List of major crimes in Ireland

A list of major crimes in Ireland.

1800s

1880s
DateNameDeathsLocation Summary
1882Maamtrasna murders5Maamtrasna, Co. Galway Five members of the family of John Joyce were hacked to death on the night of 18 August 1882. The trial of ten local men was highly controversial; three were hanged.

1890s
DateNameDeathsLocation Summary
1892Ballinadrimna mass murder6Ballinadrimna, Co. Kildare Police constable John Pilkington killed fellow sergeant Michael Rogan and four other members of his family and wounded four more before killing himself.

1900s

1920s
DateNameDeathsLocation Summary
1929The Missing Postman of Stradbally1Stradbally, Co. Waterford Larry Griffin, a 55 year-old postman, disappeared without trace after delivering the mail on Christmas Day. It was widely believed that he had died during a fight in the local pub, and that his body was hidden to protect the positions of the local people involved.

1950s
DateNameDeathsLocation Summary
1954Murder of Catherine Cooper1Limerick, Ireland Catherine Cooper, a 65 year-old nurse, is murdered by Michael Manning while working at Barrington's Hospital. Manning is later tried and convicted of her murder becoming the last person to be hanged in the Republic of Ireland.

1960s
DateNameDeathsLocation Summary
1964Murder of George Applebe1County Cork, Ireland Jimmy Ennis was released from prison where he had served a four-year jail term for a brutal hatchet attack against a woman named Mary Reynolds, which left her severely brain damaged. Only two days after his release, Ennis broke into the house of 54 year-old George Applebe, a farmer who had previously employed Ennis. During the burglary, Ennis was disturbed by Applebe and his wife, both of whom he then bludgeoned with an iron bar. George Applebe died of his injuries, but Ennis was unaware of this until he returned to Dublin. Upon reading the story in the newspaper and learning that he had killed Applebe, Ennis turned himself in. Since being sent to prison in late 1964, Ennis never applied for parole, and remained in prison until at least 2016.[1]

1970s
DateNameDeathsLocation Summary
1973Murder of Sarah Frances Fitzpatrick1Ballinasloe, County Galway Walking home from the pub and looking for easy money, 18 year-old John Joseph Kenny breaks into the home of 79 year-old Sarah Frances Fitzpatrick, not expecting her to be home. When he wakes her, he panics and bludgeons the elderly woman to death with a candlestick. Sentenced to life, he is one of Ireland's longest serving inmates.
1974Dublin and Monaghan bombings33Dublin & Monaghan, Ireland The Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974 were a series of car bombings in Dublin and Monaghan in Ireland. The attacks killed 33 civilians and wounded almost 300 – the highest number of casualties in any one day during the conflict known as the Troubles. 26 people were murdered in Dublin, 7 in Monaghan. A loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) conspiring with the British Army, claimed responsibility for the bombings in 1993. No one has ever been charged with the attacks.
1975Death of Michael J. Reynolds1Raheny, Dublin Garda Michael J. Reynolds pursued armed raiders into St. Anne's Park who had stolen £7,000. He managed to wrestle one of them to the ground, prompting the other to shoot Reynolds through the head. He was post-posthumously awarded the Scott Medal for bravery.
1976The "One Woman a Week" Murders2County Wicklow and County Mayo Two English drifters, John Shaw and Geoffrey Evans, arrive in Ireland with the intention to rape and murder one woman a week. Their first victim was Elizabeth Plunkett, a 23 year-old woman who was raped by both men before Shaw choked her to death with a shirt sleeve on Evans' orders. They were fearful that she could identify them if left alive, as had previously been the case while the men were committing sex crimes in England. The pair then moved on to 24 year-old chef Mary Duffy, who Shaw smothered with a cushion after she was raped by both men. Both were later convicted for the brutal murders and became Ireland's longest serving prisoners; Evans died at age 69 in 2012.
