Brendan Wall, originally from Meath, and Ivan Chittenden, from Canada, died while partaking in The Ironman in Cork in 2023.
The family of Mr Wall have expressed their displeasure with the verdict of accidental death, stating that two deaths in 10 minutes is "no accident."
The Ironman Event was held the day after Storm Betty struck the country. Rough conditions, such as strong winds, were described during the inquest. A total of 1,396 athletes participated in the event, while 52 competitors failed to complete the swim section, including the two men who died.
Barrister Eamon Shanahan requested that witnesses from Ironman and Triathlon Ireland be called before the inquest, however the coroner declined, saying he had made it clear he would not be examining every aspect of how the event occurred.
Martin Wall, Brendan's brother expressed his feelings of a “serious lack of accountability from Cork County Council, Ironman, and Triathlon Ireland.”
“We are especially distressed that representatives of these organisations were not compelled to attend the inquest to give evidence, denying our legal team the opportunity to seek the answers our family deserved."
"For us, this process was not only about understanding how Brendan lost his life, but also about ensuring lessons were learned to help prevent another family from experiencing this heartbreak. Sadly, we feel that opportunity has been missed."
Martin Wall said that this inquest had not brought closure to his family and also expressed concern that the family was disappointed no meaningful recommendations for safety measures were proposed during the inquest.
