THE FAMILY of a banqueting manager who was found dying near Bunratty Castle 35 years ago say they don’t hold out a great deal of hope that a recently completed inquiry into the Garda handling of the case will bring them closure.
Patrick Nugent’s family say they still don’t know what happened to the 23-year-old Sixmilebridge man who was fatally injured in the early hours of February 11, 1984, having apparently been attacked and hit by a car.
“All we want are answers,” Deirdre Nugent, who is married to Patrick’s brother John, told the Limerick Post.
“We’re hoping that this inquiry will demand further investigation and that it will be acted upon. We have always said that this not an investigation into Pat’s death – it is an investigation of how the Gardaí handled it. It’s very hard to see how you could have one without the other.”
Patrick Nugent started working at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park when he was 16, working his way to the top having gone to catering college and having practiced his trade in Shannon Airport,
On February 10, 1984, he was working at an event to celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of Bunratty Head Chef William Ryan. At around 4am, the party was breaking up when kitchen staff heard moans and rushed to find him lying on the ground.
His last words were “He clocked me, he clocked me, he clocked me.”
William Ryan was subsequently accused of manslaughter, dangerous driving and leaving the scene of an accident. The manslaughter charge was subsequently withdrawn and Mr Ryan was acquitted on the other charges.
Mr Ryan, who is now deceased, told a coroner’s inquest five months later that if there was forensic evidence that his car hit Mr Nugent, he would accept that but denied that he had anything to do with it.
The inquiry into the Garda actions on the night and subsequent investigations was completed in early November and is now with the Attorney General.
“We’re not holding our breath that this will tell us anything new about how Pat died. If it was just a tragic accident the family could have got past that, sad as that is,” Deirdre Nugent said.
“As it stands, we were given three reasons for Pat’s death. First we were told it was a heart attack, then we were told he was hit by a car and then that he was crushed against the wall.
“His injuries were so bad that there is no way he could have gotten himself from outside back into the reception. All this has made it even more stressful on his family.
“He was found on the ground. The question is how did he get there?
“What we’re hoping for this report is that there will be a recommendation for further action. That happened before but this time we hope it will be acted on as there’s far more transparency now.”
Ms Nugent said they have been told the family will get to see the report before it is made public.
“We’ll just have to wait and see,” she added.