1977Disappearance of Mary Boyle1Ballyshannon, County Donegal 6 year-old Mary Boyle was abducted and is presumed murdered. Her body was never recovered and the perpetrator remains uncaught.
1979Murder of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Nicholas Knatchbull, Paul Maxwell & Doreen Knatchbull, Baroness Brabourne4Mullaghmore, Co.Sligo Lord Mountbatten, a British statesman and naval officer, an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and second cousin once-removed to Elizabeth II was assassinated by the IRA. Nicholas Knatchbull, his elder daughter's 14 year-old son; and Paul Maxwell, a 15 year-old crew member were killed in the blast. The Dowager Lady Brabourne was seriously injured in the explosion and died from her injuries the following day. Nicholas Knatchbull's mother and father and twin brother Timothy were seriously injured. Thomas McMahon was convicted of murder but was later released as part of the Good Friday Agreement.
Murder of Phyllis Murphy1Newbridge, County Kildare Waiting for a bus, Phyllis Murphy accepted a lift from a stranger and went missing. Her body was found three weeks later, raped and strangled. Ex-army man John Crerar was questioned in relation to the murder but soon eliminated as a suspect. However, thanks to advancements made in DNA profiling, in 2002 Crerar was found guilty of the killing based on semen found at the crime scene.

1980s
DateNameDeathsLocation Summary
1980Murder of Mary Kitt1Galway 25 year-old Michael Holohan breaks into the home of his neighbour, Mary Kitt, who he knew lived alone, in order to rob her. He awoke Kitt and attacked her with a knife, stabbing her before killing her via strangulation.
Death of Seamus Quaid1Ballyconnick, County Wexford Two Gardaí, Seamus Quaid and Donal Lyttleton, attempt to detain an IRA fugitive, Peter Rogers, who opened fire in return. Quaid was shot and killed.
1981Murder of Anne Holmes1Monasterevin, County Kildare Pregnant Anne Holmes is found dead in an apparent car accident, but it soon transpires she was the victim of a murder perpetrated by husband Harry, who had killed her in a vicious hammer attack, then arranged the scene to resemble an accident.
1982Murder of Patrick Gerard Reynolds1Tallaght, Dublin Gardaí responding to an anonymous tip regarding suspicious activity occurring at 33 Avonbeg Gardens stumble upon five armed men counting their loot from a bank robbery. Two of the men attempt to flee, and as they run down the stairs come face-to-face with 23 year-old Patrick Gerard Reynolds, an unarmed Garda. He turns to retreat back down the stairs, but is shot in the back and bleeds to death.
Murders of Bridie Gargan and Dónal Dunne2Phoenix Park, Ireland Malcolm Edward MacArthur bludgeoned nurse Bridie Gargan to death while she was sunbathing in the Phoenix Park then stole her car. Three days later, he shot and killed farmer Dónal Dunne with his own shotgun before eventually being apprehended at the residence of then-Attorney General Patrick Connolly, where MacArthur had been staying as a houseguest for some time. The incident became the subject of the phrase GUBU.
Murder of Charles Self1Monkstown, County Dublin Charles Self, a gay man from England who worked as a set designer for RTÉ, was fatally stabbed fourteen times and slashed thrice across the throat in his own home. The murder remains unsolved.
Murder of Declan Flynn1Fairview, Dublin Declan Flynn, a 31 year-old gay man, was ambushed in Fairview Park and beaten to death in a homophobic attack. Five men were charged with the murder; Tony Maher, Robert Alan Armstrong, Patrick Kavanagh, Colm Donovan, and a 14 year-old who could not be named for legal reasons. All five walked free, though Armstrong would later be jailed in 1987 for the rape of a pregnant woman. The case sparked widespread protests and is seen to be, along with the murder of Charles Self, the catalyst for the Gay Rights Movement in Ireland.
