Gardaí renew public appeal in fatal head injury case

GARDAÍ have renewed their appeal to the public to assist them in establishing the last-known movements of a 36-year-old man who died in Cork last month after he suffered a fatal head injury.

Gardaí investigating the death of Ian Queally have confirmed a postmortem revealed he died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head. However, they are still trying to establish whether his injuries were accidental or the result of an assault.

Ian Queally died at Cork University Hospital on May 20, having spent several days on life-support following emergency surgery soon after he presented himself at the hospital at about noon on May 14.

On the day he entered hospital, Mr Queally was booked to fly to Boston to visit his mother, Maria Burke.

A postmortem by assistant state pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster confirmed he died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head but was unable to establish how exactly he suffered the injuries.

Ian Queally had been on his way home from a friend’s house in Deerpark in Cork city at midday on May 14 when his taxi driver noticed he was not feeling well. The taxi driver brought him to CUH where he died on May 20.

Gardaí are still uncertain as to how he sustained the head injury. The last confirmed sighting of Mr Queally was in the Long Valley pub in Cork city centre at 6pm on May 13.

However, gardaí are trying to establish his movements between 6pm and midnight on May 13. It is known he cycled to a house in Deerpark in Cork city at some stage that night.

Investigating detectives asked anyone who might have seen Mr Queally in Cork city centre or cycling from the city to Deerpark on May 13 to contact Anglesea Street Garda Station, Cork. (021-4522000).