A narrative verdict has been returned by an Offaly coroner after an inquest into the death of a farmer who hosted the National Ploughing Championships for three successive years between 2016 and 2018.

Offaly county coroner Raymond Mahon was inquiring into the death of Joseph Grogan, Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly, who was 75 when he died on 15 April 2023 having been diagnosed with stomach cancer.

The pathologist who carried out a post mortem examination, Dr Charles d’Aldhemar, told the inquest that the cause of death could not be ascertained. A post mortem examination had been limited by the embalming of the body after Mr Grogan’s death, the inquest was told.

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Mr Mahon also said that Dr d’Aldhemar felt the long decline Mr Grogan experienced in the time before he died would not be consistent with a sudden death due to arrhythmia.

The coroner outlined Mr Grogan’s weight loss from 79kg in June 2022 to 51kg at post mortem and described that as considerable.

The decline also supported the evidence of an infection, he added, and said an assessment by Aidan Dignam, a paramedic who was at the house with the ambulance on the morning of Mr Grogan’s death, indicated his heart rate was fast and his blood pressure was low.

The coroner added that while there was valid criticism of Mr Grogan’s care before he died, the man had indicated he did not want to go to hospital.

Mr Mahon said there were two verdicts available to him, an open verdict or a narrative verdict.

Opting for a narrative verdict he said death was due to the probability of infection in a person who had stage four high grade Non Hodgkins lymphoma. He said Mr Grogan had been receiving chemo therapy and his immune system was compromised.

The National Ploughing Association announced last year that the championships will be held on the same farm this year. Mr Grogan married a neighbour, Lisa Flaherty, the day before he died.