Inquests into deaths of men who died during Youghal Ironman to open on Tuesday
Candles In File Memory Of Photographs Vigil And Green In Foot Howard The Picture: Wall A Park Their Of At Youghal At Brendan Held Crowdy Ivan In Chittenden
The inquests into the deaths of the two men who died during last year’s Ironman challenge in Youghal will open in East Cork on Tuesday.
Coroner Frank O’Connell is due to open the inquests into the deaths of Ivan Chittenden from Canada, and Meath native Brendan Wall. The two men died on August 20 last year after separately getting into difficulty in the sea during the swim part of the Ironman.
The men were both attended by emergency personnel but were pronounced dead at different scenes at the sea front.
The short hearing is expected to hear the cause of death in both cases, as well as evidence of identification of the men. The inquests will then be adjourned to a date in the autumn.
Mr Chittenden, who was in his 60s, took up endurance athletics in his early 50s and had taken part in all six major marathons in Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York City and Tokyo.
He had worked with EY Canada for several years, retiring in 2021. He continued to do work for the company on a consultancy basis.
Mr Wall, 45, lived in Solihull in England but was originally from Co Meath, and had planned to get married this summer to his fiancée Tina. He was also an avid endurance competitor and had taken part in several different events down the years.
He was a graduate of Trinity College in Dublin where he studied manufacturing and mechanical engineering. He also completed an MBA at the University of Hull. He worked as a sales director for a company in England and was laid to rest in his native Meath.
Plans for Youghal to host another Ironman event this summer were dashed in November when Ironman told that the 2024 event would not be held, describing the break as “a hiatus”.
The statement added: "This pause will allow for further healing while we spend the next year assessing the best path forward to deliver an exceptional weekend of racing once again for our athletes in one of the most passionate host communities in the world.”
In thanking the event’s main sponsors, Cork County Council, Ironman said the plan was to “work collectively towards bringing back the event in the strongest way possible” in 2025 and beyond.