Death of Saif Salim1County Limerick, Ireland 21 year-old Libyan trainee pilot Abousef Abdussalem "Saif" Salim spends Christmas Eve at the Courtyard Bar with his girlfriend Mary King. At closing time they left to go home, but were confronted at the taxi rank by Paul Duffy, who shouted at Salim, calling him a "nigger" and a "bastard." Duffy then attacked Salim and stabbed him in the head with a screwdriver, inflicting fatal injuries. Duffy was sentenced to five years behind bars for manslaughter.
1983O'Connor's jewellery heist-Harolds Cross, Dublin, Ireland Martin Cahill, a burglar and organized crime figure, leads a robbery against O'Connor's Jewelers successfully stealing $3,000,000 in jewelry.
Murder of Denise Cox1Ennis, County Clare While waiting to meet her friends outside the Greengrove pub one August night, 20-year-old Denise Cox was stabbed to death in a vicious random attack by known criminal Francis Daley.
1985Shooting of Patrick Joseph Morrissey1Tallanstown, County Louth While chasing Michael McHugh and Noel Callaghan, two INLA members who had stolen £25,000 from the Labour Exchange in Ardee, Garda sergeant Patrick Joseph Morrissey is fatally shot. He was post-posthumously awarded the Scott Medal for bravery.
Death of Father Niall Molloy1Clara, County Offaly On the night of 8 July, Father Niall Molloy, the parish priest of Castlecoote in Roscommon, was found beaten to death in the home of Richard and Therese Flynn. Richard Flynn was tried for his murder but acquitted, and to date the crime remains unsolved.
1986The Russborough House art robbery-County Wicklow, Ireland Martin Cahill and his gang steal 18 paintings valued at $30,000,000 from the Russborough House in May 1986.
Disappearance of Philip Cairns1Rathfarnham, Dublin, Ireland 13 year-old schoolboy Philip Cairns vanishes in broad daylight while walking back to school after lunch.
1987Doyle family house fire3Kilcock, County Kildare A house fire claims the lives of 20 year-old Barbara Doyle and her two nieces, 8 year-old Mary Ellen Byrne and 3 year-old Kerrie Ann Byrne. In 2017, the Gardaí investigation into the case upgraded its status to a murder inquiry, citing new information which led them to believe the fire had been started deliberately.
1988Murder of Carol Carpenter1Tallaght, Dublin 15 year-old Carol Carpenter is found raped and strangled two days after going missing. Joseph Dowling, a friend and neighbour of Carol's brother, was convicted of her murder and committed suicide in prison in 1994.
Gillespie double murder2Sligo John Gallagher shoots his dead his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend Anne Gillespie and her 51 year-old mother Annie in the car park of Sligo General Hospital. He is found guilty but declared insane and remanded in the Central Mental Hospital. He escaped in 2000 and fled to England, then later moved back to Northern Ireland, where Irish authorities were unable to extradite him. Gallagher later returned to the Central Mental Hospital in 2012 and surrendered himself.

1990s
DateNameDeathsLocation Summary
1990Murder of Cecil Black1Dundalk, County Louth Three men; John Kelly, his brother Eugene and their friend Peter McCaffrey, visit the pub known as Cecil's Bar, but have no money to pay for their drinks. When the pub's owner, 75-year-old Cecil Black, attempts to eject them from the premises, the Kelly brothers set upon him and take him upstairs, where they tie him up and beat him before they decide to rob the pub. They kill him by crushing his head with a gas canister so as to eliminate any witnesses. At trial, McCaffrey gives evidence against the Kelly brothers in return for a lighter sentence. Eugene Kelly was eventually released from prison but soon jailed again for illegally owning a firearm.
1991Murder of Patricia O'Toole1Dublin, Ireland Walking home after a night of heavy drinking, former soldier Sean Courtney is picked up by 31 year-old Patricia O'Toole when she stops to ask him for directions, then agrees to give him a lift home. They get into a fight and he knocks her out with a punch; panicking, he drives into the Dublin Mountains, where she regains consciousness and tries to escape from the car. Courtney chases O'Toole down and bludgeons her to death with a brick.
