Tag Archives: Ann Walsh

THE brother of a Kilrush woman, who was murdered 17 years ago, is seeking a meeting with Justice Minister Helen McEntee to address a number of issues affecting families who have lost loved ones in similar circumstances. Ann Walsh from Kilrush, was 23 years and four months old when she was strangled by her former boyfriend, Raymond Donovan from Cooraclare in the grounds of St Senan’s Church, Kilrush on August 24, 2005. Donovan was convicted of her murder at the Central Criminal Court in Ennis with Justice Paul Carney imposing a mandatory life sentence following a unanimous guilty verdict by a jury. Ann had been going out with Donovan for three years but had split from him a year previous to the attack. Mr Donovan was recently transferred from Shelton Abbey Open Centre to Castlerea Prison, which is a closed medium security prison. It is understood that Mr Donovan was transferred to a closed prison after allegedly contravening prison rules. …

Despite confessing to Ann Walsh’s killing, Raymond Donovan remained defiant when gardai charged him with her murder, members of the Walsh family recalled on last week’s Marú inár measc programme. In fact, Donovan pleaded not guilty to this crime, arguing it wasn’t premeditated. Ann’s brother Stephen Walsh was present for all of the trial which began on May 26, 2006. “It was hard. Ann was now gone, dead, buried never to be seen again. Raymond Donovan was still sitting there breathing, still alive, denying what he did, putting us through hell. “He was dragging and dragging it out. He never showed one bit of remorse throughout every bit of it. Throughout the whole trial he tried to claim he wasn’t in the right frame of mind. “They were saying he didn’t mean to kill her, they were having sex in the back of the church and he had his hands around her neck and next thing was he couldn’t wake …

The tragedy of a young life being cut short, hopes and dreams dashed was crystalised this week on TG4 when Stephen Walsh recalled how his sister Ann had just received her first passport ahead of a trip to Spain, but the photograph ended up adorning her headstone instead after she was murdered. On Wednesday, August 24, 2005, three days before flying out to Spain for the first time in her life, the 23-year-old was getting ready for a final night out before this holiday. Stephen recalled it was Ann’s first passport. “Ann never had a passport before. Her passport picture ended up on her headstone.” Stephen’s mother, also named Ann, recalled speaking to her daughter on the phone that day and the last word she told her was “I will see you later Ma”, but she never saw her alive again. When Stephen saw Ann and Raymond outside the door of Crotty’s Kilrush, he entered the premises and found him …

THE Walsh family in Kilrush whose treaured Ann was murdered in 2005 have given emotional and personal interviews as part of a TG4 series that airs next Wednesday. The latest in the Marú inár measc, true crime documentary series by Midas Productions for TG4, features the Walsh family who recall the night Ann was murdered and how this tragedy has changed them profoundly. On August 24 2005, Ann was strangled by her former boyfriend, Raymond Donovan in the grounds of the local church in Kilrush. Shortly after 1am in the morning, the Walshes woke to the devastating news that their beloved daughter and sister had been murdered. Gardaí arrested the man who committed the crime at the scene. Despite confessing to killing Ann, Raymond Donovan remained defiant when Gardaí charged him with her murder, however he was found guilty after a short period of time and sentenced to life. Although Donovan was convicted of Ann’s murder he remains one step …

THE family of a Kilrush woman who was murdered 17 years ago has welcomed the transfer of her killer from an open to a closed prison, writes Dan Danaher. The Clare Champion has learned that Raymond Donovan was recently transferred from Shelton Abbey Open Centre to Castlerea Prison, which is a closed medium security prison. It is understood that Donovan was transferred to a closed prison after allegedly contravening prison rules. Ann Walsh from Pella Road, Kilrush, was 23 years and four months old when she was strangled by her former boyfriend, Raymond Donovan from Cooraclare in the grounds of St Senan’s Church, Kilrush on August 24, 2005. Donovan was convicted of her murder at the Central Criminal Court in Ennis with Mr Justice Paul Carney imposing a mandatory life sentence following a unanimous guilty verdict by a jury. Ann had been going out with Donovan for three years but had split from him a year previous to the attack. …

THE family of a young Kilrush woman who was murdered 16 years ago are “up in a heap” over the release of her convicted killer before Christmas, according to her brother. Ann Walsh from Pella Road, Kilrush, was 23 years and four months old when she was strangled by her former boyfriend, Raymond Donovan from Cooraclare in the grounds of St Senan’s Church, Kilrush, on August 24, 2005. Mr Donovan was convicted of her murder at the Central Criminal Court in Ennis with Mr Justice Paul Carney imposing a mandatory life sentence following a unanimous guilty verdict by a jury. Ann had been going out with Donovan for three years, but had split from him a year previous to the attack. Her brother, Stephen Walsh said the Walsh family are “up in a heap” over the decision to release Raymond Donovan before Christmas. Mr Walsh claimed he was informed by the prison service recently there would be nothing done in …

THE brother of a Clare woman brutally killed 16 years ago has insisted “the justice system is wrong” as the family fear her murderer’s move to an open prison means he is being prepared for release. Ann Walsh from Pella Road, Kilrush, was 23 when she was murdered in the grounds of St Senan’s Church, Kilrush on August 24, 2005. Raymond Donovan from Cooraclare was convicted of her murder at the Central Criminal Court in Ennis with Mr Justice Paul Carney imposing a mandatory life sentence following a unanimous guilty verdict by a jury. Ann’s brother Stephen believes that Donovan should spend the rest of his life behind bars, insisting, “Life should mean life”. However, he says his family was devastated to learn that Donovan had been moved to Shelton Abbey open prison, believing this is the final step on the path towards eventual release. Stephen also hit out at the Irish Prison Service saying the family is not being …

A KILRUSH family travelled to Castlerea Prison in Roscommon on this week to protest against the possibility that the man convicted of murdering Ann Walsh 11 years ago, could be in line for parole. The Walsh family, from Pella Road in the town, are planning to travel to the prison again on Thursday, June 30 for a second protest over the possible release of Raymond Donovan from Cooraclare, who was convicted at the Central Criminal Court in Ennis of the murder of his former girlfriend. Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed a mandatory life sentence on Donovan, then 24, after the jury delivered a unanimous guilty verdict in the 2006 case. He was found guilty of strangling 23-year-old Ann Walsh in the grounds of St Senan’s Church, Kilrush on August 24, 2005. The Walsh family learned on March 3 that Raymond Donovan was planning to apply for parole for a second time. He was turned down three years ago. They have since …