A teacher found dead from an apparent fall on a Mayo mountain had stayed on in Ireland to climb the peak and make the “most of the summer”.
Kieran James Halliwell had come over from England for a family holiday but decided to extend his trip alone to scale Mweelrea.
He was found dead days later by Mountain Rescue after suffering ‘traumatic chest injuries.’
After a probe, suspicious circumstances were ruled out.
An inquest heard that Kieran, who also volunteered at Manchester Children’s Hospital teaching bedbound victims, climbed the top of the mountain on August 15.
He sent a selfie to his family after reaching the summit of the mountain but stopped replying to texts a short time later.
He was found unresponsive by Mountain Rescue three days later, police coroner’s officer Julieann Hyde told Bolton Coroner’s Court.
She said: “On August 15, Kieran went to climb the mountain.
“He did not return from his expedition and was to be found dead by Mountain Rescue on August 18.”
Sister Bernadette Halliwell said: “He didn’t have a wife or children, he was just happy being with his family.
“He wanted to make the most of the summer holidays and that’s why he stayed on in Ireland.
“My mum and dad haven’t slept. It’s heartbreaking. I just couldn’t believe it - I had just spent that time in Ireland with him.
“He made sure we all had such a good time. He took us out for a meal and we spent time at the beach.
“We went swimming and jumped in the sea. That was my last day with him.
“We can’t believe it. It hasn’t sunk in.”
Following a post mortem by Dr Tamas Nemeth, Kieran’s cause of death was recorded as a lung haemorrhage, caused by lung puncture, caused by traumatic chest injuries.
Senior coroner Timothy Brennand adjourned the hearing until February 10 2022 and told the court that there will also be coronal proceedings in Ireland, which will take ‘primacy’.
He said: “I would like to express my gratitude to Mayo coroner Patrick O’Connor for the extent of his co-operation.”
