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Irish Independent
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Irish jockey Michael O'Sullivan died from catastrophic head injuries after fall at Thurles race meeting, inquest told
Cork Coroner's Court heard evidence of the cause of the death in the tragedy before adjourning the inquest to a future date. Coroner Philip Comyn granted the adjournment application to Sgt Aisling Murphy. She told the inquest that preparatory work was still ongoing in respect of the hearing. Mr Comyn said that, since the medical evidence had been heard, a death certificate could now be issued to Mr O'Sullivan's family. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said she performed a post mortem examination at Cork University Hospital (CUH) on February 17. She ruled that the cause of death was a severe traumatic brain injury complicated by brain swelling with a cerebral infarction due to a horse riding accident. Inspector Justin Walsh from the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) said its investigation into the tragedy remained ongoing and no final report had been completed. Mr Comyn confirmed that a hearing date will be confirmed at a future time when all relevant inquiries are completed. Mr O'Sullivan suffered critical injuries in a fall during a race at Thurles on February 6. He died 10 days later at Cork University Hospital (CUH) despite efforts to save his life. The talented jockey - who was from Lombardstown outside Mallow in north Cork - died just a few days short of his 25th birthday. ADVERTISEMENT Considered one of Ireland's emerging young racing stars, he had posted winners at multiple race meetings including at the Cheltenham festival. He is survived by his parents, William and Bernie, his brother Alan, partner Charlotte and extended family. In a moving tribute, his family posted in his death notice that: "Michael had accomplished so much in his short life. As a family we are so incredibly proud not only of his achievements in the saddle, but of the extraordinary young man he had become. He was full of kindness, integrity, ambition and love, always striving to be the best person he could be." They said he died despite "a trojan" battle to recover from his injuries. His funeral involved tributes from racing stables across Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland. The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) conducted a critical incident review immediately after the tragedy. Mr O'Sullivan suffered his fatal injuries when five horses and jockeys were involved in a chain reaction of falls. The incident occurred at the final fence. Mr O'Sullivan suffered critical head injuries when his horse, Wee Charlie, fell. His mount later had to be euthanised because of a fractured leg. None of the other four jockeys suffered serious injuries. The IHRB review included video analysis, eye witness accounts of the incident and post-fall inspections. The review was finalised in early March and its findings released on March 25. It found that there was no evidence of human error in the incident while equipment failure and environmental factors were also ruled out as primary causes. The report found that the incident was as a consequence of the inherent risks of National Hunt racing. It found that a series of independent falls had triggered "an unavoidable chain reaction." However, it did make a number of recommendations. These included expanded racecourse safety training with specific focus on multi-horse incidents, advanced medical training for dealing with situations involving head injuries, a review of track configurations, watering at courses like Thurles to ensure ground consistency, post mortems to be mandated for equine fatalities and standardised sedation safety procedures. It also recommended that an exploration be conducted for technology to assess horse suitability to race. IHRB chief executive Darragh O'Loughlin praised the work of medical professionals on the day. 'This tragic incident has deeply affected the horseracing community, and our thoughts remain with Michael O'Sullivan's family and friends, his colleagues and all those touched by his loss," he said last March. "The professionalism of our emergency teams was exemplary but we are committed to learning from this event. These recommendations reflect our resolve to enhance safety while preserving the integrity of the sport we regulate." 'The IHRB maintains a relentless focus on safety to minimise the risk of racing related injury or harm to all participants. We owe it to Michael, to our riders, and to everyone in our sport to keep pushing forward." The IHRB noted last March that, following a reconfiguration of Thurles race track in 2020, fall rates had been reduced from 9.9pc to 3.8pc. "However, this incident underscores the unpredictable nature of racing and the need for continuous improvement." The IHRB said it would continue its "relentless focus on safety".
