Victims' autopsy reports horrify families

Distraught family members of the Dublin and Monaghan bombing victims were led weeping from the Dublin City Coroner's Court yesterday as the autopsy reports of their loved ones were read.

Coroner Dr Brian Farrell explained that the families asked for the autopsy reports to be put on the public record in full, and not summarised. There was a "good deal of distressing evidence", he said, and an ante-room was available for those who wished to leave.

The horrendous injuries suffered by the 34 deceased meant that most of them died instantly, or were at least unconscious from the moment of the blasts, Dr Farrell said. He hoped this would be of some consolation to the bereaved.

A family of four, two young parents and their babies, were among those killed by the Parnell Street bomb. Mrs Anne O'Brien (22) and her daughters, Jacqueline, one-year, five-months old, and Anne-Marie, five and a half-months, died at the scene. Her husband John (24) died later that night at the Richmond Hospital in Dublin.

Mrs O'Brien had extensive lacerations to her chest and legs and both her legs were missing from the knee down. Her abdomen was ruptured and the intestines protruded, the autopsy report said. There were fragments of bone and metal in her brain tissue and she died of multiple injuries.

Jacqueline had multiple lacerations to her liver and her skull was extensively damaged. Anne-Marie had deep wounds in the lower part of her back, her skull was also shattered. Dr Farrell said he was "in no doubt" that all three died instantaneously.

Mr O'Brien suffered extensive blast injuries to his abdomen. He underwent surgery, but his injuries were too severe for survival.

"The only word of consolation I can give to the family, is that in my opinion John would have been rendered unconscious by the injuries he received. I only hope he was unaware of what happened and that he did not suffer," Dr Farrell said

A female juror asked to be excused briefly to compose herself following the autopsies of the O'Brien family.

A piece of metal, thought to be a car boot lock, was found lodged in the chest of Mr Edward O'Neill, a 39-year-old father of five who died in Parnell Street. He died from ruptures to the heart and intestines.

Mrs Colette Doherty was 21 and nine months pregnant when she was killed in Talbot Street. She was found to have a piece of twisted metal in the left ventricle of her heart.

No information on the sex of her baby was reported. Both were thought to have died instantly. Mrs Doherty had been identified by her husband, John, the court heard.

The inquest heard that 21-year-old Anna Massey died in South Leinster Street. Her internal jugular was severed and she died from multiple injuries.

Mr Thomas Campbell (52) was decapitated by blast debris from the Monaghan bomb. It also heard that Mr Jack Travers (28) also died as a result of devastating head injuries in Monaghan. His skull was shattered and his brain "liquified", the report said.