Category: Irish Crime

Bonus – Tom & Kitty Fitzgerald

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Irish Crime, murder

This episode was originally published asa Patreon exclusive on 12 Jan 2020.

In 2016, shocking news broke that an elderly couple were found dead in their own home in rural Co Mayo, and a younger man was found there too – badly injured. Over the following days, while family friends and the community in Irishtown grappled with the tragic news, it became clear that something very sinister had occurred in the small farmhouse. 

And for reasons – that to this day – have yet to come to light.

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Bonus – Satanic Panic in Palmerstown

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Child Victim, Controversial Case, Irish Crime, Kids who Kill, murder, Vintage murder

This episode was originally published as a Patreon exclusive on 2 December 2018

In this episode we take a look at the little-known so-called “satanic” murder of John Horgan (7) in Palmerstown, Dublin in 1973. John and his family lived in a quiet neighbourhood of 9 houses backing on to a field. It was there that his 16 year old neighbour, Lorcan Bale, took him and struck him in the back of the head, killing him.  Lorcan then brought John’s body to the attic of his house – next door to the Horgan’s – and trussed him up in the shape of a cross and in front of a home-made altar.

No real explanation for the murder would ever emerge. 

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Bonus – The Mysterious Death of Patrick Nugent

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Cold Case, Irish Crime, murder, unsolved, Vintage murder

This episode was originally published as a Patreon exclusive on 6 Oct 2019

In the early hours of the 11th February, 1984, Patrick Nugent died in a car park in front of Bunratty Castle, Co Clare. There had been a party, and Patrick was working in the castle that night. 

A number of guests were present for the events leading up to Patrick’s death, but, none of their stories were consistent with one another. Two guests – off duty gardai – would not speak to the officers who responded to the scene.

At a post-mortem it was established that Patrick had been run over by a car, but not before falling to the ground.

What happened to Patrick Nugent? 

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Bonus – Kilkenny City Cold Cases

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Cold Case, Irish Crime, unsolved

This episode was originally published as a Patreon exclusive on 5 May 2019.

Two women were murdered in the 1980’s in Kilkenny. They were unconnected, and unsolved. It would be years before the two murders were “rediscovered” by the Garda Cold Case Unit – the National Serious Crime Review Unit. 

Appeals for information were made to the public, and now, 30 years on, there have been developments in the cases….

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Bonus – Eileen Costello O’Shaughnessy

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Cold Case, Irish Crime, unsolved

This episode was initially released as a Patreon exclusive on 8th Sept 2019

In November of 1997, Eileen O’Shaughnessy went to work as normal. She drove a taxi in Galway City, and was one of the few women drivers in the country

But on the night of the 30th of that month, Eileen’s car was found abandoned in the city with blood all over the drivers seat. Her body was found the next day. 

The case remains unsolved.

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Bonus – The Killing of Tom O’Gorman

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Insanity Defence, Irish Crime

This episode was first released as a Patreon exclusive on 7th October 2018

This is the story of the shocking killing of Tom O’Gorman by his lodger, Sevario Bellante, who suffered from schizophrenia. Bellante had recently been weaned off his medication under medical supervision, and on medical advice to do so, but this would have tragic results. 

Theme Music: 

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

Sources:

Christina Finn, “Man admits to killing landlord Tom O’Gorman before removing organs” in TheJournal.ie http://www.thejournal.ie/tom-ogorman-saverio-bellante-murder-trial-2243523-Jul2015/ 30 July 2015 

 
“Tom O’Gorman’s death has yet to be ‘fully ventilated’, inquest hears” in The Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/tom-o-gorman-s-death-has-yet-to-be-fully-ventilated-inquest-hears-1.2541271 (19 February 2016)

Alison O’Riordan, “Tom O’Gorman murder trial:Saverio Bellante found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/tom-ogorman-murder-trial-saverio-bellante-found-not-guilty-of-murder-by-reason-of-insanity-31418066.html (31 July 2015)

Ryan Nugent, “Family of ‘cannibal’ murder victim Thomas O’Gorman wants inquest reoperned” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/family-of-cannibal-murder-victim-thomas-ogorman-wants-inquest-reopened-34470029.html (20 February 2016)   

