Family of Cork man who died after incident in city nightclub appeals to Taoiseach to 'help us get the answers'

Family of Adrian Moynihan, 23, want 2003 inquest verdict changed to unlawful killing, after it found he had died of asphyxiation arising from the manner in which he was restrained at the club

Adrian Moynihan's family protest at the inquest into his death in 2003. Picture: Maurice O'Mahony

The family of a Cork man who died following an incident at a Cork City nightclub more than two decades ago is calling on the Taoiseach to help them get answers.

Adrian Moynihan, a 23-year-old apprentice mason from Ballincollie Road in Ballyvolane, died on March 26, 2001, following an incident at the Sidetrax nightclub in Cork City.

An inquest in 2003 found he had died of asphyxiation arising from the manner in which he was restrained at the club.

The jury delivered a verdict of death by misadventure, after the matter had been adjourned to allow the Director of Public Prosecutions consider the opinion of State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy.

The DPP, having previously considered a Garda file on the matter, decided no one should be prosecuted in relation to the death.

Adrian Moynihan’s family remain devastated a verdict of unlawful killing was not an option in the 2003 inquest into the death.

Now, Adrian’s brother Alan has written to Taoiseach Micheál Martin in hope he will help the family.

A year ago, he wrote to the then taoiseach Simon Harris after he made an apology to the families of the Stardust victims' families in the Dáil following the returning of the verdict of unlawful killing in the inquest of 48 people who died in the nightclub fire in 1981.

In the letter, Mr Moynihan begged Mr Harris to “take an interest in this case and help us get the answers”.

However, Mr Moynihan said the family did not get a response from Mr Harris.

In his letter to Mr Martin, Mr Moynihan said: “I beg of you to take an interest in this case and help us get the answers and the correct verdict from the coroner’s court.” 

He told Mr Martin: “We have seen similar wrongs done in the past and we also have seen some amends made to put these wrongs right.” 

He referenced the Stardust case and said: “Our case is similar to Stardust in so many ways, but we do not have the high profile to get the notice and support to have this dealt with appropriately. All we have is the speech of Simon Harris where he said the State should have stood with the families, instead the families stood alone, well that is us, standing alone and not been given the right to put finality to this and allow our brother/son rest in peace.” 

He also said the Moynihans had been “forced to stand alone in our fight for justice”.

The family has been looking for a review of the case for more than two decades.

In 2004, Adrian’s father, Andrew, went on hunger strike outside the Dáil to highlight the case.

He wanted to secure a public inquiry into Adrian’s death.

His mother, Lily, also contested the 2004 European Parliament election to raise awareness of the family’s campaign for justice.

The case was one of more than 200 looked at by the seven-member Independent Review Commission to establish if it should be referred to the Garda Siochána Ombudsman Commission or to an existing commission of inquiry examining complaints by garda whistleblowers. But no action was taken.