A coroner has told an inquest into the death of a woman who collapsed while on a pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick, and later died in hospital, that anyone engaging in physical activity they are unaccustomed to should have a medical check beforehand.
Mayo coroner Patrick O’Connor made the recommendation after returning a verdict that Louise McNamara (59), from Crusheen, Co Clare, died from natural causes on July 30th last following heart failure.
The inquest heard Ms McNamara, who ran a health food store in Ennis, and her husband James were wearing Clare jerseys to mark the county’s recent All-Ireland hurling final victory when they began their ascent of the 764-metre mountain.
Mr McNamara, in a statement taken by Garda Maura Hopkins, said he and his wife travelled to climb the mountain as they were off work.
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He said Ms McNamara was in good spirits on the journey, during which they reminisced about previous visits to Co Mayo over the years.
He said his wife had initially indicated that she might stay in the car and read a book while he made the ascent, which was something she had done this on previous occasions. However, he said they decided to climb together and began their ascent at a slow and steady pace.
Mr McNamara said his wife told him around halfway up the mountain that she was feeling unwell and would sit for a while before returning to the car.
He said he walked on and then received a call from Ms McNamara to say she had got “a second wind” and had decided to continue the climb. He said his wife overtook him but that on reaching the summit she collapsed and fell backward.
“I could see she was gasping for breath,” he said. “I knew something was seriously wrong.”
The inquest heard medical assistance was provided to Ms McNamara, with a defibrillator used, before she was winched into an Irish Coast Guard helicopter and transferred to Mayo University Hospital, Castlebar.
Consultant pathologist Dr Tamas Nemeth gave Ms McNamara’s cause of death as heart failure. He said her heart disease had been compounded by physical exertion. Responding to a question from the coroner, Mr McNamara said his wife had no known heart condition.
Mr O’Connor commended those who tried to help Ms McNamara and offered his sympathies to her relatives. He noted that there had been other such deaths on Croagh Patrick.
“It is very important that if you are going to engage in physical exertion you are not used to that you have a medical check beforehand,” he said.
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