Man shot dead in Cork home identified by dental records

The victim of a fatal shooting in Cork City earlier this year had to be identified using dental records, an inquest heard yesterday.

Assistant state pathologist, Dr Margot Bolster, told Cork City Coroner’s Court that Diarmuid Byrne, 41, died from severe cerebral trauma, with multiple lacerations to the brain, including the brain stem, as a result of a single gunshot wound to the head.

Dr Bolster said Mr Byrne’s remains were formally identified by Dr Paul Brady, of the Cork Dental School, with the use of dental records.

The horrific details emerged at the opening of the inquest into Mr Byrne’s death, during which evidence of identification and cause of death was heard.

The inquest has now been adjourned, pending the completion of a garda probe.

Mr Byrne died instantly from the massive head wounds, after a legally held firearm was discharged while he was with a friend in an upstairs room of his terraced house, at Plunkett Rd, in Ballyphehane, on April 26.

The traumatised friend rang the emergency services, who rushed to the house, but Mr Byrne was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting was initially described as an accident, but garda suspicions were aroused, following detailed forensics tests conducted at the scene, and following a range of ballistics tests, which were conducted on the weapon and cartridge.

Detectives later arrested a 44-year-old man for questioning about Mr Byrne’s death.

He was detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, and was questioned at Togher Garda Station about the circumstances of the shooting.

He was subsequently released without charge.

Inspector Eileen Foster yesterday told the coroner, Philip Comyn, that the Garda investigation into Mr Byrne’s death is ongoing, and a file is being prepared for forwarding to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

She applied for, and was granted, an adjournment of the inquest, until next April, pending a decision from the DPP.

Mr Byrne, who lived alone, was described by neighbours as quiet and as a gentleman. A keen hunter, he loved game-shooting and the outdoors.