An inquest in Co Cork has been told that a 35-year old woman whose body was found in the bedroom of a hotel where she had been staying died of acute carbon monoxide poisoning.
Miriam Reidy, who was originally from Ballyhahill in Co Limerick and lived at Lisloose in Tralee, Co Kerry, had been attending a ‘hen’ party for her first cousin in Kinsale, Co Cork, last January.
Her body was found in her bedroom at the Trident Hotel there at lunchtime the following day.
Her sister Patricia, who was found unconscious nearby, has since recovered after she spent several days in hospital.
The inquest into Miriam Reidy's death was opened before Coroner Frank O'Connell this afternoon. He adjourned the inquest until next December after he was told by Inspector Brendan Fogarty that the garda investigation was continuing.
Inspector Fogarty said the investigation was technical and complicated and a large file had already been compiled.
Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster said Miriam Reidy died of acute carbon monoxide poisoning, with a blood saturation level of 57%.
Levels of carbon monoxide above 50% progressively cause loss of consciousness, collapse, convulsions, coma, and finally death.
Dr Bolster said neither alcohol nor prescription drugs were found during her autopsy and there were no injuries on the body.
Coroner Frank O'Connell said he would adjourn the inquest to 6 December next, as criminal proceedings are being contemplated. He said inquests rarely resume in circumstances where an incident involving a death subsequently becomes the subject of a criminal trial at the circuit or central criminal courts.
However, he indicated that in this case he may proceed to a full inquest because he felt it would be in the public interest to do so.
Ms Reidy's sister and brother-in-law, Siobhan and Tom Barrett, attended the inquest this afternoon at Bandon in West Cork.