1992The Michael Bambrick Murders2Dublin's south innercity In September 1991, cross-dressing sexual sadist Michael Bambrick suffocates his common-law wife Patricia McGauley following a bondage session. Over the following days, he dismembered her corpse and buried them in an illegal dump. In July of the following year, he meets Mary Cummins in a bar and lures her back to his home. They engage in a bondage session; during which he strangles her with a pair of tights before cutting up her body and dumping it in a field. In 1995, following an arrest for an unrelated firearms offence, Bambrick finally caves and confesses to the two killings, and ultimately served 13 years for manslaughter, being released in 2009.
1994The Cregg Wood Killings3Whitegate, County Clare After being missing for several weeks, the bodies of artist Imelda Riney and her 3 year-old son Liam were found shot to death in Cregg Wood, Co. Clare. A local curate, Father Joe Walsh was also found murdered in the same fashion in the area. A loner named Brendan O'Donnell is found guilty of the crime and later died of an overdose of heart medication in prison in 1997.
Murder of Martin Cahill1Dublin, Ireland Irish crime boss Martin Cahill, nicknamed The General, is fatally shot multiple times by an unidentified gunman while sitting in his car. The assassination is believed to have been ordered by the Provisional IRA.
1995Murder of Michael Crinnion1Cork City, Ireland Michael Crinnion, an enforcer for the O’Flynn crime family, was gunned down by a professional hitman outside the Clannad Bar in the city’s Barrack Street area, acknowledged to be the first gangland killing to take place in Cork City in April 1995.
Murder of Marilyn Rynn1Blanchardstown, Dublin Civil servant Marilyn Rynn disappears while walking home an office Christmas party. In the early days of the new year, her body is found in a local park; raped and strangled. In a historic case, the first ever use of DNA in a criminal prosecution sees local man David Lawler convicted of the random killing. Lawler is a cousin to notorious Irish sex attacker Larry Murphy.
1996Death of Paddy Daly1Doneen, Kilcummin, Killarney The body of 69 year-old farmer Patrick "Paddy" Daly is found dumped in a well. Daly had been beaten to death with an iron bar during a dispute between himself and his 75 year-old brother Sean and 22 year-old nephew Eugene.
Murder of Joyce Quinn1Milltown, County Kildare 44 year-old shop owner and mother of three Joyce Quinn picked up a hitch-hiker named Kenneth O'Reilly. He proceeded to stab her in the heart before driving her to a remote location and raping her before stabbing her again in the neck. O'Reilly would later say that he'd gone out that night with the intent to rape, and only killed Joyce to prevent her from identifying him.
Murder of Tom Nevin1Brittas Bay, Co. Wicklow Tom Nevin owner of Jack White's Inn in County Wicklow was fatally shot dead on 19 March 1996. His wife, Catherine Nevin, was convicted of the murder.
Murder of Jerry McCabe1Adare, Co. Limerick, Ireland Detective Garda Jerry McCabe was fatally shot by members of the Provisional IRA during an attempted robbery of a post office van. Pearse McAuley from Strabane and three County Limerick men – Jeremiah Sheehy, Michael O'Neill and Kevin Walsh – were convicted by the non-jury Special Criminal Court of manslaughter.
Murder of Sinead Kelly1Dublin, Ireland The body of Dublin prostitute Sinead Kelly is found on the banks of the canal. It is believed she was stabbed to death by heroin dealers after she did not pay up for drugs.
Murder of Veronica Guerin1Naas Dual Carriageway, outside Dublin, Ireland Veronica Guerin, a journalist investigating Irish drug traffickers, was shot five times and killed by two gunmen on a motorcycle while stopped at an intersection outside Dublin. A massive investigation later resulted in the arrest of over 150 suspects before the eventual extradition of drug trafficker Brian Meehan who was later convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Death of Sophie Toscan du Plantier1Cork, Ireland French film producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier is found beaten to death outside of her holiday home in Cork. Journalist Ian Bailey has been arrested twice in connection to the case, but has never been charged and the crime officially remains unsolved.
