A flight attendant from Galway has been granted permission to sue the estate of Dolores O'Riordan for damages allegedly caused during a 2014 incident of air rage.
A flight attendant who was caught up in a 2014 incident of alleged air rage involving Dolores O'Riordan is continuing with a damages claim against the last Cranberries front woman's estate along with Aer Lingus.
Carmel Coyne, of Cappagh Road, in Galway, sued Aer Lingus and Dolores O'Riordan, after the Nov 2014 incident. Proceedings in the case began in 2017.
Sadly in Dolores O'Riordan passed away suddenly in Jan 2018.
However, on Mon ( Oct 14, 2019) Coyne's lawyers asked the High Court to change the title of the case to allow her to bring a case against O'Riordan's estate. RTE reports that Justice Charles Meenan granted the order.
The late Irish musician Dolores O'Riordan.
The musician's name was replaced with the title with that of the personal representatives – Peter J O’Riordan, of Friarstown, Grange, Kilmallock, Limerick and Nollaig Hogan, Riverview Heights, Cahara, Glin, Co Limerick.
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Alleged air rage
The incident in question took place on Nov 10, 2014. Coyne was the senior cabin crew on an Aer Lingus flight, from New York to Shannon.
It is alleged that O'Riordan, a passenger on the flight, deliberately tried to cause Coyne injury by stamping on her foot and physically attacking her. She alleges that O'Riordan also restricted her liberty and/or freedom of movement.
She claimed damages for alleged assault, battery, false imprisonment, breach of her right to privacy, and right to earn a living. Coyne claims to have been out of work for seven months.
In July 2017 a defense to these claims was delivered, the Irish Times reports. O'Riordan denied these claims.
In a 2014 interview with Barry Egan, of the Sunday Independent, O'Riordan said "I know Carmel a long time from flying over and back transatlantic since I had the little wee babies in the buggies. I really like her. She knows, for a fact, that it was an accident with my metal shoes. And there was bad people having too much booze roaring at me. And I backed up and I stood on her foot by an accident, like a child in the playground. I’m sorry, Carmel. You know I love you and if there is any way I can help you, I’ll be there for you.”
At the time O’Riordan’s mother, Eileen, also the Limerick Leader that her daughter had suffered a major nervous breakdown following a split from her husband of 21 years, Duran Duran tour manager Don Burton.
Dolores O'Riordan and her husband Don Burton, on their wedding day.
This was just two months before the incidents. Her mother claimed her daughter had not slept properly in two months at the time of the incident and her moods were erratic.
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Untimely death
On Jan 25, 2018, the 46-year-old musician, O'Riordan, was found dead in a hotel room in London. A later inquest found that she had drowned while intoxicated with alcohol.
Coroner, Shirley Radcliffe, at the time, said her death "seems to be solely a tragic accident".
O’Riordan was being treated successfully for bipolar affective disorder. According to the coroner, there had been no evidence she was feeling suicidal.
What do you make of the court's ruling? Let us know in the comments section below.
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