A coroner yesterday returned an open verdict into the death of a 31-year-old man who drowned in the River Lee in Cork city on Christmas Eve.
Less than 30 minutes earlier, he had left his ex-partner who was later discovered unconscious with serious injuries in a shed at his family home over 10 miles away.
Seán O'Riordan was last seen leaving his home at Ballyleary in Cobh with his ex-partner, Ms Anne Marie Sloane, at around 7.40 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Ms Sloane was discovered three hours later lying unconscious in a shed on the property. Her car was missing.
Witness Ms Lydia Farrell described how she was travelling with her parents, Mr Séamus and Mrs Eleanor Farrell, in their car along the Lower Glanmire Road in Cork at around 8.10 p.m. when she spotted a car in the River Lee near the opposite bank by the marina.
Ms Farrell said she saw the headlights and indicators of the car flashing in the water for around 20 seconds. The car was submerged within a minute. She alerted her father who rang the emergency services.
Sgt Aidan O'Connell told the inquest that navy divers recovered the body of the driver at around 11.45 p.m. and the car was later removed from the river by a crane. He observed tyre marks on the grass leading towards the river bank, he said.
Sgt John Quinn said that Ms Sloane's family reported her missing when she had not returned from visiting the O'Riordan home. She was found unconscious and was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital, where she remained for a number of weeks.
Sgt Pat O'Donovan said he had examined Ms Sloane's car following the tragedy and he found that it was in good working order.
He added that both front windows were fully opened when the car was retrieved from the river.
