A Coroner's Court heard yesterday there were no witnesses to an early-morning "high-velocity" crash between two cars in which three people lost their lives on the N2 road in Co Monaghan last February.
Those who died at Tullyvaragh, near Carrickmacross, were Mr Michael McGeough (35), of Main Street, Carrickmacross; Ms Angela Woods (41), of Drummond Etra, Carrickmacross; and Mr Kris Cumiskey (20), of Lurgan Road, Silverbridge, Co Armagh..
Garda and civilian witnesses described the scene of carnage on the roadway to the South Monaghan Coroner, Dr Mary Flanagan, at the inquest in Castleblayney.
Garda witnesses said all the occupants of the two vehicles were killed in the head-on collision on a straight stretch of the road. Mr McGeough and Ms Woods were travelling in a silver Renault I9, and Mr Cumiskey was driving a red Nissan Primera .
Dr Miriam Griffin, a pathologist at Cavan General Hospital, said all the victims died instantly.
Verdicts of accidental death due to severe multiple injuries were returned by the jury in all three cases.
In extending sympathy to the families bereaved by the tragedy, Dr Flanagan recalled how she had visited the scene in the aftermath of the accident, and described it as "a most upsetting experience".
Nobody, she said, could appreciate the inestimable loss such a tragedy brought to all the families concerned, and in particular to those who had only a short time previously talked to their loved ones or seen them alive for the last time.
She added that the horrific nature of the tragedy indicated a high-velocity collision, with death almost instantaneous.
"Unfortunately, similar tragic accidents are taking place throughout the country all too frequently."
Insp Noel Cunningham, of the Garda in Monaghan, associated himself with the coroner's sympathy to the families, and paid tribute to those who came on the scene and raised the alarm.
Mr Seamus Woods, son of the late Ms Woods, outlined events on the night of the tragedy, and recalled how he waited for his mother and Mr McGeough to arrive in Castleblayney and collect him in their car on the outskirts of the town at around 2.20 a.m.
He said he received a telephone call from his mother indicating they were on their way to collect him, but as he waited he saw a Garda car, a doctor-on-call vehicle and an ambulance speeding towards the scene.
The news of his mother's death was later broken to him by a garda.
Ms Theresa Cumiskey told the inquest of her son Kris's departure from their home on the evening before the tragedy to meet friends. He indicated he would not be late as he intended to get up early the next day, but that was the last time she saw her son alive.
Ms Adrienne Mounter, of Robertstown, Co Kildare, told the inquest how along with Mr Francis Hudson, also from Robertstown, they were driving on the N2 and suddenly came upon the wreckage of the vehicles strewn across the road.
Mr Hudson recalled he saw "steam" coming from underneath the wreckage of the red car. There was no sign of life in any of the vehicles.
Garda Paul Everard, of Carrickmacross, who was on mobile patrol with Garda Patrick Sheridan, gave evidence of arriving on the scene after receiving a report of the accident at 3.30 a.m.
Both cars were very extensively damaged, and there were no witnesses to the crash to enable gardaí to estimate the speed of the vehicles involved. He was unable to find a pulse in any of the victims.
Both Mr McGeough and Ms Woods were wearing seat belts, but Mr Cumiskey was not wearing one.
A doctor pronounced all three dead at the scene.