Murder of Belinda Pereira1Dublin, Ireland Belinda Pereira, an English woman of Sri Lankan descent who worked as a prostitute in Dublin, is found beaten to death in her apartment. The killer was never caught; Gardaí believe that Belinda was killed during a robbery gone wrong.
1997Grangegorman killings2Grangegorman, Dublin Sylvia Shields and Mary Callinan, patients of St. Brendan's Psychiatric Hospital, were found dead with multiple vicious stab wounds to their faces and necks. Dean Lyons confesses to the double murder but is later revealed to be an attention-hungry compulsive liar. Mark Nash, a man who had committed another double murder (that of Carl and Catherine Doyle three months after the killings at Grangegorman) soon came to prominence as another likely suspect, and was found guilty and sentenced to life in 2015 for the crime. Dean Lyons, exonerated, died of a heroin overdose in 2000.
Murder of Kitty Gubbins2Oola, County Limerick Mr. and Mrs. Gubbins, both in their 70s, were found dead at their home. Investigators discovered that Jimmy Gubbins shot his wife Kitty in the back with a shotgun before turning it on himself because he was depressed.
Killing of Noel Pyper1Limerick, Ireland 49 year-old barman Noel Pyper was attacked while walking home from work by Ray Casey. Pyper, suffering from cancer at the time, was viciously beaten to death by Casey and an accomplice, both of whom were eventually found guilty of the murder.
1998Murder of Patrick Lawlor1Clondalkin, Dublin, Ireland 18 year-old Patrick "Whacker" Lawlor was held responsible for losing a consignment of drugs which had been seized by Gardaí. He was shot and killed, his body not being recovered until 2002 when he was found buried along the canal.
Murder of Paud Skehan1O'Brien's Bridge, County Clare 68 year-old farmer Patrick "Paud" Skehan was attacked during the night by a masked home-intruder intent on robbery. He was tied up, brutally beaten, and left for dead, eventually succumbing to his injuries two months later. His killer was eventually identified as William "Willie" Campion.
1999Death of Bente Carroll1Blanchardstown, Dublin Following a two-day drinking binge, Joe Kinsella flew into a rage and attacked his Danish wife, 45 year-old Bente Carroll, and choked her to death. He also attacked ambulance men responding to the scene before being subdued. A jury clears him of murder and he is instead convicted of manslaughter.
Raonaid Murray murder case1Dún Laoghaire, Ireland Raonaid Murray, a 17 year-old girl from South Dublin, was stabbed to death in a laneway 50 yards from her home.

2000s

2000s
DateNameDeathsLocation Summary
2000Murder of Patrick Murray and Darren Carey2Kildare, Ireland In the early hours of New Year's Day, Patrick Murray (19) and Darren Carey (20) were shot and killed during a presumed drug-deal-gone-wrong before their bodies were dumped in the canal.
Murder of Nancy Nolan1Galway, Ireland Thomas Murray, a 37 year-old man on day-release from prison where he was serving a sentence for fatally stabbing an old man named William Mannion when he was just 17, visits the home of his former schoolteacher, now-retired Nancy Nolan, and bludgeons her to death with a hammer.
Killing of Brian Mulvaney1Templeogue, Dublin Following a house party, 19 year-old Brian Mulvaney is kicked to death in an attack led by Brian Willoughby.
Murder of Derek Benson1Ballymun, Dublin 33 year-old Derek Benson is hacked to death with a sword and left in his burning apartment by pub doorman Paul Hopkins. Hopkins had been hired to murder the abusive Benson by Benson's wife Jacqui Noble. Their daughter Kelly Noble would later serve a prison sentence after she stabbed Emma McLoughlin to death in a fight in a supermarket car park in 2006.
Death of Brian Murphy1Dublin, Ireland Brian Murphy is beaten to death by a gang of young men outside of the Burlington Hotel in Dublin. Only four men are charged in connection with the crime, which draws considerable media attention due to the privileged backgrounds of those involved.
