Treacherous road conditions following "torrential" rainfall which resembled a “flowing river” contributed to a crash which killed four young people, an inquest in Co Tipperary has heard.
A verdict of accidental death was returned on Thursday at an inquest in Clonmel into the deaths of Luke McSweeney (24), his 18-year-old sister Grace, Zoey Coffey (18) and Nicole Murphy (18).
All four died of severe cranio cerebral trauma. They died instantly on impact and were taken to Tipperary University Hospital where they were formally identified. The vehicle hit a wall, spun out of control and landed on its roof.
Tipperary coroner Joseph Kelly was told that drugs or alcohol had no role in the tragic accident.
The inquest heard that an eight-year-old BMW car driven by Mr McSweeney spun out of control just after 7.30pm on August 25th, 2023, on the Mountain Road near the entrance to the Hillview sports club in Clonmel. The two back tyres of the car had tread depths below the legal limit of 1.6mm.
The girls were being driven to Clonmel by Mr Sweeney. The plan was that the youngsters would catch a bus to Carlow for a Leaving Cert party.
Forensic collision scene investigator Garda John Coughlan carried out an examination of the vehicle in which the teenagers died.
He said that he was unable to determine the speed at which the BMW was travelling when the fatal crash occurred. The actual point of collision was not witnessed by a member of the public.
Garda Coughlan said that individuals who saw the car travelling along the road reported that it wasn’t travelling “at a great speed”.
“For some unknown reason, the front left of the car mounted the kerb and then hit a low stone wall before rotating and flipping over on its roof. “
Neighbours who came upon the crash said that there was a torrential downpour prior to the fatal collision. They said that the road had “pools of water” on it which “flowed down the hill.”
Margaret O’Meara and Niall Burke who saw the BMW on the road said that it didn’t appear to be driving at excessive speed.
Gardai indicated that the vehicle was being driven at speeds between 51 km per hour and 75 km per hour at different points on the hill.
The speed was determined using CCTV footage harvested in the area. The vehicle hit the wall of the sports club.
Garda Eamonn Raleigh inspected the vehicle. He said that the car was in good working order with the exception of the two rear tyres which had tread depths below the legal limit of 1.6mm. Garda Raleigh said that the wire on the left rear tyre was exposed.
“This is a dangerous defect as it can make the vehicle unable to do what it is supposed to do. It can affect the car’s grip and traction on a road surface when accelerating, braking or turning, particularly when the road surface is wet.”.
“Substantial damage which depressed the roof downwards into the passenger compartment was caused.”
The coroner was told that such was the force of the impact with the wall that the wheels of the car left a “gouge mark” in the road surface.
The inquest heard that the braking and steering systems in the car were working properly prior to the crash.
Detective Inspector Declan Boland said that the national forecaster Met Éireann had informed them that between 4mm and 7mm of rain fell in the area that day. The majority of the rainfall occurred over a half an hour period between 7.15pm and 7.45pm.
Det Inspector Boland said that the car travelled over the wet surface. He said the car went over the wet surface and “for some unknown reason hit a kerb and mounted the wall. “
“It is not always possible to say why such tragedies occur”.
Coroner Joseph Kelly said that the BMW went down a steep hill. The road, he said, was treacherous because the “torrential rain” was like a “flowing river”.
Mr Kelly returned a verdict of accidental death in relation to all four youngsters. He offered his condolences to the family of the deceased. He described the fatal crash “as an appalling tragedy.”
“It shocked not only Clonmel and Tipperary but Irish people in general. There are no words to describe the nature of the tragedy and loss that took place at Hillview on August 25th last for the McSweeney, Coffey and Murphy families. Luke, Grace, Zoey and Nicola were in the prime of their lives with so much to look forward to and so many dreams to fulfil.”
Mr Kelly added that the deaths of the four young people had struck a chord with so many people throughout the country.
Solicitor Padraic Hayes on behalf of the McSweeney family thanked paramedics, gardaí and members of the fire brigade who did everything in their power to save the much loved group of young people.
The McSweeney family expressed their immense gratitude to the people of Clonmel for their support and kindness in the aftermath of the tragedy. They also thanked principals, management and students at the schools attended by the three girls.
By Olivia Kelleher
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