A CORONER HAS officially closed the investigation into the deaths of a father and his two children who died in a tragic drowning accident in Co Donegal.

In doing so, Dr Denis McCauley praised sole survivor Geraldine Mullan’s “courage and fortitude” and described her as simply wonderful.

Geraldine’s husband John (49) and the couple’s two children, Tomás (14) and Amelia (6), died when their family car left the road and slid down an embankment at Quigley’s Point on the night of 20 August 2020.

Mrs Mullan was ‘sucked’ from the family’s Mitsubishi car and survived by standing on its roof.

The family had been returning from a day out in neighbouring Derry before the children returned to school after the summer holidays.

Today at Letterkenny Courthouse, Dr McCauley announced the closing of the coronial investigation into the deaths.

Dr McCauley said he had spoken with Ms Mullan about his plans and that she agreed she did not want to relive the evidence given at the criminal trial into the tragedy at Letterkenny Circuit Court earlier this year.

The inquest into the deaths was formally opened on 12 January last and was then closed pursuant to Section 25.2 of the Coroner’s Act in order to allow criminal proceedings to take place first.

Evidence of identification of the three deceased people and the cause of death was given.

Dr McCauley also found that all three had died as a result of drowning.

The coroner explained that he was not obligated to reopen the inquest unless he thought there were special reasons for doing so.

He told today’s inquest: “This is particularly so where all matters have been dealt with at the criminal trial and evidence is heard. It is therefore not necessary for a coroner to reopen an inquest adjourned under the above section.

“Therefore the coroner has discretion, but naturally I think it is respectful that, before any decision is made, there is engagement with Geraldine.

“Because Geraldine gave evidence and spoke at the criminal trial, I do not feel there are any special reasons that we should re-open the inquests and subject Geraldine and her family to hearing the distressing circumstances of her husband and children’s deaths, and having to give evidence herself again.

“Therefore, it is my decision that the coronial investigation into John, Tomas and Amelia is now closed.”

In closing the inquest and bringing the overall investigation to a close, Dr McCauley paid tribute to Mrs Mullan.

He said “fate had conspired to change her life completely” but praised her courage and fortitude since her family was taken from her.

Saying Mrs Mullan experienced and witnessed something none of us ever wanted to, he said ‘amazing’ was too small a word to describe her.

Dr McCauley also paid tribute to An Garda Síochána for the professional nature of the investigation carried out into the tragedy.

Mrs Mullan responded by saying that all she ever wanted was justice for her family saying this was “the final chapter”. She thanked the coroner for sparing her the full inquest.

Details of the criminal investigation were given at the trial of roads company White Mountain Quarries Ltd at Letterkenny Circuit Court in July.

The company was fined a total of €1.2 million as a result of the tragedy.

The company pleaded guilty at Letterkenny Circuit Court to two different counts relating to works which they were carrying out on the R238 road at the time of the tragedy.

The company was indicted with two counts of failing to discharge a duty as an employer to persons other than an employee by failing to ensure as far as reasonably practicable that in the course of the works being carried out, individuals at the place of work are not exposed to risk to their safety, health or welfare, as provided for in section 12 of the Safety, Health and Welfare Act 2005, contrary to section 77 (9) (a) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

During a heartbreaking hearing, Mrs Mullan recalled the events of the awful night and told how she watched from the embankment below as up to 25 cars passed her by before anybody noticed the tragedy unfolding below.

Geraldine was soon rescued by passers-by before her family including husband John and children Tomás and Amelia were taken from the wreckage of the car.

Having been recovered from the water, Ms Mullan was taken in a wheelchair by Garda Sergeant Charlene Anderson to an area where the three bodies were landed out and a local priest, Fr Farren, administered the Last Rites.

Emergency services lined up like a guard of honour as Mrs Mullan was brought to her husband, son and daughter.

“I kneeled down and kissed each of them,” she remembered. “I made the sign of the cross on each of their heads and kissed them once more.”

She told how paramedics wanted to give her pain relief for a number of injuries she had sustained in the horrific incident, but that she refused because she wanted to be alert.

She spent 36 hours in hospital being treated for a range of injuries.

In a deeply emotional victim impact statement, Mrs Mullan told of her life since her loved ones were so cruelly taken from her.

She also paid an individual tribute to each member of her family and imagined what her life would be like today with each of them if the tragedy had not occurred.

She said: “I have difficulty coping with everyday life, navigating the demands without the support and safety I felt with John as my partner and steady rock. Going from a family of four to a family of one has been devastating and the emotional and psychological impact has been overwhelming and life-altering.

“There are no words that can fully describe the pain of losing my entire immediate family in one moment. My home, once full of life, love and activity, is now an empty shell, devoid of all our magical moments as a family.

“Now almost six years later, I still have flashbacks, nightmares, and relive that night over and over.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Whitemountain Quarries, Mr Declan Carr, told the previous court hearing that he wished to apologise to Mrs Mullan on behalf of the company.

He reiterated that they will never fully understand the depth of Mrs Mullan’s loss, but he did say they will carry the responsibility for it.