Buncrana pier tragedy inquest set for November

The inquest into the deaths of Sean McGrotty, his two sons Mark and Evan McGrotty, his partner’s mother Ruth Daniels and her daughter Jodie-Lee Daniels was opened and adjourned on Friday at a pre-evidential hearing in the Inishowen Gateway Hotel, Buncrana.

The five people tragically lost their lives as their car slid off the slipway at Buncrana Pier and into Lough Swilly on the evening of Sunday, March 20, 2016.

Dr Denis McCauley, coroner for the District of Donegal, scheduled the pre-evidential hearing as a way to “prevent adjournments at a later date”.

“Today is very factual, there will be no evidence given,” he said.

Members of the McGrotty family were present at the hearing, as were members of the Gardai and legal representatives for Donegal County Council and the motor insurance company.

“This was a terrible tragedy, and having looked at a lot of the evidence that is available, I propose we would first look at the events of the night and what actually happened at that time,” said Dr McCauley.

He said he would also explore information available on piers and slipways in Donegal, and also ask for a coroner’s witness to give advice to the public on what to do if their car goes into the water.

Dr McCauley said there were a total of 69 draft depositions from people who were witnesses on the night. However, these depositions have been reduced to 12 to allow the jury to digest them.

Dr McCauley adjourned the inquest until September 27 for mention, to then be formally opened on November 22.