A man will go on trial later this week accused of murdering a pensioner in Clare two years ago, writes Alison O’Riordan.
Thomas Lorigan (34), of no fixed abode was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court this afternoon.
Mr Lorigan is charged with murdering John O’Neill (79) at St Brendan’s Road, Lisdoonvarna, on a date unknown between January 6 and 7, 2022.
When the registrar read the indictment to the accused man and asked him how he was pleading, he replied: “Not guilty”.
The prosecution case is being led by senior counsel Eilis Brennan, while Michael Bowman SC is heading up the defence team.
Addressing the jury panel, Mr Justice Paul McDermott said Mr Lorigan was a native of Lucan in Dublin until his late teens and that he had resided at the time of the alleged offence in or about the Lisdoonvarna area.
The judge said the deceased Mr O’Neill resided at St Brendan’s Road in Lisdoonvarna, where he and his wife operated a bed and breakfast business until mid 2021.
He said all the witnesses in the trial were from Clare and the South Galway area.
Mr Justice McDermott swore in a jury of five men and seven women to hear the trial, which will begin before him on Wednesday morning and is expected to last up to four weeks.