Murder of Gerry McGinley1Coa, County Fermanagh Julie McGinley conspires to murder her husband Gerry and enlists the help of her lover, Michael Monaghan, who batters Gerry to death and dumps in his body in some woodland.
Murder of Rachel Kiely1Ballincollig, County Cork 22 year-old beautician Rachel Kiely leaves her house to walk her dogs in nearby Regional Park. When the dogs return home without her, a search party descends upon a park and discovers Rachel raped and strangled. The perpetrator is revealed to be her 16 year-old neighbour Ian Horgan, who is sentenced to life.
Disappearance of Trevor Deely1Dublin, Ireland Having spent the evening at a Christmas party, 22 year-old Trevor Deely leaves to walk home and is never seen again.
Killing of Susan Prakash1Monicknew, County Laois Farm worker James Conroy drives his girlfriend, 28 year-old mother of two, Susan Prakash, into the Slieve Bloom Mountains. At a popular picnic area, she asks him about his criminal history, including time spent behind bars, and asks if he is a child rapist. Conroy loses his temper and beats her to death with a wheel brace.
2001Murder of Mary Whelan1Balbriggan, County Dublin Paramedics respond to a house call where Colin Whelan claims his wife Mary Gough has fallen down the stairs. Attempts to save her life fail. Police soon discover multiple holes in Whelan's version of events and it quickly becomes clear that he had strangled his wife in cold blood. Whelan, who had previously been responsible for the death of his 61 year-old neighbour Elizabeth Murphy in 1997 when he accidentally crashed his car into hers, faked his suicide and fled to Spain, where he worked as a barman until an Irish tourist recognized him. Whelan was extradited back to Ireland and sentenced for the calculated murder of his wife.
Murder of Feng Yue and Liu Quing2Dublin, Ireland A Chinese man, Yu Jie, suspects fellow Chinese national, 19 year-old Feng Yue, of possessing a lump sum given to him by his father on his last trip home. In an attempt to steal the money, Jie strangles Yue to death and then also kills his 19 year-old girlfriend Liu Quing. The following day, he returns to the apartment where the killings had taken place, douses the bodies in petrol and sets them alight.
Murder of Adrian Bestea1Dublin, Ireland A suitcase recovered from the Royal Canal was found to contain the body of a man, eventually identified as Romanian immigrant Adrian Bestea. Bestea's abused girlfriend, Marina Sourovtzeva, was arrested and charged in connection with his murder. She revealed that she had hired three Russian and Urkanian men (Igor Derjhack and Valentine Koreluvs) to beat up Bestea as revenge for his treatment of her, but Bestea was unintentionally killed when struck over the head with a wheel brace. Sourovtzeva had been unable to report her abusive relationship to the Gardaí because she was an illegal immigrant.
Murder of Bettina Poeschel1Donore, County Meath The body of missing German journalist Bettina Poeschel was discovered in undergrowth, throttled to death. Michael Murphy, who had multiple previous convictions including for the 1983 murder of dressmaker Kitty Carroll, confessed to the killing.
Murder of Geraldine Kissane2Shannon, County Clare 32 year-old Mark Simms, a separated father-of-three, accosted his ex-girlfriend, 23 year-old Geraldine Kissane, as she left her mother's home. Carrying a shotgun, he grabbed Kissane and dragged her down an alleyway to a green area at the back of the estate, where he then shot her before taking his own life.
Murder of Sister Philomena Lyons1County Monaghan, Ireland Sister Philomena Lyons was raped and strangled with her own scarf while waiting for a bus on the grounds of her convent in the early hours of the morning. Kealon Herron was arrested and charged with her murder.
2002Death of Paddy Pepper1St. Stephen's Green, Dublin While spending the night drinking in St. Stephen's Green park, three friends get into a vicious physical altercation. Robert Whelan watches helplessly as the incident escalates and ends in the death of 40 year-old Patrick "Paddy" Pepper who is kicked and stamped until he is dead on the Wolf Tone Monument by Thomas Corway. Corway is subsequently jailed for manslaughter.
