An inquest has heard how an 82-year-old farmer fell some 40 feet off a cliff while trying to rescue a calf with his neighbours.
Anthony O'Sullivan, from Gortahig, Allihies, Beara, Co Cork suffered catastrophic head injuries when he fell from the cliffs at lands he was renting at Reentrisk, Allihies on 7 October 2017.
The inquest heard how a number of people including Monica van Elferen and her husband, Christiaan Muijzert, Derek Lowes and Luke Lewis had gone to assist Mr O'Sullivan after he contacted them to say that a calf had fallen from the cliffs onto the beach below.
The Coroner's court in Bantry was told how several efforts were made to rescue the calf that had fallen over a cliff with attempts to bring it up using a gate and a tractor.
Christiaan Muijzert, who was on the beach, told the inquest how the rope snapped and the animal immediately fell on to the rocks below.
"Anthony, while trying to regain his balance, toppled over the edge and he fell head first onto the rocks below."
Coroner Frank O'Connell returned a verdict of accidental death.
He extended his sympathies not just to Mr O'Sullivan's wife Eileen, and son John, but also the neighbours and friends who he said had been trying to help on the day.
