Tag Archives: murder

AN ANTIQUE piece of furniture linked to a man who conspired, along with the legendary wisewoman Biddy Early, in a notorious East Clare murder is to go on display in Kilkishen next month. The blanket box, a large wooden chest, belonged to a James Mac Namara who was accused, along with the husband of the legendary Feakle healer, of murdering their landlord. The item, which was salvaged by local Kilkishen historian Cathal O’Hagan, has been carefully restored and will go on display at the Kilkishen Cultural Centre. “I think it’s fitting on the 161st anniversary of the murder that people would be able to see this,” Mr O’Hagan said. “According to lore, this historic blanket box came out of the farmhouse of James Mac Namara who one night in October 1860 with Biddy Early’s husband Tom Flannery and three other evicted tenants and, with help from Biddy, killed the landlord.” Legend has it that Biddy, who foretold Mr Sheehy’s demise …

A 34-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a woman in Ennis. Patrick Ballard, with an address at Ashford Court, Ennis, appeared at Ennis District Court today (March 24). He is charged with the murder of mother of two, Sharon Bennett (29). Ballard was previously charged with assault causing harm to Ms Bennett in the Market area of Ennis on January 28. That charge was today withdrawn and struck out. The accused was remanded in custody to appear at Gort district court tomorrow. The issue of bail was not raised in court as the district court does not have jurisdiction to deal with a bail application on a murder charge. Sharon Bennett, a native of Wexford, died at University Hospital Limerick on February 10, thirteen days after she was admitted. In court today, detective Garda Noelle Bergin of Ennis Garda Station said she arrested Ballard for the purpose of charge at Ennis Courthouse at 10.29am At 10.30am, the court …

  A SERIOUS incident in Ennis on Tuesday afternoon led to a 39-year-old- man appearing in court this Friday charged with the murder of a local man, Eoin Boylan.   At Ennis District Court, Nassar Ahmed of The Mews, Kilrush Road, Ennis appeared after being charged with the murder of mature student, Eoin Boylan, aged 32, at Gordon Drive, Cloughleigh, Ennis on April 14.   Mr Boylan was rushed to hospital after an incident at Gordon Drive on Tuesday afternoon, but died en route.   Giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution, Detective Garda Noelle Bergin told the court that she arrested Mr Ahmed for the purpose of charge at 23.45 at Ennis Garda Station on Wednesday night.   The garda told the court that Mr Ahmed replied ‘Okay’ after being charged with the murder offence.   After reading the charge, Judge Mary Larkin told the court “this is a serious matter”. She granted legal aid to solicitor, John Casey …

Gardaí have confirmed that they have arrested a second man in connection with the investigation into the murder of Aidan Kelly of Moyross, at Blackwater, Ardnacrusha, County Clare in 2006. A garda spokesman said they arrested a male in his 60s on Wednesday and following a period of detention at Henry Street Garda Station in Limerick he was released without charge, and a file is being prepared for the Director of Prosecutions. Meanwhile a man in his 30s who had been arrested earlier this week continues to be detained this Thursday at Henry Street Garda Station in connection with the same investigation. Aidan Kelly was killed on May 10, 2006 at Blackwater and up until Tuesday September 10, no arrests had been made into his murder. The Limerick man had been shot a number of times on the night of May 10 and a firearm was recovered at the scene. On Tuesday of this week a man in his 30s …

Gardaí investigating the murder of Aidan Kelly on May 10, 2006 at Blackwater, Ardnacrusha,  have arrested a man in his late 30s. He was arrested this morning (Tuesday) and is currently detained at Henry Street Garda Station under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. Gardaí investigating this incident are appealing to anyone who has information, no matter how insignificant they may think it is, to contact Henry Street Garda Station on (061) 212 400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666-111 or any Garda Station.

“GARDAÍ are keeping an open mind on the latest tragedy to hit the county- the death of a young woman whose body was found in a burned out mobile home in Tubber last Friday afternoon.” The Clare Champion, April 15, 2005. When your world comes crashing down, it’s often when your phone rings on a perfectly ordinary day. That’s how it happened for Johnny O’Loughlin 14 years ago. On a spring evening, Shane Bowe, the partner of his 23-year old daughter Emer, rang him in a state of distress, just as Johnny was clocking off. “I was driving a truck, I was drawing pre-cast flooring out of Whelan’s. I was finished and I was coming out of the quarry heading home. I got a phonecall from Shane, her boyfriend, they were lovers for years and years. He was a carpenter, he rang me and told me that Emer was missing, her camera was there, the keys of her car were …

FOURTEEN years after his daughter Emer’s life was taken, Johnny O’Loughlin believes the man wanted in connection with her death is at large in Morocco. However, he feels little is being done to investigate the possibility that John Griffin is living in the North African state. This week, Mr O’Loughlin, who is from Ennistymon but now lives in Inagh, spoke about how raw the emotion over the loss of his much-loved daughter still is. Emer was murdered in 2005 and her remains were found in the burned-out mobile home of John Griffin. Mr Griffin was admitted to a psychiatric facility in Ballinasloe following an incident a few days after Emer’s death. He would subsequently check himself out of the facility, apparently attempt to fake his own death on the Aran Islands and has been missing since. Mr O’Loughlin said he has received credible information from an Irishman, who came across Mr Griffin, while in Morocco. While he says the person …

A 20-year-old Limerick man, has appeared before Ennis District Court this morning charged with the murder of Limerick man Jamie Higgins at a Shannon nightclub in March 2018. Nathan O’Neill who is of no fixed abode, but previously of Hilltop Drive, Dooradoyle, County Limerick, is charged with the murder of 23 year old Jamie Higgins on March 18, 2018 at the Shannon Knights licensed premises Tullyvarraga, contrary to Common Law. He is further charged with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Michael Shannon contrary to section 4 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, and with assault causing harm to Mr Shannon both on the same date at the same location in Shannon. Detective Sergeant Kevin O’Hagan gave evidence of arresting Mr O’Neill on the three charges and told the court he made no reply following each charge. Free legal aid was granted to the accused man and his solicitor Turlough Herbert asked for a ruling in …