A sportive cyclist, who was also a hospital consultant, died three days after being found on the road during the Tour de Kilkenny event almost two years ago, an inquest hearing has been told.
However, while the inquest heard Dr Frank O’Dwyer died from catastrophic injuries, including a cervical spinal fracture, after a fall, the fact he crashed was "assumed". And, because of that, Coroner Aisling Gannon recorded an open verdict at the conclusion of the inquest at Dublin District Coroner’s Court.
The inquest heard Dr O'Dwyer was in a large group of up to 80 cyclists in the sportive when he crashed. However, an appeal for cyclists in that group to come forward and help the investigation did not result in any witnesses who saw the crash contacting gardaí, the inquest was told.
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Dr O'Dwyer was a 64-year-old married father originally from Galway but living and working in Kilkenny, where he was a consultant in emergency medicine at St Luke’s General Hospital.
A member of the Marble City Cyclers club, he was found fatally injured on the road between Gowran and Bennettsbridge during the Tour de Kilkenny on July 30th in 2022.
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On the day, passing motorists saw Dr O'Dwyer on the road and went to his aid. One driver, Pat O'Loughlin, said he was passed by a large group of around 80 oncoming cyclists at Clashwilliam.
When the group passed him, in his wing mirror he saw one of the riders, Dr O'Dwyer, falling but he said it happened so quickly he was not sure how the crash occurred. He said other cyclists in the group appeared to swerve just before the crash.
When Dr O'Dwyer crashed and was on the road seriously injured, a cyclist trailing the lead group came upon the scene and stopped to aid the injured man. That rider, Martin Deavy, said Dr O'Dwyer was laying on the road and grass verge, had a mark on his forehead and was struggling to breath.
Dr Rory Mc Govern, who was a colleague of Dr O'Dwyer's at St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny, also came upon the scene while riding in the sportive. However, though he tried to treat Dr O'Dwyer he remained unresponsive.
Dr O'Dwyer was initially treated at St Luke’s in Kilkenny before being transferred to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, where he died of his injuries three days later. He is survived by his wife, Teresa, and his children, Catherine and Paul.
