Girl injured by falling confession box door settles High Court case for €25,000
On 4 March 2011, two-year-old Zofia Adamczyk, a girl, was injured when a confession box door weighing about 15kg fell on her during mass at Oblates Church of Mary Immaculate, Inchicore, Dublin, while a section of the church was under renovation. The door allegedly fell after she tried to open it, and she was trapped underneath until men lifted it off; she also struck her head on a decorative Christmas tree stump. The girl, now 16, sued through her father Andrzej Adamczyk against Fr Oliver Barry for negligence, alleging a failure to provide adequate warnings or signs around the confessional during the renovation. In May 2025, Mr Justice Paul Coffey approved a settlement of €25,000 in the High Court.
- Reported
- Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A two-year-old girl was knocked down and trapped under a confession box door weighing about 15kg that allegedly fell after she tried to open it, and she also struck her head on the stump of a decorative Christmas tree.
- A section of the church was under renovation at the time, and there was an alleged failure to ensure adequate warnings or signs were in place around the confessional.
- The girl was diagnosed with head pain, bumps, restriction in side-to-side movement, bruising, and tenderness, and later suffered panic attacks and claustrophobia.
- Where
- The incident occurred at Oblates Church of Mary Immaculate, Inchicore, Dublin.
- When
- The accident occurred on 4 March 2011.
- Charges
- The girl sued for negligence, alleging a failure to take reasonable care.
- In court
- Mr Justice Paul Coffey approved the settlement in the High Court.
- Sentence
- The case was settled for €25,000.
- Other details
- The girl sued through her father Andrzej Adamczyk.
- The defendant was Fr Oliver Barry.
16 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA girl was knocked down and hit her head when the door of a church confession box fell on her during mass. (irishtimes.com)
- whatZofia Adamczyk was two years old when the incident occurred. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe door to the confession box weighed about 15kg. (irishtimes.com)
- whatSome men had to lift the door off the child. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe child also struck her head on the stump of a decorative Christmas tree. (irishtimes.com)
- whatA section of the church was under renovation at the time of the incident. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe door fell on the toddler after she allegedly tried to open it. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThere was an alleged failure to ensure adequate warnings or signs were in place around the confessional while under renovation. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe girl was later diagnosed with head pain, bumps to her head, restriction in side-to-side movement, bruising and tenderness. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe girl later suffered panic attacks and claustrophobia. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident happened at Oblates Church of Mary Immaculate, Inchicore, Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whereMs Adamczyk is from Saggart, Co Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe accident occurred on 4 March 2011. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice Paul Coffey approved the settlement. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe case was settled for €25,000. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe girl sued through her father Andrzej Adamczyk. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 8 May2025Girl knocked down when confession box door fell on her settles case for €25,000
Reports the settlement of a civil negligence case in which a two-year-old girl was injured when a confession box door fell on her during mass at a Dublin church in 2011.
victim, Zofia Adamczyk, 16, female, non-irish (judged from name)Zofia Adamczykaccused, Fr Oliver Barry, male, named, irish (judged from name)Fr Oliver Barry