Family asks Taoiseach to 'help us get the answers' to Corkman's nightclub death
The family of a Corkman who died following an incident at a Cork City nightclub over two decades ago have told the Taoiseach that they have been let down by the State.
Adrian Moynihan (23), an apprentice mason from Ballincollie Road in Ballyvolane, died on March 26, 2001, following an incident at the Sidetrax nightclub in Cork City. An inquest in 2003 found he had died of asphyxiation arising from the manner in which he was restrained at the club.
The jury delivered a verdict of death by misadventure, after the matter had been adjourned to allow the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) consider the opinion of State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy.
The DPP, having previously considered a Garda file on the matter, decided that nobody should be prosecuted in relation to the death.
In a letter seeking his support for a review of the case, Adrian’s brother Alan has written to Taoiseach Simon Harris in recent days, in the wake of the Stardust inquest and apology.
Mr Harris made an apology to the families of the victims in the Dáil following the returning of the verdict of unlawful killing in the inquest of 48 people who died in the Stardust nightclub fire in 1981.
In 2004, Adrian’s father, Andrew, went on hunger strike outside the Dáil in protest to highlight the case. File photo: Photocall Ireland!
In 2004, Adrian’s father, Andrew, went on hunger strike outside the Dáil in protest to highlight the case. File photo: Photocall Ireland!
In the letter, Mr Moynihan begged Mr Harris to “take an interest in this case and help us get the answers”.
He told the Irish Examiner that the family were told that a verdict of unlawful killing was not an option in the 2003 inquest into the death. The inquest was before Dr Myra Cullinane, the coroner in the Stardust inquest, and returned a verdict of unlawful killing.
In his letter to Mr Harris, Mr Moynihan said: “We feel very let down by the State and have said so for many years and all we get is pushed from pillar to post. Mail goes unanswered or it is passed to another department, and we have to start the whole process over again.”
He told the Taoiseach that the family struggles with the death by misadventure verdict. He said the family has been looking for a review of his brother’s case for more than two decades.
He also said the DPP’s decision that nobody should be prosecuted was very frustrating for the family, adding: “Our family had been torn apart and the State was turning its back on us.”
In 2004, Adrian’s father, Andrew, went on hunger strike outside the Dáil in protest to highlight the case. He wanted to secure a public inquiry into Adrian’s death.
His mother, Lily, also contested the 2004 European Parliament election to raise awareness of the family’s campaign for justice.
Alan Moynihan says that his brother’s case “is similar to Stardust in so many ways” but he added in his letter to Mr Harris: “We do not have the high profile to get the notice and support to have this dealt with appropriately. All we have is your speech, where you said the State should have stood with the families.”
He said his family is “standing alone and not been given the right to put finality to this and allow our brother/son rest in peace”.
The case was one of more than 200 looked at by the seven-member Independent Review Commission to establish if it should be referred to the Garda Ombudsman Commission or to an existing commission of inquiry examining complaints by garda whistleblowers. But no action was taken.
According to gardaí, the investigation into his death remains open.
Would you like a lunchtime summary of content highlights on the Irish Examiner website? Delivered straight to your inbox at 1pm each day.