'I’m at fault': Offaly student was three times over limit when two friends died
All three had classes in TUS in Limerick City, they went for lunch and had a final lecture for the day at 3pm
‘WAKE UP, WAKE UP’ - these were the cries from Patrick Carroll heard by witnesses at the scene of a double fatality as a result of a single vehicle collision in February 2024.
Patrick Carroll (22) of Drinagh, Fivealley, Birr, Co Offaly, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of two of his college friends, along with driving under the influence of alcohol.
At the sentence hearing on Wednesday morning, Limerick Circuit Court heard that he was more than three times over the legal limit for driving at the time of the collision in which his two friends lost their lives.
Darragh Dullea from Clonakilty, Cork was 20 at the time of the collision, while Cillian Kirwan from Piltown, Kilkenny was 19.
Mr Carroll pleaded guilty to all three charges and his barrister Brian McInerney SC told the court his client pushed for the matter to go ahead and to go into custody, in light of the current solicitors’ withdrawal of services, which is putting a halt to some court proceedings.
The court heard that Mr Carroll had gained his full licence on February 23, 2022 and was in the last three days of his ‘Novice’ period when the double fatality occurred on the N69, Ballyengland, near Askeaton.
Prosecuting barrister Lily Buckley, instructed by State solicitor Brendan Gill, told the court that the accused and the two deceased “were all friends” and they had all been studying in Salesian Agricultural College in Pallaskenry.
On February 20, 2024, all three had classes in TUS in Limerick City, they went for lunch and had a final lecture for the day at 3pm.
After college finished, five of them, driven by Mr Carroll went to a pub in Kildimo, where they all consumed alcohol, before moving onto a second pub, where they were joined by Cillian Kirwan.
CCTV showing the movement of the students was shown in court and Mr Carroll watched it, and at points had his eyes downcast, once getting discreetly handed a tissue by his barrister Liam Carroll BL, to wipe away tears.
Outlining the facts for the State, barrister Lily Buckley BL said that the single vehicle collision happened within moments of the three students, along with one other who was not seriously injured, leaving the second pub.
Ms Buckley said that the forensic investigation revealed that seatbelts had been worn and the exact speed the car was travelling at could not be determined.
The car, a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta, had collided with a pier at the entryway to a farm residence and it was on its side with the impact hitting hardest on the passenger side where Mr Dullea and Mr Kirwan were seated.
Ms Buckley said that a witness came upon the collision and heard Mr Carroll say: “Wake up, wake up,” and he was pulling at Darragh Dullea urging him to “wake up”.
In an interview after the collision, Mr Carroll told gardaí: “I was driving, I was drinking, I’m at fault.”
Forensics determined that the driver lost control due to excessive speed, oversteering or a combination of both.
The court heard that the late Cillian Kirwan had 33mg of alcohol in his system, consistent with having had one drink, while the late Darragh Dullea had 164mg of alcohol, as he had been out earlier in the day.
Causes of death for both young men were given as polytrauma consistent with a road traffic collision.
In letters of apology written to the Dullea and Kirwan families, Mr Carroll said: “I made a terrible mistake that day and I will live with that shame for the rest of my life.”
Placing a framed picture of her “beautiful boy” in front of her, Sinéad Molloy, Cillian Kirwan’s mother read out her victim impact statement.
She painted a picture of a happy, kind, caring and gentle young man who loved his mother and sister and who loved to farm.
“There is an emptiness inside me that will haunt me every day. When Cillian’s heart stopped, mine shattered.”
When she went to identify her son’s body, she said: “I kept telling myself it wasn’t Cillian. He looked so cold, he hated being cold and I wanted to ask for a blanket. I didn’t want to leave Cillian there, I wanted to bring him home.”
She said that herself and her daughter have so many unanswered questions and that they are now “serving a life sentence. Our hearts are broken and we cannot find the strength to forgive.”
A victim impact statement was also read into the record on behalf of Aoife Dullea, Darragh’s sister.
She described her brother as being an “uncomplicated and simple man who never liked to be the centre of attention.”
Ms Dullea spoke of how her brother loved a good argument, loved working and always just got the job done quietly.
“He was just our Darragh.”
She said that the loss of Darragh haunts them daily with the empty chair at the table, his bedroom sitting idle and all of his future plans left undone.
“We are surviving a tremendous grief that greets us every morning and tucks us into bed at night.”
Judge Simon McAleese addressed the full courtroom on what he termed to be a “human level”, saying that his heart goes out to the families at the heart of this “appalling and senseless tragedy.”
He said that he will be taking special note of the victim impact statements and of the facts outlined by barrister Brian McInerney SC in mitigation, but that there is a lot to consider.
The charges of dangerous driving causing death can carry a prison sentence of no longer than 10 years or a fine of up to €20,000 each, while driving under the influence of alcohol can carry a fine of up to €5,000 and imprisonment of up to six months. Both charges also carry mandatory disqualifications from driving for up to four years.
Judge McAleese adjourned the matter for mention until Friday, July 3 and the accused was remanded in custody.