Verdict of accidental death at inquest of Labour activist who fell off bike on Luas line

A student deemed to have a bright future as a politician had already died from a fall off his bicycle before he was struck by a Luas tram in Dublin 2, an inquest has heard.

Cormac Ó Braonáin (19), a student of medical science and international relations at UCD, and chair of Labour Youth, was killed after coming off his bicycle along the Luas track at Peter’s Place in the early hours of December 15th, 2019.

An inquest into his death at Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Thursday heard that he was struck by a late-night southbound tram at the start of a ramp approaching the Charlemont stop at 3.05am.

State pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers said a postmortem established that Mr Ó Braonáin was already dead before he was hit by the tram, which inflicted rib fractures.

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Dr Okkers said Mr Ó Braonáin’s alcohol levels were almost five times over the legal driving limit, which would have restricted his ability to move off the track after the fall. She said he died as a result of being unable to breathe due to neck compression.

Under cross-examination by Conor Halpin SC, counsel for the Ó Braonáin family, Dr Okkers withdrew a finding that the deceased’s level of intoxication was a contributory factor.

Mr Ó Braonáin’s mother, Eva Walsh, gave evidence of meeting her son at the Iveagh Hotel on Harcourt Street at 8.45pm on the previous evening and him having two pints of lager. “I would not have considered him at all to be intoxicated,” she said.

Ms Walsh said her son later attended a 21st birthday party at the Conradh na Gaeilge club on Harcourt Street. She described her son as “an incredible young man who was very community oriented”.

“He was on his way to a life in politics,” she said.

Quicker route

Asked by coroner Clare Keane if her son was a regular cyclist, Ms Walsh recalled that he regularly used his bicycle as he believed public transport was “too expensive”.

Ms Walsh said she did not know if her son regularly used the Luas track to cycle home but noted it was the most direct way to their house in Windy Arbour. “I assume he thought he would get home 15 minutes quicker.”

The manager of the Conradh na Gaeilge club, Dylan Bryans, said he spoke to Mr Ó Braonáin a couple of times during the night and that he seemed drunk “but not Copper Face Jack’s drunk”. However, Mr Bryans said he advised Mr Ó Braonáin when he was leaving the club shortly before 3am that he was not in a condition to cycle home.

A friend of the deceased, Sinead Ryan, who was waiting at the Harcourt Luas stop, said she saw a cyclist pass on the tracks before realising it was Mr Ó Braonáin. She said he was “not swaying or swerving”.

In a statement, Luas driver Amos Mkwenje, who did not appear to give evidence, said he saw what he believed was a rubbish bag on the track as he approached the ramp up to the Charlemont stop. He said he saw a bicycle and a white helmet on the track after he turned on the tram’s full beams to see more clearly. The driver said he hit the emergency brake after realising there was a person on the track.

Solely for trams

Eoin Kennedy, head of safety at Luas operator Transdev, said the incident occurred on a segregated section of track solely for Luas trams. There were several signs at Peter’s Place warning against trespassing on the line, he said. He added that lighting in the area was an issue for Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Dublin City Council.

He told Mr Halpin he was unaware of Luas drivers having reported any issues with cyclists using that section of track.

A jury of four men and two women returned a verdict of accidental death and recommended that Transdev carry out a risk assessment of the location of the fatal incident including the lighting and signage.

Dr Keane offered the Ó Braonáin family her condolences on their “devastating loss”.

“Cormac had a bright future snatched away,” she said. “He was a remarkable, multi-talented, engaging young man making his way home after a night out.”