The family of a first year student who died after he was hit by a truck just minutes after he left school have said that they bear no ill will towards the driver as the incident was a tragic accident.
An inquest in Cork city heard that the parents of Jimmy Horgan, who passed away the day after his 13th birthday, have raised over €80,000 for the Mercy University Hospital (MUH) where he was cared for following the accident in November 2020.
Coroner Philip Comyn remarked that members of the public often comment on how sad and difficult his job must be. However, he said that he was heartened not only by the behaviour of the family of the youngster but by the conduct of the driver of the truck in the aftermath of the tragedy.
He said that it was uplifting to hear that Ernest Horgan, the father of the late Jimmy, had called to the workplace of the truck driver Niall Murphy the day after the accident in order to inform him that the family in no way blamed him for the death of their son.
The inquest was told that Mr Murphy and his wife had also written to the Horgan family after the tragic incident.
The inquest heard that the first year student at Presentation Brothers College in Cork (PBC) died following a collision with a lorry at Prospect Row in the city centre at about 3.30pm on November 17, 2020. He had just left his school and was crossing the road to meet his grandfather when tragedy struck.
His grandfather Barry Corcoran held his hand as he lay on the ground and nurses who were passing rushed to the assistance of the youngster before he was transferred to MUH where he died. A defibrillator was used before Jimmy was transferred to MUH.
Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster, who carried out the post-mortem, said that Jimmy died of poly trauma and blunt force trauma, injuries consistent with a road traffic accident. She stressed that he would have died instantly and would not have suffered.
The driver of the truck, Niall Murphy, said he didn’t realise that there had been an accident until he spotted legs in the back wheels of his truck. An experienced driver he stated he had checked all of his mirrors that morning. He became visibly upset giving his evidence.
The inquest heard that one of his mirrors was not an optimum setting. Forensic investigator Garda Ray Sweeney said that even if it has been perfectly set there was no guarantee that the accident would not have occurred.
The jury recorded a verdict of accidental death. The asked Cork City Council to consider a review of the traffic arrangements in the area.
Garda Sweeney had said that it might be of assistance if a barrier was placed on the corner where the accident occurred as it is traditionally a site where members of the public make a short cut instead of going down to the pedestrian crossing.
Sgt Fergus Twomey extended his condolences to the family of the deceased saying that the death of young Jimmy had caused “a tsunami of grief” in his school. He added that the death had also resonated with the wider community.
Solicitor Ernest Cantillon, representing the Horgan family, said that they wanted to thank gardai, MUH, those who attended at the scene and persons who took part in a fundraising walk after the death of Jimmy.
“The huge support of school friends, neighbours and friends has also helped to ease their burden.”
He added that the family had no feelings of ill will towards the driver of the truck as it was an accident.
The foreman of the jury also extended his sympathy to the Horgan family following their tragic loss.
