SAYS CORONER
18 June 1997
Eight on tractor which was taken without permission,
inquest is told
By Tom Shiel
Eight young men from the Swinford area took a tractor without permission following a disco last January and were driving it to a "party" when one of them fell off the buckrake to his death, an inquest in Castlebar was told.
The youth who died was Mark Grehan (17) from Cloonaghboy, Swinford who had been socialising with his friends earlier in Greaney's of Swinford and Julian's of Midfield where a disco was being held.
During the course of the evening they decided to have a party in a house at Cloonaghboy belonging to Mark Grehan's uncle who was away at the time. On the way there from the disco, they sneaked a tractor from a hayshed.
After returning a verdict that Mark Grehan died from an extensive fracture of the skull, the Acting Coroner for West Mayo, Ms. Eanya Egan commented that the tragedy of what happened would remain with the young men for the rest of their lives.
That was part of the price they must pay for their "antics", she added.
Bakery worker Kieran Towey (19) of Killaturley, Swinford said in a statement that on January 5th he left home and went into Swinford where he met up with Francis McNulty and Nigel Sweeney in Campbells. Sometime around 7 p.m. the three of them went to Greaneys where they met Thomas Taylor, Mark Grehan, Michael Gleeson, Charlie Gallagher and Seamus Nolan.
Witness said they stayed in Greaneys until around midnight when himself, Michael Gleeson, Francis McNulty, Mark Grehan, Charlie Gallagher and Thomas Taylor went to Julians in the minibus.
They had one or two drinks in Greaneys before going to Julians. In all, witness would have had about four to five pints in Swinford. Seamus Nolan and Nigel Sweeney followed them on later to Julians. Witness had more drink there. He could not say about the rest of the lads.
Before they left Greaneys, they had decided to go to Mark Grehan's uncles' house at Cloonaghboy to have a party after the disco. They were to travel on a tractor belonging to Michael Gleeson's father.
PUSHED
When the disco was over, they went to Gleeson's house by minibus. The eight of them went to a hayshed across the road from Gleeson's house where a Ford tractor with a buckrake was parked. They pushed the tractor out of the shed up the road towards Cloonaghboy. They did not want Michael Gleeson's father or his aunt to hear the tractor starting. They all knew that Michael did not have permission to take the tractor.
They pushed the tractor about 60-80 yards before Michael Gleeson started it. Seamus Nolan, Francis McNulty and Nigel Sweeney got into the cab with Michael Gleeson. Witness (Kieran Towey); Mark Grehan, Charlie Gallagher and Thomas Taylor got onto the buckrake at the back. The buckrake was raised about 2-3 feet off the ground.
Witness said that as they went towards Cloonaghboy, the tractor seemed to be swerving a lot. They were doing about 15-20 mph. The buckrake was swinging back and forward due to the fact that there was no stabilising bar on it and also the road was a bit bumpy.
Towey's statement continued: "We were all losing our footing on the buckrake as the teeth were very slippy. The four of us were shouting at Michael Gleeson to stop but he couldn't hear us due to the noise of the tractor.
"At this stage, the buckrake swung to the left and immediately swung back to the right. The buckrake jolted and I feel that it got caught on the left hand tyre of the tractor. Immediately after this it swung back to the right and the four of us lost our footing.
"I saw Mark lose his footing and fall down between the right rear wheel and the front of the buckrake. He went down head first. Nigel Sweeney looked back and the tractor stopped and all of us ran back to where Mark was badly injured. Some of us ran to houses nearby to get help while the remainder remained with Mark".
HELP
Witness explained that Michael Gleeson took the tractor back to the hayshed; Martin Gleeson came out of one of the houses and summoned help and a short time later the doctor and the Gardai arrived and Mark was removed to Swinford Hospital.
Nigel Sweeney (19), a labourer from Bollingbrook Drive, Swinford said that the group had all decided to have a party in Mark's uncles' house once the disco was over. They decided in Julians to take the minibus to Gleesons and that Michael Gleeson would get a tractor belonging to his father.
Witness said he was in the tractor cab with three others. After they had travelled about a quarter of a mile, he looked back and saw Tommy Taylor banging on the rear window. " I couldn't hear what he was saying due to the noise of the tractor engine. I realised then that there were only three on the buckrake. I think I shouted at Michael Gleeson to stop. The tractor stopped and we all went back to where I could see Mark lying on the roadway. I could see he had head injuries. I ran immediately to a house nearby and began banging on the door for help".
Further on his statement, Mr. Sweeney explained that when they arrived at Gleesons house from Julians, Michael Gleeson went into his house and brought out a few cans of beer. Mark had told them earlier there was plenty of drink at his uncles' house. They were all aware that Michael Gleeson did not have permission to take the tractor. That was the reason they pushed it from the hayshed.
INJURIES
In a statement, Garda Bob McCallion of Swinford Station, explained that as a result of a report received at Swinford Station at 3.25 a.m. on January 5th, he went to the scene of a traffic accident at Cloonlara on the old Swinford to Charlestown road.
Upon arrival, he saw a youth lying on the roadway. He appeared to have severe head injuries and was being attended to by a number of people. Witness recognised the youth as Mark Grehan, Cloonaghboy. Medical attention was administered at the scene by Doctors O'Toole and McLoughlin. The injured youth was removed to Swinford Hospital.
Witness said he spoke to a number of youths at the scene who outlined to him how Mark Grehan had fallen off the back of a tractor some time beforehand. They said they had also been on the tractor at the time.
Garda McCallion said that at 4.50 a.m. he located Michael Gleeson in the machinery yard near his home. He asked him if he had been the driver of a tractor earlier that night from which Mark Grehan had fallen and received severe head injuries.
Gleeson replied that he had been the driver and showed him the tractor. Witness asked Gleeson if he had consumed intoxicating liquor prior to his driving the tractor and he replied that he had. Gleeson, Garda McCallion added, then provided a breath specimen which proved positive.
Garda McCallion said he then arrested Michael Gleeson under Section 49 (8) of the Road Traffic Act and brought him to Swinford station. Dr. McLoughlin was summoned and he took a urine sample. Gleeson undertook to produce his driving licence or certificate of insurance or exemption within 10 days and he was released from the Station at 5.45 a.m.
FRACTURE
The Acting Coroner for west Mayo, Ms Eanya Egan returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence that Mark Grehan died from an extensive fracture of the base of his skull sustained when he fell off a buckrake attached to the rear of a tractor.
After sympathising with the family and relatives of the dead man, Ms Egan commented that the incident was a particularly sad one caused by the antics of young men who had been under the influence of drink.
The Coroner added that Mark Grehan had been 19 years old in the prime of a life which had been taken so cruelly from him. She said the sadness of what happened would remain with the others for the rest of their lives. "That is part of the price they must pay for their antics", Ms Egan added.
Garda Inspector Jerry Henry, one behalf of the Gardai, joined in the expressions of sympathy to the dead youth's family on their unfortunate loss as did the Chairman of the Jury, Mr. Joe Geraghty. Ms. Mary McDermott-Doherty, solicitor (Charles Kelly & Sons) extended sympathy on behalf of the Gleeson family.
