Gardaí rule out foul play in death of man found near busy Cork road

Post-mortem confirms 39 year-old man died from drowning

A Garda road closure close to the scene near Aclint Bridge in Ardee, Co Louth, after three women were killed and two men seriously injured in a road accident involving three cars. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday July 21, 2017. Gardai said one woman, aged 39, was driving one of the cars, and the two other women, aged 69 and 37, were passengers. See PA story ACCIDENT Deaths Ireland. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
The man, who had been missing for around a week from the flat where he lived in Cork city centre, was pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor. Photograph: PA Media

Gardaí are to prepare a file for the coroner’s court after a post-mortem revealed that there was nothing suspicious about the death of a man whose body was found just off a busy road in Cork.

Gardaí were alerted after the body of 39-year-old man was found on Monday near the Douglas river estuary which runs beside the N40 South Ring Road which serves the Jack Lynch Tunnel.

The man, who had been missing for around a week from the flat where he lived in Cork city centre, was pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor and he was removed to Cork University Hospital.

Gardaí cordoned off the scene and technical experts began a forensic examination of the area as gardaí confirmed that they were investigating all the circumstances of the man’s death.

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A spokesman for the force had said that they would be guided in their investigation by the results of a post-mortem conducted by assistant State pathologist, Dr Margot Bolster.

But on Tuesday afternoon, a Garda spokesman confirmed the post-mortem had revealed that the man had drowned and gardaí were satisfied that foul play was not a factor in his death.

The spokesman confirmed gardaí would now prepare a detailed file on the man’s death, which would include Dr Bolster’s findings at post-mortem, for an inquest at the Cork City Coroner’s Court.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times