Murder of Nichola Sweeney1Rochestown, County Cork Peter Whelan broke into the home of his neighbours the Sweeneys. 20 year-old student Nichola Sweeney and her friend Sinead O'Leary were at home, preparing to go out, when Whelan burst in and attacked them in a frenzied knife attack. Sweeney died of her wounds and Whelan was sentenced to life for her murder.
"She-Devil" case1Dublin, Ireland Andy Foley bumps into Christina Williams in a pub and they return to his flat, where she proceeds to stab him 13 times with 3 knives before pouring a kettle of boiling water over Foley as he lay bleeding to death on the floor. She was subsequently dubbed the "She-Devil" in the media.
Death of Declan O'Neill1Knockylon, Dublin Dolores O'Neill stabbed her husband Declan 21 times and struck him 26 times with a plumber's hammer. She claimed her husband was an abusive alcoholic, but the coroner's report shows no signs Declan O'Neill was a heavy drinker.
Murder of Mook Ah Moi1Tallaght, Dublin Malaysian-born Haw Yong Lamhin learns that his ex-girlfriend Fui Ling Pang was going to France with another man. He is told this by her mother, 49 year-old Mook Ah Moi, causing Lamhin to fly into a rage and strangle Moi with a cord. When confronted by Gardaí, Lamhin jumped into the Liffey to escape but was apprehended and sentenced to prison.
Murder of Alan Higgins1Coolock Dublin Ireland Teenager Alan Higgins was fatally stabbed by Christopher Dunne following an altercation between the two which also involved Dunne's friends Michael Maher and Anthony Whelan. The crime occurred on a pathway just outside of the UCI (now Odeon) complex where Higgins had spent the evening playing pool with his girlfriend at the Leisure Plex.
Murder of Brian Fitzgerald1Limerick, Ireland Brian Fitzgerald, a nightclub bouncer from Limerick city was fatally shot at his Corbally home in the early hours of 29 November 2002 after returning home from work. Fitzgerald who had no connections to the notorious Limerick feud was murdered after he refused to allow drug dealers – connected to the McCarthy-Dundon gang - access to Doc’s nightclub in Limerick. James Martin Cahill who was paid €10,000 for the killing and Gary Campion were sentenced to life in prison.
2003Murder of Darragh Conroy1County Laois, Ireland Teenager Darren Goodwin planned to murder his father but changed his mind and instead attacked 14 year-old Darragh Conroy, hammering him to death in an empty field.
2004Murder of Dolores McRea1County Donegal, Ireland Gary McRea strangled his wife Dolores and burned her body in his back garden.
Murder of Rachel O'Reilly1Naul, Co. Dublin Rachel O'Reilly, a 30 year-old mother of two was found fatally beaten in her Dublin home in 2004. Her husband Joe O'Reilly was convicted for the murder and is serving his sentence in Portlaoise Prison.
Death of Frog Ward1County Mayo, Ireland In a highly controversial case, Pádraig Nally was charged with manslaughter and imprisoned for the killing of traveller John "Frog" Ward, who was shot dead for trespassing on Nally's farmland. Nally's conviction was later overturned and he was released.
Disappearance of Patrick Lawlor1Darndale, County Dublin 24 year-old Patrick Lawlor vanished after leaving his home in Darndale.
Murder of Suzanna Mulder1Dunshaughlin, County Meath Colleen Suzanna Mulder is found strangled to death in the upstairs bedroom of her home she shared with her husband and six children. Her South African husband, Anton Mulder, is found guilty of her murder.
2005Death of Robert Holohan1County Cork, Ireland Robert Holohan disappeared in January 2005 after going out for a bike ride. His body was found eight days later, Robert having been killed by neighbour and friend, 20 year-old student Wayne O'Donoghue.
