A verdict of misadventure was returned by the Cork City Coroner's Court yesterday, at the inquest of a north Cork man who died from head injuries after a fall in a pub.
Mr Dan Casey (69), from Murphy Place, Newmarket died on April 15th last year at Cork University Hospital, where he had been on a life-support machine for over a week.
The coroner's court heard that Mr Casey approached another local, Mr Terence Scannell, of Ballymacauliffe Avenue, Boherbue, on April 7th and punched him.
Mr Scannell said he was drinking with a friend, Mr Timmy Crimmins, when the incident occurred. He said he had met the deceased in another pub earlier, where he commented to him that he'd spotted him at Mass, to which Mr Casey replied: "Nobody told me not to go".
Mr Scannell and Mr Crimmins went on to TD Cronin's Bar at New Street, Newmarket for another drink, when the deceased came in and attacked him. "His fists were flying and he knocked my glasses off. I shouted 'Jesus Dan what are you doing', and tried to stop him when he fell back on the floor. I don't know why Dan attacked me. There was no bad blood between us."
The court heard evidence that the deceased hit his head off the corner of the bar counter. A post- mortem revealed the cause of death was a brain swelling consistent with head injuries and skull fracture.
Insp John O'Brien said a file was sent to the DPP, who ruled that no proceedings be brought in relation to the incident. The coroner, Mr Philip Comyn, returned a verdict of death by misadventure.