Death of former Moville PP Fr Paddy O’Kane was ‘preventable’, Coroner’s Court rules
Known for his flamboyant style and memorable thought-provoking sermons at Mass, Fr O’Kane had a love of music and often sang or cracked jokes from the altar
An inquest has found that the death of Inishowen priest Fr Paddy O’Kane in the Waterside Hospital in Derry more than four years ago was ‘preventable’.
Culdaff native Fr O’Kane (73) was found dead in the hospital garden in March 2022, and the inquest into his death was held in October 2024 and March 2025.
The findings delivered on Thursday by Coroner Maria Dugan looked at all the circumstances of the popular priest’s death.
It found that former Moville PP Fr O’Kane suffered from a ‘recurrent depressive disorder’ and had received treatment over the years.
On March 28 2022, Fr O’Kane was subject to hourly checks, which the inquest found were appropriate given the level of risk.
During one of these hourly checks, a staff member went looking for the priest and found him in the garden. One issue looked at in the inquiry was the presence in the garden of a material used by the priest.
The Coroner criticised ‘the absence of a comprehensive ligature assessment’ and the failure to remove or mitigate for identifiable risks created the circumstances in which the priest was able to act.
It was concluded that there had been a ‘series of failures’ in the assessment and management of the risks of ligatures and also ‘missed opportunities’ in Fr O’Kane’s treatment that contributed to his death.
The Coroner was critical of the lack of ‘understanding amongst staff regarding ligature and environmental risks’. She said that this absence led to the presence in the garden of certain materials.
The inquest heard that following the death, measures implemented to prevent a recurrence included the installation of CCTV within the grounds.
The Coroner said Fr O’Kane was a man of ‘warmth, humour and considerable talent’ who had an ‘enduring impact’ on those who knew him.
The inquest heard that those in religious life can often be ‘quietly experiencing their own difficulties’ and that such individuals should be provided with ‘appropriate understanding, pastoral care and timely professional support’.
A native of Culdaff, Fr O’Kane was 73-years-old and had been a priest for almost half a century, having been ordained in the summer of 1973.
He spent much of that time at the Holy Family parish in Derry and also served as parish priest in Moville for two years, following spells at St Eugene’s Cathedral and Melmount parish in Strabane.
Known for his flamboyant style and memorable thought-provoking sermons at Mass, Fr O’Kane had a love of music and often sang or cracked jokes from the altar.
He had been very open about his mental health struggles through the years and had a deep affinity for people, especially those who were suffering.
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