A man who had been rumoured to have taken his own life drowned in his bath after suffering a heart attack.
Manus Harkin, from Longlands, Convoy, was found dead at his home on August 20th last year.
The well-known and popular 65-year-old had recently been in hospital before his death.
An inquest into his death heard how his friend Kenneth Gillespie had called to his home and found him lying on his sofa.
He told the inquest at Letterkenny Coroner’s Court how Manus sad he was badly depressed and had an unsettled feeling.
However, he planned to go and see his doctor the following day.
Brian Lynch told the court that on August 20th last year he met a sister of Manus’ at a local shop in Convoy and she said she hadn’t seen Manus.
He went to his home and arrived at about 8.20am and found the back door open.
He could not find Manus but eventually checked in the toilet and found Manus lying face down in the bath.
The water was still luke-warm but Mr Lynch said he knew that Manus was dead.
Garda Tom McNally arrived and Mr Lynch identified his close friend Manus to the Garda.
Mr Harkin’s remains were removed to Letterkenny University Hospital where an autopsy was carried out.
Pathologist Dr Jerry O’Dowd said a post mortem carried out on Manus showed he had moderate to severe heart disease.
He said his findings were that he quite likely suffered a heart attack and collapsed in the bath with his head under the water.
He added that even if Mr Harkin had not been in the bath then he may not have survived because of the level of heart disease.
Coroner Dr Denis McCauley said there had been a lot of rumour and suspicion locally about how Manus had died.
He asked family members if they had any questions.
One family member said the family did not realise until the inquest that Mr Harkin had been found face-down in the bath.
Dr McCauley said it was good that the full facts had now ben made known from the inquest.
He said that the cause of death was drowning as a result of acute coronary deficiency and that Mr Harkin died from natural causes.
He added “I’d like t pass on my sympathies to the family. Manus was a wonderful man who was much-loved in Convoy.”
Garda Sgt Jim Collins also expressed his sympathy on behalf of An Garda Siochana to the extended Harki family who were present.