Man who died was not victim of foul play

A YOUNG man who died in garda custody in Galway on Thursday night was not the victim of foul play.

A post mortem carried out on the body of Thomas Mongan, 25, showed that he suffered no injuries.

Gardaí will not carry out any further investigations into the death of the man, who was from the Gaelcarrig Park area of the city.

“There is no foul play suspected, so it’s a matter now for the coroner’s office,” said a garda spokesman.

Samples from Mr Mongan’s blood and urine will be sent to the State Laboratory in Abbotstown, Co Dublin, for standard tests to check for alcohol levels and any presence of drugs.

The results of these tests will then be brought before the inquest, when it is held.

Mr Mongan, who had been arrested in the city centre on Thursday, became ill in the cell in the city’s top garda station at Mill St and later died in hospital.

He died despite intensive medical attention at the station and later at the hospital.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy carried out a post mortem at Galway’s University College Hospital yesterday in a bid to throw some light as to how he became ill at the station and later died.

The man who was in his late twenties and single, was arrested in the city centre at Bridge Street at 7pm for a public order offence.

He was taken by gardaí to Mill St station, where he was placed in a cell.

However, at 8.20pm it became apparent to officers that Mr Mongan had become unwell in the cell.

An ambulance was called and the young man was rushed to Galway’s University College Hospital, where emergency treatment was administered.

However, despite being given intensive treatment, Mr Mongan failed to respond and he was pronounced dead at 9.18 pm.

The death of Thomas Mongan has caused great shock in the Gaelcarrig Park area, where he lived with his family.

Relatives and friends were last night rallying around the Mongan family as they came to terms with the shock death of the young man.

The city centre area was busy at the time of his arrest and was packed with tourists and revellers.

Many of those celebrating in the city centre were students who had just received their Junior Cert results.

It is believed Gardaí were called to the incident in Bridge Street where Mr Mongan was arrested.

However, details of his exact offence were not being made available by gardaí yesterday.