Head injury contributed to death of one of two men who died during Youghal Ironman
An inquest into the deaths of Brendan Wall of Solihull in the UK but originally from Meath, and Canadian man Ivan Chittenden, was opened in Midleton on Tuesday
Head injury contributed to death of one of two men who died during Youghal Ironman
Candles at the foot of photographs of Ivan Chittenden and Brendan Wall at a vigil held in their memory in Green Park in Youghal. File picture: Howard Crowdy
An injury to the head was a contributory factor in the death of one of two men who drowned during last year’s Ironman challenge in Youghal.
An inquest into the deaths of Brendan Wall of Solihull in the UK but originally from Meath, and Canadian man Ivan Chittenden, was opened in Midleton by coroner Frank O’Connell on Tuesday.
The hearing was attended by relatives of both men, including Mr Wall’s parents.
Mr O’Connell told them that the full hearing of the inquests will take two days and will include a focus on the preparations of the men for the Ironman challenge, as well as whether they had undertaken any medicals in the weeks or months prior to it, or done any similar challenges in the past.
Representatives of the Wall family at the inquests into the deaths of Ivan Chittenden and Brendan Wall at the Courthouse, Midleton, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan
Representatives of the Wall family at the inquests into the deaths of Ivan Chittenden and Brendan Wall at the Courthouse, Midleton, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan
Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said that the cause of death for Mr Wall was acute cardiorespiratory failure, due to drowning.
She said the cause of Mr Chittenden’s death was also attributed to acute
cardiorespiratory failure, due to drowning. But she said “the other significant factor was a mild blunt force trauma” to the left side of Mr Chittenden’s head, which she said would have occurred while he was alive.
Garda Sean Killigrew had been on duty in Youghal on August 20 last year, while the Ironman was underway. He gave evidence of attending at the medical station at Market Square on the morning of the challenge, after a call was received by gardaí that there were two bodies at the station.
Representatives of the Chittenden family at the courthouse in Midleton, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan
Representatives of the Chittenden family at the courthouse in Midleton, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan
Mr Wall and Mr Chittenden were both pronounced dead in the station, he said.
He was told by Dr Jason Van der Velde that 45-year-old Mr Wall had been taken out of the water in an unresponsive state at the Green Hole area of Youghal.
Mr Wall’s fiancée, Tina Mackey, identified Mr Wall to Garda Killigrew after efforts to resuscitate him failed.
Meanwhile, Dr Hugh Doran took Garda Killigrew to another cubicle in the medical station where he viewed the body of 64-year-old Ivan Chittenden.
The Canadian was removed from the water at the lighthouse area of the town and taken to the medical station where failed attempts were also made to resuscitate him.
He was identified to Garda Killigrew by Dr Maeve Hyland, who told the garda that the dead man was personally known to her as he was married to her cousin.
Aerial shots from the start of the swim at the Youghal Ironman 2023. File picture: Tri Coach Bjorn
Aerial shots from the start of the swim at the Youghal Ironman 2023. File picture: Tri Coach Bjorn
Mr O’Connell told the men’s relatives that he would adjourn the inquest to September 24 for mention, with a plan to then set a date for the full hearing.
He said the hearing will follow both men’s progress through the water on August 20 last “until they had to be rescued.”
He stressed that while a “certain controversy arose in the immediate aftermath of these tragedies,” the inquest will not focus on that but will instead focus on the when, where and how the deaths of the men occurred.
Representing Ironman, senior counsel Jane Hyland also extended the sympathies of the organisation to the families, while Michael Corrigan expressed sympathies on behalf of Triathlon Ireland.
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