THE family of a man who died after being stung by wasps in his garden have warned people to be aware of the potential fatal side effects of insect stings.
Michael Sheehan was picking up hedge clipping at the rear of his Cork property when he was stung several times, an inquest heard today.
Dad-of-three Michael was gardening when he got multiple bee stings[/caption]
The 56-year-old father-of-three died at his home near Macroom last year after he received five or six wasp stings in November 2024.
Mr Sheehan, who was originally from Ballinlough in Cork city, was pronounced dead at 2.16pm on November 5, at his home in Glen Tanar, Carriganine.
His wife Carmel told an inquest that shortly after noon her husband left the study to help men who were cutting the hedge in their garden.
After a short period he came back into the home and said he was “after getting stung by a wasp”.
However, there was no cause for concern at this stage as he wasn’t showing any ill effects.
Mrs Sheehan realised there wasn’t any allergy medication in the house and decided to make the short journey one mile down the road to the chemist to pick up some Zirtek.
But when she returned home, she found her husband “face down on the kitchen floor”.
She alerted the men working in the garden who then rushed in to the house.
She told the inquest: “I saw John trying to get Mick to respond. He was sitting Mick up and slapping his face.”
Mrs Sheehan called emergency services and the Irish Community Air Ambulance from Rathcoole landed in the nearby golf club.
START PRAYING
On arrival to the home a first responder told her that if she had prayers to say it was probably the appropriate time to start them.
Mrs Sheehan said that sometime after 2pm Dr Jason van der Velde, a consultant in emergency medicine, told her that her husband had passed away.
A local priest was contacted and prayers were said in the kitchen before the deceased was brought to the morgue at Cork University Hospital for a postmortem examination.
Mrs Sheehan told Coroner Frank O’Connell her husband had no history of allergies.
WASP STINGS
Garda Don Coomey said when he arrived at the Sheehan home he was informed of the death of the retired tax consultant.
He noted that there was a small number of wasps in a nest out the back of the property.
Giving evidence, Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said Mr Sheehan suffered around five to six wasp stings on his head, back, and arms.
She said very high levels of tryptase were recorded.
SUDDEN COLLAPSE
Elevated levels of tryptase can be a marker for severe anaphylactic reactions, including those triggered by insect stings.
Dr Bolster told members of the family that Mr Sheehan suffered a swelling of the larynx which obstructed his breathing causing him to “collapse very suddenly”.
She said he suffered a massive allergic reaction and didn’t think that “anything could have been done” to change the outcome.
The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.
He said it was “most unfortunate” that Mr Sheehan died when he was “innocently picking up hedge clippings”.
He offered his condolences to the Sheehan family on the loss of a much loved father and husband.
Inspector Mary Skehan also offered her heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s wife, his children – Conor, Katie, and Aine – and the extended Sheehan family.
Speaking after the inquest members of the Sheehan family urged the public to be aware of possible side effects of insect stings.
They said that people who know they have an allergic reaction to wasp or bee stings should consider investing in EpiPens.
