123 – Death in the Sun: Celine Conroy

In the summer of 2005, Celine Conroy decided to pack up her three kids to spend the summer in Spain alongside her partner Paul Hickey. But rather than a relaxing escape from her life back in Dublin, the holiday ended in horror.

This episode was researched and written by Aileen Spearin.

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Theme Music:

Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Additional Music:   Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/


Sources:

“Murder suspect in court over villa death”, Evening Herald, August 30th 2005

Jane Walker and Conor Mulally, “Dubliner to face charges over partner’s killing”, Irish Times, August 30th 2005

Cormac Looney and Mick McCaffrey, “Mum ‘axed to death in row’”, Evening Herald, August 30th 2005

“Scene of the killing played host to boozy parties”, Evening Herald, August 30th2005

Cormac O’ Keefe, “Villa death suspect refused bail by Spanish court”, Irish Examiner, August 31st 2005

Cormac O’Keefe, “Celine died in Spanish escape from ‘Little Beirut’”, Irish Examiner, August 31st 2005

Owen Conlon, “Irish man charged with villa death on suicide watch”, Irish Examiner, September 3rd 2005

Evelyn Ring, “If I told her I was sick, she might be alive now”, Irish Examiner, September 15th 2005

“Bertie promises to help murdered mum’s kids”, Evening Herald, September 26th2005

“Tragic Celine finally home”, Evening Herald, October 15th 2005

Melanie Finn, “The last time our murdered Celine was really happy”, Evening Herald, October 18th 2005

Finnoula O’Leary, “Heartbreak as Celine is finally laid to rest”, Evening Herald, October 19TH 2005

Juno McEnroe, “Celine is finally laid to rest”, Irish Examiner, October 20th2005

Melanie Finn, “Kiddies santa wish: to see mum again”, Evening Herald, December 16th2005

Finnoula O’Leary, “Death villa for sale”, Evening Herald, February 16th 2006

Cormac O’Looney, “Death Villa to fund killer’s lawyers”, Evening Herald, April 10th2006

Cormac O’Keefe, “Mother’s plea for aid to pay for Spanish trial solicitor, Irish Examiner, July 27th 2006

Andrew Phelan, “Spanish trial date set for man who ‘beat mum to death’”, October 16th2008

Conor Feehan, “Don’t make kids give evidence on mother’s murder”, Evening Herald, November 7th 2008

Andrew Phelan, “Guilty of Celine’s killing”, November 12th 2008

Fiach Kelly, “Brutal beating took place in front of their children”, Irish Independent, November 13th 2008

Andrew Phelan, “Final hateful act of Celine’s killer”, Evening Herald, November 13th2008

Andrew Phelan, “’He killed part of me when he killed Celine’, says mum”, Evening Herald, November 15th 2008

Noel Baker, “Now I know he done it in his right mind that night”, November 13th2008

“Hickey’s children begged him to stop beating their mum”, Evening Herald, November 15th2008

Andrew Phelan, “Why won’t they tell me where Celine’s killer is?”, Evening Herald, August 29th 2009

“The changed face of evil killer Paul Hickey who is back in Ireland after 15 years in Spanish prison”, Sunday World, December 2020.