File sent to DPP over death of actor’s son
Ian Queally, 37, who was originally from Skehard Road in Cork, died in Cork University Hospital on May 21, 2008, after presenting there with head injuries a week earlier.
The inquest into his death was opened and adjourned at Cork City Coroner’s Court yesterday where evidence of identification and cause of death was heard.
A postmortem found that Mr Queally died of brain swelling and contusion due to blunt force trauma to the head, city coroner Dr Myra Cullinane said.
She adjourned the inquest for three months pending a decision from the DPP.
It is thought that Mr Queally, who worked at the Cork Arts Theatre and who had been living in an apartment at Victoria Cross, may have been out drinking the night before he arrived at hospital.
He spent that night in the home of friends. The following morning he arrived at CUH by taxi, admitted himself and said his name before collapsing.
He had been due to meet his father, who plays Theo in the popular RTÉ comedy, later in the day. When Ian didn’t arrive, Jim went home and was alerted by gardaí of his son’s condition later that day.
After Mr Queally’s death, gardaí launched a major investigation into his final hours in an effort to establish if he had been the victim of an assault, or had had an accident.
They also appealed to the public for help tracing his final movements.
Inspector Ger O’Mahony told the inquest that the Garda file will be with the DPP soon. He asked that the inquest be adjourned for three months pending directions from the DPP.
Jim Queally spoke last year of the family’s devastation following Ian’s death. “Saying goodbye to him was the most painful thing I have ever had to do in my life,” he said.
“We were not only father and son. We were the best of pals and we laughed a lot together. He was bright and witty and the best of company.”
He described Ian as a “very bright and multi-talented young man” .
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