On Friday evening, an inquest was held by Dr Clery, Coroner, and a respectable jury, with Mr J.H. O’Dwyer of Garranmore as the foreman, to investigate the cause of death of Michael O’Brien, a respected farmer and publican from Old Pallas, County Limerick, who had cut his throat at his own residence on Thursday morning.

During the inquest, the deceased’s wife was examined and stated that she had noticed her husband behaving strangely for a few days prior to the incident. At 4 am on Friday morning, she woke up and saw the deceased getting into bed. When she asked where he had been, he replied that he had been downstairs to the shop. She then heard a gurgling sound and realized that the deceased was bleeding from the mouth, which she found to be wet. She got up, lit a candle, and discovered that his throat had been cut and that he was in a dying condition. Unfortunately, he did not survive.

Dr O’Callaghan, the medical officer from Pallas, stated that the wound was six inches in length and that death was a result of haemorrhage. The jury consequently reached a verdict that the deceased had committed suicide using a razor and that he was suffering from temporary insanity at the time. On the motion of the foreman, seconded by Mr John Reardon, a vote of sympathy was passed to express condolences to the deceased’s relatives.

It is worth mentioning that this unfortunate incident has caused great shock and regret in the local community where the deceased was well-known. He had only been married for a few years and was a prominent figure in the Old Pallas fairs.

Limerick Echo – Tuesday 29 March 1904