A coroner's inquest jury in Ennis, Co Clare, yesterday reversed a verdict of suicide made by a previous jury in the death of Father Michael O'Grady (56). It returned an open verdict on the parish priest's death.
In response to the initial verdict made last July, the O'Grady family made the unusual move of applying to the Attorney General to have a fresh inquest.
The family of the late parish priest of Tubber claimed there was no evidence to support a verdict of suicide at the initial inquest and the inquest was unsatisfactory as a result of the irregular manner in which the jury reached its verdict.
As a result of submissions made, Mr Rory Brady SC told County Coroner Ms Isobel O'Dea he had acceded to the applicant's request on both grounds and instructed Ms O'Dea to hold a second inquest.
Yesterday, after hearing the same evidence, a jury returned an open verdict in the death of Father O'Grady, who died after his car went into the sea off Liscannor pier on April 4th last.
The jury heard eyewitness Mr Martin Hennigar state that in his opinion, Father O'Grady was trying to reverse up the slipway before his car went into the sea. The jury also heard medical evidence recording no traces of alcohol in Father O'Grady's blood and that he died from drowning.
Last night, a solicitor for the O'Grady family said: "Today's jury considered the matter more carefully and set the record straight."