A man who lived on Pringles, chocolate, wine and Coca-Cola died after his internal organs wasted away as a result of his poor diet, an inquest heard.
Fionn Clarke (30) was found dead at his apartment on Melville Way in Finglas, Dublin 11, on September 11th, 2012. He had been dead for at least a week. Dublin Coroner’s Court heard he suffered from depression and alcoholism and had cut himself off from his family.
His father Michael Clarke said that he would call to Fionn's apartment every three or four weeks bringing him "sweets and Coke" because he would not eat anything else. His son worked at the Revenue Commissioners but walked out on his job and was living off savings but these had run out.
Mr Clarke said Fionn would make sure he was not in the apartment when he called and he had not seen him since Christmas. He let himself into the apartment on September 11th and discovered his son.
At one stage, Fionn was involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital. However, he was released when an independent consultant could not find any overt features of psychosis or depression that would make him detainable under the Mental Health Act.
Garda Sean Kelly said that when gardaí went into the apartment they were met with an “overpowering stench”. “The floor was completely covered over by empty sweet wrappers, Pringles tins and empty bottles of wine,” he said.
Pathologist Dr Eamon Leen found the dead man’s internal organs had atrophied as a result of his poor diet, especially the heart.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell, returning a narrative verdict outlining the facts yeesterday, said the death was a "profound tragedy".