A well-known Donegal musician died after falling just metres from the apartment where he lived.
Frank Orrell died just yards from his home.
Frank Orrell (67) was found unconscious at the bottom of steps to his apartment at 15 Main Street in Dungloe.
The last hours of Mr Orrell’s life was recalled at an inquest in Letterkenny.
The coroner’s court heard that Mr Orrell was found on January 28th, 2013 at around 1am and rushed to hospital.
He was pronounced dead the following day in Letterkenny General Hospital.
Mr Orrell, who was from England originally but had lived in Dungloe for more than ten years, was very popular in the area and played with a number of different bands.
A post mortem found he died due to a severe head injury which was consistent with being involved in a fall.
Pathologist Dr Catriona Dillon said the blood alcohol level was high and may have been a contributory factor in the fall.
Coroner John Cannon described the level of alcohol as “remarkable”.
The court heard that Mr Orrell had been seen leaving the back door of Beedy’s Bar which led to his apartment. Witnesses said he had been socialising during the day in two pubs in the town.
Brendan Bonner, a barman in Beedy’s Bar who lived in the same apartment building, said Mr Orrell came into the bar at round 1pm. He was in the company of others and left before 5pm after being served five or six pints of beer.
He then went to Ownies Bar where he played pool before returning to Beedy’s Bar at around 10pm. Mr Bonner stayed in Beedy’s Bar after his shift and saw Mr Orrell playing the cowbell with the band who were performing.
When he was going home to the apartment he saw Mr Orrell lying on the ground close to the steps.
He said he knew it was serious and he asked the bar owner, David Mullis, to call an ambulance. They put Mr Orrell in the recovery position as they waited for an ambulance to come.
Chris Boyle told the inquest he accompanied Mr Orrell to Ownies Bar where he had another two pints.
Mr Mullis, said he served Mr Orrell two shots in the evening. He said Mr Orrell was “drunk but he was fine”. “He was not falling all over the place,” he said.
The coroner conveyed his condolences to the family and next of kin on the sudden death of Mr Orrell.