A 75-year-old man who died after drinking weedkiller had been under enormous stress, an inquest in Cork heard yesterday. Cork Circuit Coroner's Court was told the man, an American, had lived in Ireland for 14 years looking after the American woman he lived with.
He had devoted all his time to his partner. The court was told she was unable to care for herself and was a compulsive buyer, who had spent about £24,000 on various items.
Garda Donal McCarthy told the court he was called to the couple's home on January 4th, 1998. The man was in the hallway. "He had a blue-green colour around his mouth and on his hands. He said he felt cold. He said he had drunk paraquat at 3 a.m. and had not slept all night," said Garda McCarthy.
He told the court he had covered him in blankets and had later gone into the garage, where he found a container of paraquat. The man died in hospital later the same day.
The coroner, Mr Patrick Dorgan, was told the man's partner was now in psychiatric care.
It is the policy of The Irish Times in reporting certain inquests to protect the identities of deceased persons and/or their families