An inquest has heard that the singer-songwriter Black died as a result of head injuries sustained in a car crash in Cork last January.
The 53-year-old Liverpudlian, whose real name was Colin Vearncombe, had been driving his car towards Cork Airport on the morning of January 10th last when the accident happened.
The inquest heard that it was a damp, cold morning with reports of icy patches in several places.
A witness, Zbignieu Skorupa, told the inquest that he was on his way home to Bandon having collected his two grandsons from Cork Airport.
He said as he was driving in an area known locally as Bowen's Cross he saw a car coming towards him. It was spinning and rotating across the road. His car hit the rear of the other vehicle and shunted it up onto a ditch.
Vearncombe was removed from the car and taken to Cork University Hospital but died there later after being placed in a medically induced coma
Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margot Bolster said the cause of death was traumatic brain injury which was consistent with involvement in a road accident. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
Black emerged from the punk rock music scene and achieved mainstream pop success in the late 1980s, most notably with the international hit single Wonderful Life in 1987.
Black, who had sold more than two million albums worldwide, had lived in Ireland for over a decade and toured extensively.
As well as releasing more than a dozen albums, he had also staged exhibitions of his art in Ireland and published poetry.
Following his tragic death his family issued a statement which said that "He died peacefully surrounded by his family who were singing him on his way".
"No need to laugh or cry. It's a wonderful, wonderful life."
