Boy died after being thrown from horse

A young boy suffered devastating head injuries when he was thrown from a horse after it was spooked and bitten by dogs, an inquest has heard.

Patrick McCarthy, aged 7, of 9 Spring Lane halting site in Blackpool, Cork, was pronounced dead at the Mercy University Hospital on August 17, Cork City Coroner’s Court was told.

City coroner Myra Cullinane recorded a verdict of accidental death.

The inquest was told that the boy’s uncle, Richard McCarthy, was riding the 13-hands horse bareback on a concrete roadway which runs through the halting site just after 12pm on August 17.

Mr McCarthy said Patrick asked him if he could have a go on the horse. “I said no, and he cried and I felt sorry for him so I put him up behind me.”

The boy climbed up, sat behind his uncle, and wrapped his arms around his waist before they set off.

The horse walked up a slight hill towards the halting site entrance before turning around and heading back down in to the site.

Another uncle, Kieran McCarthy, said he saw the boys returning a minute or so later and that Patrick was “happy out” on the horse.

However, when they rounded a corner, another relative, Patrick McCarthy, said two or three small terrier dogs ran out from behind a fence and began barking and snapping at the horse’s hind legs.

The horse reared up once and landed. When the horse reared up a second time, Patrick and Mr McCarthy were thrown on to the concrete road.

Mr McCarthy, who escaped injury, said he could see his nephew lying unconscious on the ground, with blood pouring from his head.

Kieran McCarthy ran to help, picked Patrick up, and rushed the boy back to his mother, Hannah.

Ms McCarthy wept yesterday as she recalled seeing blood pouring from her son’s right ear, nose, and mouth.

“His face was covered in blood. I didn’t know what had happened. It was all a bit of a daze,” she said.

She said he was used to horses, and was usually supervised while riding, but she did not realise he was on this horse at the time.

Ms McCarthy cradled her critically injured son as Kieran McCarthy drove them by car to the Mercy — a journey which gardaí said would have taken no more than seven minutes and 35 seconds.

Despite the best efforts of the medical team, Patrick was pronounced dead a short time later.

Sgt Kieran O’Sullivan said following an investigation, gardaí were satisfied it was a tragic accident.