Death of well-known priest and theologian caused by fall, inquest hears

One of the country’s best-known theologians, Enda McDonagh, died as a result of medical complications after suffering a fall in a nursing home last year, an inquest has heard.

A sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court heard evidence that the well-known priest and academic suffered two fractured vertebrae in his neck in the incident at the Holy Family Residence in Roebuck Road, Dundrum on February 17th, 2021, where he had been living for the previous year.

Prof McDonagh (90) died a week later, on February 24th, 2021, at St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin where he had been transferred the day after the fall after reporting a pain in his neck.

A postmortem found Prof McDonagh suffered acute cardio-pulmonary failure as a result of the fractures in his upper cervical spine.

The coroner, Dr Clare Keane, noted that diabetes was a contributory factor.

Staff nurse

A staff nurse from the Holy Family Residence who cared for Prof McDonagh, Nayarro Neto, told the hearing she found the priest lying on the floor near a bathroom at around 2.30am.

She said he appeared fine apart from complaining about a pain at the back of his head and he was closely monitored over the following hours.

Ms Neto said the patient was even trying to get out of the bed on his own. However, he was transferred to St Vincent’s University Hospital the following day.

She described the priest as having a strong character which had not diminished with age, and a “pleasant man who was extremely polite”.

Based on the medical evidence, Dr Keane returned a verdict of accidental death.

“The fall was the root cause of what happened,” the coroner remarked.