WEXFORD COUNTY Coroner Dr. Sean Nixon has spoken of the frightening rise in suicide at the inquest of a young Gorey man held in Wexford.
Dr. Nixon highlighted the issue following the inquest hearing into the tragic death of Darragh D’Arcy (20) from Rathpierce, Ballyfad last summer. He also spoke of a fundraising campaign which was launched following the death of another young Gorey man last summer, Thomas (Tom) O’Flaherty, saying it was important that his friends were highlighting the issue.
Garda Michael Dee told the Coroner’s Court that he found the remains of Darragh to the rear of the family home at around 4:30 a. on June 16th, saying they were identified by Mary D’Arcy, the deceased’s mother.
Superintendent Pat Conlon read out a statement taken from Darragh’s friend Chloe Byrne in which she said she was out with him that night, along with their friends Leanne Bolger and Patrick Fleming. They stopped off at Ballyfad graveyard from where Darragh walked home.
Ms. Byrne said she received a text message from Darragh saying “I love you but goodbye”.
Ms. Byrne tried to contact Darragh was couldn’t get through, she added.
Mary D’Arcy said her husband Larry received a text message from Darragh and they rang his phone but it went to music.
“We were getting up at that stage and were going to start looking in Ballyfad.”
She said she discovered her son’s remains shortly afterwards.
Dr. Nixon recorded a verdict of death by suicide, saying: “It doesn’t appear he was in any way under distress so obviously it came as a total shock and disaster to the family. I commiserate with the family and friends of Darragh on this very, very sad and tragic loss. I am sitting here so often now and it’s the same story today. It’s very frightening.”
The inquest of 25-year-old Thomas O’Flaherty followed Darragh’s prompting Dr. Nixon to say his death was also totally unexpected.
“This often happens in these cases. There doesn’t seem to be any good reason. You can’t explain it because it’s totally unexpected.”
For the full story see this week’s Gorey Echo.
