Garda inquiry into cyclist’s death at road event proved ‘very challenging’ amid witness gap, inquest told

Investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a cyclist who was killed after crashing in a pack of riders at an event in Kilkenny proved to be “very challenging”, an inquest heard, as no participant who witnessed the crash came forward to gardaí.

Dr Frank O’Dwyer (64), a popular consultant in emergency medicine at St Luke’s hospital Kilkenny, died three days after being found by the side of the road between Gowran and Bennettsbridge, Co Kilkenny, in July 2022.

The court heard he died due to a cervical spine fracture and catastrophic injuries arising as a result of a presumed fall while taking part in a cycling event on July 30th, 2022. He was transferred initially to St Luke’s hospital before being transferred to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin where he was declared brain-dead on August 2nd, 2022.

The married father of two had no medical history and was on no prescribed medication when he left home at Thornback Road, Kilkenny at about 8am. A keen cyclist, he had participated in events in the Pyrennes and the Alps, and was a member of the Marble City Cyclers which had organised the Tour de Kilkenny sportive event.

“Before leaving that Saturday morning he did his usual thorough safety check on bike, helmet and Garmin [GPS device],” his wife Dr Teresa Kenny O’Dwyer told the court. “He was very safety conscious as well as health conscious … and was passionate about preventing accidents.” After he was satisfied with the bike, he gave her “a kiss goodbye, as he always did”.

Cyclist Martin Deavy said he was part of the “lead group” that set off at 9am for the 160km route. “The pace was very fast. When leaving Bennetsbridge after the climb I eased off.” He saw the “main group slowly pulling away” and was cycling alone. “I came around the bend and noticed a cyclist lying on his side on the grass verge on the left-hand side of the road. I was the only person there. I immediately stopped … and ran to him.

“I got down on my knees and assessed him and noted his eyes were open. He was breathing, I would say light but laboured … He seemed to be struggling to breathe. At no point did he move any part of his body.” He said he spoke to him to try to keep him conscious and others arrived in “one to two minutes”.

Dr Rory McGovern, in a statement read into the record, said he was cycling in the event and heard of a crash ahead. “I saw Frank lying awkwardly, half on the road, half on the ditch.” He went to his assistance. “I straightened his limbs and put him in the recovery position, checked his airways, breathing and circulation. I noted his respiratory rate was very low, his pulse was weak but palpable. His was vomiting and airways were compromised.”

He cleared his airways and commenced “basic resuscitation”. An ambulance arrived after “about 35 minutes”. He travelled with Dr O’Dwyer to St Luke’s hospital.

Dr Bronwen Roman, consultant in emergency medicine at St Luke’s hospital said Dr O’Dwyer had sustained a spinal neck fracture, multiple rib fractures and sternum fracture. He agreed the injuries were “trauma related” and consistent with a “severe projectile” fall from the bike which was “probably” at considerable speed.

Van driver Pat Loughlin was the only witness to the incident who came forward to gardaí after a media appeal. He was on Gowran road after 9am when “a car with a beacon flashing” approached “indicating there was something coming towards me”. He pulled in after a bend and “immediately met 80 to 100 cyclists coming at me from Bennetsbridge … cycling very fast”.

As the group approached they narrowed into a tighter formation to pass him. He looked in his wing mirror. “I seen a bike crash on the Clashwilliam side of the road. He went straight into the ditch. I couldn’t say if he hit another bike. I had a very clear view of this accident as it was about 25 yards away from me,” he said.

“Cyclists continued cycling around him and over him nearly. There was about 15 cyclists behind him. I had a clear view of his legs on the road … I would say the cyclist [Dr O’Dwyer] was in the last quarter of the group with people behind him. I could see a number of cyclists swerve around the fallen rider and when they passed I could see one cyclist remount a bike and cycle away.

“He was the only one that fell. A few guys jigged around him … The next thing I saw were his two legs up on the road … He looked motionless on the road.” Mr Loughlin said he attempted to reverse but this would have been back into the bend. “I waited until some cyclists stopped with him. I presumed he was going to be okay so I left the scene.”

Sergeant Gary Gordon of Kilkenny gardaí said he was at Kilkenny rugby club, the event’s end point, that afternoon telling cyclists gardaí were seeking witnesses to the incident. “No witnesses came forward to me at the rugby club,” he said.

Superintendent Anthony Farrell said three email requests were sent to the 619 cyclists who took part, between 31st July and 21st November 2022 asking for witnesses, resulting in “just 87 replies”.

“It was established by gardaí that 85 participants were ahead of the accident and did not see what happened; 352 participants came across the incident after it occurred … There were Garda appeals through local media which yielded no witnesses and the totality of the investigation resulted in 36 formal statements from people,” he said. “It was very challenging investigation to try to uncover the totality of circumstances and even at this stage … there is still a lot of questions to which I unfortunately don’t have answers,” he said.

An examination of Dr O’Dwyer’s bicycle found “nothing wrong” he said.

Tommy Lanigan, chairman of Marble City Cyclers, said a full risk assessment had been conducted of the route using a template from Cycling Ireland. Participants knew the roads would be open to traffic and were “reminded in no uncertain terms the rules of the road apply”.

Coroner Aisling Gannon returned an open verdict, explaining to Dr O’Dwyer’s family a verdict of accidental death would “suggest the facts of the case are known”.

“It is most unusual that we cannot say definitively what occurred … I am loath to jump to a conclusion as investigations may remain open … We have determined and registered all the facts available but [and open verdict] does afford an opportunity in the future, should any issue arise that warrants further investigation, it could be further reviewed,” she said.

• See our new project Common Ground, Evolving Islands: Ireland & Britain
• Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
• Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
• Our In The News podcast is now published daily – Find the latest episode here