In 1981, Nora Sheehan went missing from Ballyphehane, Co Cork. She was found dead a week later, and gardai soon had a prime suspect for her murder while investigating another crime.
But a series of setbacks meant no trial was held in the case until 2023.
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:
Prime Time, “Family of cold case murder victim speak out”, available here on RTE Player
“Missing woman”, Irish Examiner, June 12th 1981
“Cork murder hunt”, Evening Echo, June 15th 1981
Dick Cross, “Body of murdered woman in wood”, Irish Independent, June 15th 1981
“No new leads in murder case”, Irish Examiner, June 16th 1981
“Murder hunt continues”, Irish Examiner, June 17th 1981
“No clues in murder hunt”, Evening Echo, June 18th 1981
“Gardai believe killer is known”, Evening Echo, June 19th 1981
Denis Reading, “Gardai warn killer could strike again”, Irish Examiner, June 20th 1981
Dick Cross, “Sex killer has Gardai baffled”, Sunday Independent, June 21st 1981
Dick Cross, “Missing shoe figures in Cork murder hunt”, Irish Independent, June 22nd 1981
“On murder charge”, Evening Herald, July 7th 1981
“Murder charge dropped”, Irish Examiner, Nov 11th 1981
“Hospital worker asphyxiated”, Evening Echo, May 24th 1982
Ann Murphy, “Cold case team to review Cork woman’s murder”, Evening Echo, Aug 18th 2009
David Forsyth, “Man charged with murder over woman’s death in 1981”, Irish Examiner, June 29th 2022
Alison O’Riordan, “Cold case trial hears body was dumped”, Irish Examiner, July 14th 2023
Eoin Reynolds, “Forestry worker thought body of murdered woman was a dead pig”, Irish Examiner, July 15th 2023
Alison O’Riordan, “Pathologist in murder case died weeks after autopsy”, Evening Echo, July 18th 2023
Alison O’Riordan, “Scientist preserved key evidence from Sheehan’s body in 1981”, Irish Examiner, July 19th 1981
Alison O’Riordan, “Very strong support for view that woman was in car driven by Long”, Irish Examiner, July 20th 2023
Alison O’Riordan, “DNA sent to UK in 2008 for profiling, murder trial hears”, Evening Echo, July 21st 2023
Alison O’Riordan, “Murder trial adjourned after juror becomes ill”, Evening Echo, July 22nd 2023
Alison O’Riordan, “Partial DNA profile matched that found on beanie hat, court hears”, Irish Examiner, July 25th 2023
Alison O’Riordan, “No evidence woman was killed by strangulation, court hears”, Evening Echo, Aug 1st 2023
Alison O’Riordan, “Inescapable conclusion woman killed by murder accused, jury told”, Irish Examiner, Aug 2nd 2023
Alison O’Riordan, “Case may be state’s oldest murder prosecution”, Irish Examiner, Aug 3rd 2023
Alison O’Riordan, “Jury in cold case murder trial returns to deliberations”, Irish Examiner, Aug 4th 2023
Alison O’Riordan and Brian Kavanagh, “What the jury didn’t hear”, Irish Times, Aug 4th 2023
Alison O’Riordan, “The murder of Nora Sheehan, how the cold case was solved”, Irish Examiner, Aug 5th 2023
Alison O’Riordan, “What the jury didn’t hear”, Journal.ie, Aug 6th 2023
Donal O’Keefe, “Victim’s family at peace after record murder trial concludes”, Irish Examiner, Aug 12th 2023
Liz Dunphy, “Cold case killer appealing conviction for 1981 murder”, Irish Examiner, Aug 16th 2023
Barry Roche, “Noel Long’s history of sex offending”, Irish Times, Aug 19th 2023
“Killer Long linked to attacks on sex workers”, Corkman, Aug 24th 2023