A sombre incident unfolded at Limerick station on a fateful Friday evening, when Michael Connery, a dedicated pointsman in the employ of the Great Southern and Western Railway Company, met a tragic end. Struck by a passing train, he was killed instantaneously. An inquest, overseen by Mr Coroner De Courcey and graced by a jury led by Mr Timothy McMahon as foreman, was conducted on Saturday at the Railway Hotel on Nelson Street.
The identification of the deceased was confirmed by Mrs. Maria Connery of 36 Dixon’s Lane, who recognized the lifeless body as her father-in-law, a man of 60 years. A devoted father to two sons, John and Eddie, the late Mr Connery had served the railway company for an impressive 42 years. An essential financial support for his family, he contributed 13s a week to his household in addition to the 18s he received from the company. His robust health, strong constitution, keen hearing, and clear eyesight testified to his vitality. His last interaction was shared with his family, as he left home after a hearty meal to commence his evening’s labour.
Michael Sheehan, the yard foreman of G. S. and W. R., affirmed that the late Mr Connery primarily served as a pointsman overseeing approximately 15 sets of points, spanning a distance of 150 yards between the two goods stores. This role had been his for nearly a decade. Working from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., with two hour-long meal breaks, he remained both physically and mentally fit for the role. Their paths crossed approximately 25 minutes prior to the unfortunate incident, as Mr Connery attended to his duties and held points near the site of the accident. Mr Sheehan emphasized that the deceased was sober and composed during their interaction.
Tragically, the accident occurred, and Dr Coffey from the County Infirmary was summoned to the railway station around 8:30 p.m. Sadly, Mr Connery had already passed away. His injuries were limited to a minor abrasion on the top of his head and a contusion on his lower back, indicating that his demise was due to shock. Estimating his age to be around 65, Dr Coffey’s findings suggested that the injuries resulted from impact by a train.
The heart-wrenching details of the accident were further unveiled by Thomas Woodhouse, the engine driver of the 8 p.m. train from Limerick to Nenagh. He recounted the moments leading up to the incident, describing how he proceeded along the track between the two goods stores. Amid the journey, he distinctly heard an engine whistle behind him four times. Glancing back, he glimpsed a figure moving near the wall of the goods store on his right. In the darkness, the unfortunate collision occurred with the right buffer of the other engine that had sounded the warning whistles. Both engines were moving in the same direction, and upon realizing what had transpired, Mr Woodhouse urgently signaled his fellow driver and brought his own train to a halt.
The second driver, William Meade, corroborated the sequence of events, emphasizing that he had been unaware of the occurrence until alerted by the Nenagh driver. Mr Meade had been steering his engine back from the station to the engine shed, guided by a green light from the locomotive cabin that signaled an unobstructed path. As they approached, the Nenagh driver signaled and shouted, prompting Mr Meade to stop. The two drivers promptly retraced their path and found Michael Connery caught between the rails. He was subsequently attended to by station personnel and carried away on a stretcher.
The jury’s verdict, after a careful review of the evidence, concluded that Mr Connery’s tragic demise was the result of an accidental occurrence.
Limerick Echo – Tuesday 28 November 1905