Donal Lynch, “The Bellante case: Bizarre fixation led to cannibal chess slaying” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/the-bellante-case-bizarre-fixation-led-to-cannibal-chess-slaying-31421145.html (2 August 2015)

Allison Bray, “Coroner says Tom O’Gorman inquest ‘ should be re-opened” The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/coroner-says-tom-ogorman-inquest-should-be-reopened-34511538.html (4 March 2016)

Allison O’Riordan, “Man who admitted killing journalist Tom O’Gorman and consuming organ stopped medication after attending Dublin clinic, court told” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/man-who-admitted-killing-journalist-tom-ogorman-and-consuming-organ-stopped-medication-after-attending-dublin-clinic-court-told-31416232.html 30 July 2015   

Stephen Breen, “Cannibal killer who ate part of slain Irish housemate’s lung ‘to be free in two years’ in The Irish Sun https://www.thesun.ie/archives/irish-news/237715/cannibal-killer-who-ate-part-of-slain-irish-housemates-lung-to-be-free-in-two-years/ 27 October 2016

Mary Carolan, “Medical negligence actin by man who killed landlord may not go ahead” in The Irish Times  https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/high-court/medical-negligence-action-by-man-who-killed-landlord-may-not-go-ahead-1.3135815 27 June 2017   

Natasha Reid, “O’Goran family to get trascript of murder trial due to HSE worries” in The Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/criminal-court/o-gorman-family-to-get-transcript-of-murder-trial-due-to-hse-worries-1.3398066 19 February 2018

Aodhan O’Faolain, “Judge rules against medical negligence claim for man who alledgedly killed landlord and ate his lung” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/judge-rules-against-medical-negligence-claim-for-man-who-allegedly-killed-landlord-and-ate-his-lung-35871644.html 27 June 2017   
 

Stephanie Grogan “Coronor Court Refused Medical records of Saverio Ballante” from 98fm.com  https://www.98fm.com/Coroner-Court-Refused-Medical-Records-of-Saverio-Bellante 2 February 2017
 

“Tom O’Gorman faced ‘appaling violence’, says sister” in The Irish Times  https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/criminal-court/tom-o-gorman-faced-appalling-violence-says-sister-1.2314713 12 August 2015   
 

138 – The Longest Wait for Justice: Nora Sheehan

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Cold Case, Irish Crime, Life Sentence, murder, sex crimes

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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136 – David Byrne: Murder in a Dark Corner

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Irish Crime, Kids who Kill, Life Sentence, murder

In March of 2011, 19 year old David Byrne set out to meet someone near to his home in Drimnagh, Dublin City. Little did he know that he was walking into a trap. A panicked chase was caught on CCTV, but the final attack occurred in a dark corner out of sight of any cameras. Could his killer be identified from the footage?

This episode was researched and written by Aileen Spearin.

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134 – A Question of Self Defence: The murder of Leslie Kenny

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Irish Crime, murder, Self Defence

Just after 10am, on Wednesday the 29th July 2008, shots rang out on a busy residential road in Kilrush, Co Clare. Two men who lived on the street, Leslie Kenny and Brendan O’Sullivan, had exchanged words, and by the end of that interaction, one of them was lying dead in a front garden.

This episode was researched and written by Aileen Spearin.

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133 – Killer on the Run: The murder of Emer O’Loughlin

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Cold Case, Irish Crime, murder, unsolved

If you have any information on the whereabouts of John Griffin, you can contact Gort Garda Station on (091) 636400, the Garda Confidential line at 1800 666 111 or your local law enforcement agency.

In 2005, a caravan caught fire in rural north Clare, Emer O’Loughlin’s family were initially relieved to see that it wasn’t the one she shared with her partner Shane. But when human remains were found inside the charred wreckage, and there was still no sign of the artistic Emer, hope that everything would be ok was quickly dashed.

In the years that followed, so would hope that Emer’s killer might be brought to justice.

This episode was researched and written by Aileen Spearin.

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