A 13-year-old boy died after he fell 18 feet through perspex roofing on a store while playing a game of tig with friends, the Dublin Coroner's Court was told yesterday.
Darren McNally of Foxfield, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, never regained consciousness after the fall on September 21st, 2003. He died six days later in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, from severe head injuries.
The coroner Dr Brian Farrell said Darren and four friends went through an overgrown yard just off the Main Street, Carrickmacross, and on to the roof of a store, climbing up from a palette which was leaning against the wall. They went to the roof to play tig. The roof was made of galvanised steel and perspex sheets.
Dr Farrell said it seemed that Darren walked on the perspex sheeting which gave way. He fell on to a concrete floor.
The store was a working shed or storage area, the property of Mr Gus O'Gorman. It was connected with a supermarket. No work was going on in the store at the time and it was padlocked.
"I am recording a verdict of accidental death but I will inform the Health and Safety Authority. It is not a legal requirement of the court but it is in the public interest and I think it appropriate to inform them," Dr Farrell said.
There had been a number of inquests where young people had died in similar circumstances, he said.
Beaumont Hospital had told him that Darren's parents, Olivia and Ray McNally, had consented to organ harvesting. "I believe four or five patients have benefited from your courage. I commend you for having the strength to do that at such a tragic time."
Two of the boy's friends yesterday gave evidence. Alan Brady (14) said they got up on to the roof to have a game of tig which was to jump from one roof to another. "I don't think he \ saw the perspex and he fell straight down," he said.
Kyle Meegan (14) said: "All of a sudden, I was looking at Darren, there was a crack and he was gone, then I heard nothing."