Irish Independent
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Irish jockey Michael O'Sullivan died from catastrophic head injuries after fall at Thurles race meeting
Cork Coroner's Court heard evidence of the cause of the death in the tragedy before adjourning the inquest to a future date. Coroner Philip Comyn granted the adjournment application to Sgt Aisling Murphy. She told the inquest that preparatory work was still ongoing in respect of the hearing. Mr Comyn said that, since the medical evidence had been heard, a death certificate could now be issued to Mr O'Sullivan's family. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said she performed a post mortem examination at Cork University Hospital (CUH) on February 17 last. She ruled that the cause of death was a severe traumatic brain injury complicated by brain swelling with a cerebral infarction due to a horse riding accident. Inspector Justin Walsh from the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) said that their investigation into the tragedy remained ongoing and no final report has been completed. Mr Comyn confirmed that a hearing date will be confirmed at a future time when all relevant inquiries are completed. Mr O'Sullivan suffered critical injuries in a fall during a race at Thurles on February 6 last. He died 10 days later at Cork University Hospital (CUH) despite an heroic battle to recover from his injuries. ADVERTISEMENT The talented jockey - who was from Lombardstown outside Mallow in north Cork - died just a few days short of his 25th birthday. Considered one of Ireland's emerging young racing stars, he had posted winners at multiple race meetings including at the Cheltenham festival. He is survived by his parents, William and Bernie, his brother Alan, partner Charlotte and extended family. In a moving tribute, his family posted in his death notice that: "Michael had accomplished so much in his short life. As a family we are so incredibly proud not only of his achievements in the saddle, but of the extraordinary young man he had become. He was full of kindness, integrity, ambition and love, always striving to be the best person he could be." They said he died despite "a trojan" battle to recover from his injuries. His funeral involved tributes from racing stables across Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland. The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) conducted a critical incident review immediately after the tragedy. Mr O'Sullivan suffered his fatal injuries when five horses and jockeys were involved in a chain reaction of falls. The incident occurred at the final fence. Mr O'Sullivan suffered critical head injuries when his horse, Wee Charlie, fell. His mount later had to be euthanised because of a fractured leg. None of the other four jockeys suffered serious injuries. The IHRB review included video analysis, eye witness accounts of the incident and post-fall inspections. The review was finalised in early March and its findings released on March 25. It found that there was no evidence of human error in the incident while equipment failure and environmental factors were also ruled out as primary causes. The report found that the incident was as a consequence of the inherent risks of National Hunt Racing. It found that a series of independent falls had triggered "an unavoidable chain reaction." However, it did make a number of recommendations. These included expanded racecourse safety training with specific focus on multi-horse incidents, advanced medical training for dealing with situations involving head injuries, a review of track configurations, watering at courses like Thurles to ensure ground consistency, post mortems to be mandated for equine fatalities and standardised sedation safety procedures. It also recommended that an exploration be conducted for technology to assess horse suitability to race. IHRB chief executive Darragh O'Loughlin praised the work of medical professionals on the day. 'This tragic incident has deeply affected the horseracing community, and our thoughts remain with Michael O'Sullivan's family and friends, his colleagues and all those touched by his loss," he said last March. "The professionalism of our emergency teams was exemplary but we are committed to learning from this event." "These recommendations reflect our resolve to enhance safety while preserving the integrity of the sport we regulate." 'The IHRB maintains a relentless focus on safety to minimise the risk of racing related injury or harm to all participants." "We owe it to Michael, to our riders, and to everyone in our sport to keep pushing forward." The IHRB noted last March that, following a reconfiguration of Thurles race track in 2020, fall rates had been reduced from 9.9pc to 3.8pc. "However, this incident underscores the unpredictable nature of racing and the need for continuous improvement." The IHRB said it would continue its "relentless focus on safety."
