Farmer died from head injuries after suspected kick from a cow, inquest hears

Louise Roseingrave

A 58 year old farmer suffered catastrophic head injuries after he sustained a suspected kick from a cow.

Thomas Flynn of Carinaulth, Arigna, Co Roscommon was securing his cows in a cattle pen on his farmyard when the accident happened on March 10th, 2017. The incident was unwitnessed. Mr Flynn's wife was inside the family home preparing for work.

The farmer is believed to have been in a vulnerable position as he bent to close off three metal bars to secure the cattle inside the pen. He was expecting the vet later that day for a herd test, Dublin Coroner’s Court heard.

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Anna Flynn said it was shortly before 8am when she saw what looked like his feet on the ground in the farmyard. She ran outside.

“A bar from the cattle pen was lying partially on top of him,” she said.

An ambulance was called and Mr Flynn was transported to a helipad at the Arigna Mining Museum for transfer to University Hospital Galway. A CT scan revealed facial fractures and extensive head injuries and the man was transferred to Beaumont Hospital later that day.

Despite two surgeries to save him, Mr Flynn died two days later in hospital. The cause of death was cranio-cerebral trauma, according to a post-mortem carried out by Dr Francesca Brett.

Mr Flynn had a small farm of four cows, two calves and two donkeys, the court heard. He had extensive experience having grown up farming.

Health and Safety Inspector Brian McHugh visited the farm on the day of the incident and said he believed the farmer’s injuries were the result of a kick from an animal.

He said the style of pen on the farm, with three metal sliding bars was unusual. He said safe handling equipment for small farmers, many of whom work alone, is important.

“Sliding those bars, you are bending down into a confined space. You’re in a danger zone lifting bars into place.

“We would prefer better handling facilities, in this instance a hinge gate that could be swung closed, would be a quicker way of securing the cows.”

“There were two calves in the pen which may have caused the cows to be more agitated, it might have been the protective instinct of the mother, she may have gotten spooked or startled.”

He noted that farmyard upgrade works involve additional costs to the farmer.

“There is a cost associated and with the small nature of the farm in question here, we have to be aware of what is practical,” Mr McHugh said.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.