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Dolores O’Riordan drowned in bath of London hotel room after downing mini bottles of spirits and champagne
THE Cranberries frontwoman Dolores O'Riordan drowned in the bath after downing spirits and champagne in her London hotel room, an inquest heard today.
A maid found the tragic singer still dressed in pyjamas while submerged in bathwater at the Park Lane Hilton on January 15.
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she had checked in to the hotel, taken drinks from the mini-bar in her room and called her mum at about 3am.
The musician was four times over the legal drinking limit when she died, a report found.
Five mini bottles of spirits, a small bottle of Champagne and packaging for medication was found in her room - but no evidence of self harm.
The inquest heard she was on a number of prescription drugs for bipolar disorder, and her doctor said she may have had "an episode of mania or elevated mood".
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PC Natalie Smart, who attended to the emergency call made by the hotel manager, told the inquest: "As we went into the hotel room on the left in the bathroom I saw Miss O'Riordan submerged in the bath with her nose and mouth submerged in the water."
Asked by the coroner whether there was any sign of a note, she said: "Not that we could find.
"There was nothing left behind - no note."
London Ambulance Service paramedic Mark Vials said there was evidence of smoking in the room, adding: "There was a lot of empty alcohol bottles as well, five miniatures and champagne from the mini bar.
"There was also some plastic tablet containers containing a quantity of medication."
Mr Vials said "her partner" was in the room next door but it is not known if he was referring to DJ and producer Ole Koretsky, who Dolores began dating in 2017.
He said: "He noted the deceased had been drinking and was concerned she was relaxing into alcohol misuse."
Dolores had been seeing Robert Hirschfield, a New York-based psychiatrist, who had previously diagnosed her with bipolar affective disorder.
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It was also said she had a history of alcohol abuse.
A post-mortem revealed the level of alcohol in her blood was 330mg per 100ml, some four times the legal driving limit.
There was also an "above therapeutic amount" of a prescription drug but that was not said to have led to her drowning.
Dr Seamus O'Ceallaigh, a psychiatrist who treated Dolores in Ireland, said in evidence she had attempted to write a suicide note in the second half of 2018.
Referring to evidence, the coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe said: "She had begun writing a suicide note and collapsed into unconsciousness before completing it.
"She had a number of treatment options and she made a full recovery."
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The coroner described the singer as "much loved by many people".
She added: "We know that she saw her psychiatrist on January 9 and he found her to be in good spirits, no evidence of any psychiatric disturbances, no evidence of any thoughts of self-harm."
Giving a ruling of accidental death, Dr Radcliffe added: "I will therefore record that Dolores Mary O'Riordan died from 1A drowning and 1B alcohol intoxication."
Dolores was in London for a "short recording session" when she died.
Dolores was laid to rest in her native Ballybricken, County Limerick, as family, friends and fans paid their respects to the 46-year-old.
The service was held at Saint Ailbe's church, where she once sang in the choir.
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Mourners turn out to say final farewell to The Cranberries Dolores O'Riordan
Canon Liam McNamara said: "Her kind personality and beautiful singing voice earned for her numerous admirers. No words are adequate to describe Dolores or to accurately state the influence for good she has been over the years."
At the time of her death her bandmates said they were "devastated" by the news, adding "the world has lost a true artist".
Following her death, her boyfriend and D.A.R.K. bandmate Ole Koretsky said "the love of my life is gone".
He said in a statement: "My friend, partner, and the love of my life is gone. My heart is broken and it is beyond repair.
"Dolores is beautiful. Her art is beautiful. Her family is beautiful. The energy she continues to radiate is undeniable.
"I am lost.
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"I miss her so much.
"I will continue to stumble around this planet for some time knowing well there's no real place for me here now."
Her mum, Eileen O'Riordan, said previously that she spoke to her daughter at 2am on the morning she died, just seven hours before the singer was found.
She said: "I got a call around nine o'clock the same morning that something was wrong.
"It was a couple of hours before I knew what happened. It didn't sink in."
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