Irish Independent
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Irish jockey died from catastrophic head injuries after fall at Thurles race meeting
Cork Coroner's Court heard evidence of the cause of the death in the tragedy before adjourning the inquest to a future date. Coroner Philip Comyn granted the adjournment application to Sgt Aisling Murphy. She told the inquest that preparatory work was still ongoing in respect of the hearing. Mr Comyn said that, since the medical evidence had been heard, a death certificate could now be issued to Mr O'Sullivan's family. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said she performed a post mortem examination at Cork University Hospital (CUH) on February 17 last. She ruled that the cause of death was a severe traumatic brain injury complicated by brain swelling with a cerebral infarction due to a horse riding accident. Inspector Justin Walsh from the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) said that their investigation into the tragedy remained ongoing and no final report has been completed. Mr Comyn confirmed that a hearing date will be confirmed at a future time when all relevant inquiries are completed. Mr O'Sullivan suffered critical injuries in a fall during a race at Thurles on February 6 last. He died 10 days later at Cork University Hospital (CUH) despite an heroic battle to recover from his injuries. The talented jockey - who was from Lombardstown outside Mallow in north Cork - died just a few days short of his 25th birthday. Considered one of Ireland's emerging young racing stars, he had posted winners at multiple race meetings including at the Cheltenham festival. He is survived by his parents, William and Bernie, his brother Alan, partner Charlotte and extended family. In a moving tribute, his family posted in his death notice that: "Michael had accomplished so much in his short life. As a family we are so incredibly proud not only of his achievements in the saddle, but of the extraordinary young man he had become. He was full of kindness, integrity, ambition and love, always striving to be the best person he could be." They said he died despite "a trojan" battle to recover from his injuries. His funeral involved tributes from racing stables across Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland. The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) conducted a critical incident review immediately after the tragedy. Mr O'Sullivan suffered his fatal injuries when five horses and jockeys were involved in a chain reaction of falls. The incident occurred at the final fence. Mr O'Sullivan suffered critical head injuries when his horse, Wee Charlie, fell. His mount later had to be euthanised because of a fractured leg. None of the other four jockeys suffered serious injuries. The IHRB review included video analysis, eye witness accounts of the incident and post-fall inspections. The review was finalised in early March and its findings released on March 25. It found that there was no evidence of human error in the incident while equipment failure and environmental factors were also ruled out as primary causes. The report found that the incident was as a consequence of the inherent risks of National Hunt Racing. It found that a series of independent falls had triggered "an unavoidable chain reaction." However, it did make a number of recommendations. These included expanded racecourse safety training with specific focus on multi-horse incidents, advanced medical training for dealing with situations involving head injuries, a review of track configurations, watering at courses like Thurles to ensure ground consistency, post mortems to be mandated for equine fatalities and standardised sedation safety procedures. It also recommended that an exploration be conducted for technology to assess horse suitability to race. IHRB chief executive Darragh O'Loughlin praised the work of medical professionals on the day. 'This tragic incident has deeply affected the horseracing community, and our thoughts remain with Michael O'Sullivan's family and friends, his colleagues and all those touched by his loss," he said last March. "The professionalism of our emergency teams was exemplary but we are committed to learning from this event." "These recommendations reflect our resolve to enhance safety while preserving the integrity of the sport we regulate." 'The IHRB maintains a relentless focus on safety to minimise the risk of racing related injury or harm to all participants." "We owe it to Michael, to our riders, and to everyone in our sport to keep pushing forward." The IHRB noted last March that, following a reconfiguration of Thurles race track in 2020, fall rates had been reduced from 9.9pc to 3.8pc. "However, this incident underscores the unpredictable nature of racing and the need for continuous improvement." The IHRB said it would continue its "relentless focus on safety."
