Two homeless men drowned in Dublin’s Grand Canal last year. They entered the water at different times, an inquest heard.
Donal Scanlon, aged 49, was from Ballybunion, Kerry. Someone saw his body near the Charlemont Luas stop. This jogger alerted emergency services around 8 AM. This happened on July 6, 2024.
Alex Warnick, aged 42, was from the US. He had lived in Ireland for years. Rescue workers found his body submerged. The discovery occurred while recovering Scanlon’s body.
The men were close friends. They slept in tents near the Ranelagh Road bridge. They camped by the canal. Autopsies showed both men drowned.
Warnick’s autopsy found alcohol and drugs. His blood alcohol was five times the legal limit. He also had a toxic level of a sedative. Evidence of cocaine and methadone existed too.
The coroner felt the levels alone were not fatal. They could impair balance, though. The substances might have hindered escape from the canal. Warnick’s skin showed prolonged water immersion. Scanlon’s skin did not. The coroner felt Scanlon was in the water less time.
Scanlon had some alcohol and a sedative in his system. He also had some cocaine use. The tents sat very close to the canal. They took up almost all the bank space. This occurred on the Grand Parade side.
Police interviewed twenty people. They included hotel residents. No one saw them enter the water. Police found no sign of foul play involved.
One officer stated the only ones knowing why died. Gareth Kirwan was Warnick’s best friend. He last saw Warnick drunk the day before. Kirwan said Warnick wasn’t totally out of control.
The men camped opposite a refugee camp. Andrew Haire lived with Scanlon in a tent. He said “a lot of drink and drugs” happened. Haire called them both chronic alcoholics. They used drugs and alcohol in Dublin. Then, they returned to the canal and did more.
Haire worried about Scanlon’s pill intake. Scanlon had a heart problem. Haire remembered Warnick nearly falling in the canal. Haire was too “Xanax-ed out” to know what happened.
Haire criticized those on the opposite bank. They didn’t respond to screams during the night. Another homeless man heard shouting around 3:30 AM. He thought it sounded like a drunk person.
Warnick’s father spoke via video from the US. He last spoke to his son two weeks before his death. The father always worried about his homeless son. His son sounded upbeat due to inheritance. This offered a possible life change.
The father wasn’t sure if his son could swim. He was surprised one couldn’t escape. He wondered if the canal was dangerous.
Scanlon’s sister last saw him in August 2023. This happened at their father’s funeral. He traveled to Dublin often before his death. She described him as kind. His family misses him and everyone who knew him. She didn’t believe he knew how to swim.
Adam Dolan spoke to Warnick on July 4, 2024. The meeting occurred at St Stephen’s Green Luas stop. Warnick said a hostel kicked him out for wearing shorts. Dolan said Warnick seemed down. He had an American accent and wore shorts.
Warnick didn’t seem to use drink or drugs. Dolan gave him food. They got off the tram together. Dolan gave Warnick a blanket later. Dolan felt bad for the homeless man. He felt Warnick had a hard life. Dolan described Warnick as nice. He did not feel threatened.
The coroner recorded open verdicts. She said the reasons for entering the water are unknown. She gave condolences to the deceased’s families. Both deaths constituted tragedies. After the deaths, Waterways Ireland warned against sleeping on canal banks. They cited health and safety concerns for their warning.