic collision.
His finding was that this was an accidental death.
Sgt Dorrian also thanked the Dooher family for their cooperation into the Garda investigation and expressed his sympathies.