Irish Independent
26-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Recent drowning tragedies prompt call for swimming lessons on school curriculum
The demand was made by Senator Alison Comyn this week following the tragic deaths of a number of young people around the country while bathing in recent weeks. Education Minister Helen McEntee is to be called to the Seanad to discuss the proposal. Senator Comyn said: "The recent tragic loss of three young lives to drowning serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to prioritise water safety education in our schools. "My condolences to the families of Emmanuel Familola and his friend Matt Sibanda who lost their lives in Donegal and of seven year old Alan Singh who sadly drowned in Sligo. "It is hard to believe that in Ireland an average of ten people drown every month. "Given our island nation's extensive coastline, lakes and rivers, and of course the popularity of sea swimming, it is vital every child acquires essential swimming and water safety skills." The Drogheda based mother of two told the Seanad that Water Safety Ireland currently offers the primary aquatics water safety , PAWS, programme in primary schools , aiming to teach the most basic water safety knowledge. But she warned: "The teaching of practical swimming lessons remains haphazard however often held up by limited access to facilities and funding. "This disparity leaves many children, particularly of underserved communities, very vulnerable. "Research shows the life saving potential of swimming lessons which can reduce the risk of drowning by 88pc in children aged between one and four. "Other European countries have integrated swimming lessons into their school curricula, recognising the critical role of early water skills education in safeguarding children. "Ireland can draw inspiration from these models to ensure comprehensive water safety education for all students." She called for a co-ordinated national effort to include investing in swimming infrastructure, subsidising lessons to make them accessible to all, and training educators to deliver effective water safety instruction. Senator Comyn added; "I request a debate in the House with the Minister for Education on making swimming lessons an integral part of the school system in order that we can equip our children with the skills they need to enjoy Ireland's waterways safely and prevent future tragedies." The Leader of the Seanad Sean Kyne supported her move and said he will request a debate with Helen McEntee, the Education Minister. He added; "It makes eminent sense to encourage youngsters to learn to swim as early as possible. An ability to swim would make a difference in terms of saving their own lives and perhaps being able to save other people." A few years ago in 2019, a 14 year old local girl, Jill Amante died while swimming in Termonfeckin after getting pulled out to sea by a local riptide.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Major bank announces eye-watering profits
Australia's largest bank has announced bumper quarterly cash profits, but its boss warns global uncertainty could soon slow the Australian economy. In a statement to the ASX, Commonwealth Bank revealed its cash profits rose 6 per cent to $2.6bn in the March quarter, on the back of strong lending to Australian businesses. The bank said business loans surged 9.1 per cent or $3.7bn within those three months, outpacing its home-lending volumes which grew 4.1 per cent. Importantly for shareholders, CBA said its net interest margin - a key measure of profitability - held stable in the quarter, excluding non-recurring earnings, although it did not provide the figure in its trading update. Westpac, National Australia Bank and ANZ all announced mixed first-half results last week due to profit margin concerns, citing an intensely competitive mortgage market. CBA chief executive Matt Comyn said the impacts of global tariffs could slow down the Australian economy. 'There is heightened risk to the global economy from geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty which could slow down the domestic economy,' he said. Mr Comyn also warned of the pressures currently on Australian households on the back of higher interest rates. CBA said collective and individual provisions for bad debts were 'slightly higher', costing the bank $223m. The bank pointed to an increase in consumer arrears and troubled corporate and non-performing exposures. 'We know it has been another challenging period for many Australian households and businesses dealing with cost-of-living pressures,' Mr Comyn said. 'We have remained focused on proactively engaging with our customers on a range of support options to help those who need it most.' While households are facing pressures, the bank said household deposits were also 4.8 per cent higher through the quarterly period. Despite these challenges, Mr Comyn said Australia was starting in a relatively strong position and remained an attractive place to live and work. 'Government investment in infrastructure and services is helping to support employment and growth, and underlying inflation is moderating,' he said. Mr Comyn said the bank paid nearly $3.8bn benefiting 814,000 shareholders directly, and a further 13 million Australians through their superannuation. 'Our deliberate and long-term conservative approach to key balance sheet settings enables us to support our customers, the economy, and our shareholders through a range of macroeconomic scenarios,' he said. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data