The Scissor Sisters case1Dublin, Ireland Linda and Charlotte Mulhall stabbed and dismembered their mother's boyfriend, Kenyan immigrant Farah Swaleh Noor.
Murder of Irene White1Dundalk, Louth 43 year-old mother-of-three Irene White is found by her mother Maureen McBride, stabbed to death. The killer, Anthony Lambe, was finally brought to justice more than ten years later, receiving a life sentence in January 2018.
Sharon Grace familicide3Barntown, County Wexford Suffering from mental health problems, 28 year-old mother of three Sharon Grace walked into the ocean at Kaats Strand while holding the hands of her two youngest children, 4 year-old Mikahla and 3 year-old Abby, drowning all three of them.
Murder of Regina O'Connor1Blackrock, Dublin Rwandan immigrant Regina O'Connor was beaten and stabbed to death by her own son Moses. Moses, a severe drug addict, was weeks shy of turning 25 when he learned that his mother's will stated he would get his inheritance only when he was drug free.
2006Murder of Siobhan Kearney1Goatstown, Dublin On the morning of his 49th birthday, Brian Kearney strangled his wife Siobhan to death with a vacuum cord and arranged the scene to make the death look like a suicide.
Murder of Denis Donaldson1Classey, Glenties, Co. Donegal Denis Donaldson, a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and a member of Sinn Féin was murdered following his exposure in December 2005 as an informer of MI5 and the Special Branch of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. It was initially believed that the Provisional IRA were responsible for his killing although the Real IRA claimed responsibility for his murder almost 3 years later.
2007Monageer Tragedy4Monageer, County Wexford Driven to desperation by mounting debt, Ciara and Adrian Dunne make the decision to kill their children and then themselves. On 23 April, 5 year-old Leanne Dunne and 3 year-old Shania are smothered to death by their parents. Adrian then beats and strangles Ciara before hanging himself.
Murder of Jean Gilbert1Castleknock, Dublin David Bourke stabs his wife Jean Gilbert to death with a kitchen knife in front of their three children.
Murder of Manuela Riedo1Galway, Ireland Manuela Riedo, a 17 year-old student from Switzerland was raped and strangled by Gerald Barry. The Swiss student had only arrived in Galway 3 days before she was murdered. Barry was later convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Murder of Paul Quinn1Tullycoora, near Oram, County Monaghan Northern Irish man Paul Quinn was lured to a farm near Oram in County Monaghan by a group of ten or more men, who savagely beat him with iron bars, breaking every major bone in his body. He died in hospital a few hours after the attack. The chief suspects in the case are local elements of the IRA.
Murder of Sylvia Roche-Kelly1Limerick, Ireland Following a chance meeting in a Limerick nightclub while celebrating her 33rd birthday, Jerry McGrath brought mother-of-two Sylvia Roche-Kelly back to his hotel room, where he beat and strangled her, leaving her naked body face down in the bathtub.
2008Murder of Marioara Rostas1Unknown location between Dublin and Wicklow 18 days after arriving in Ireland, Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas gets into the car of a stranger while begging for money on Pearse Street. In January 2012, her body is found in a shallow grave in the Wicklow Mountains. She had been raped multiple times and tortured before being shot in the head four times.
Double murder of Pavel Kalite and Marius Szwaijkos2Dublin, Ireland Two Polish immigrants, Pavel Kalite (28) and Marius Szwaijkos (27), are attacked by 17 year-old David Curran, who stabs both men repeatedly in the head with a screwdriver, killing them.
Killing of Paul Manley1Priorswood, Coolock, County Dublin Paul Manley's car was stolen by a group of thieves. Several days later he confronted a gang of men he believed responsible and a fight broke out, during which Mark Morgan stabbed Manley through the head with a screwdriver, fatally wounding him.
Murder of Shane Geoghegan1Limerick, Ireland Shane Geoghegan, a 28 year-old Limerick native was shot dead in a case of mistaken identity. The murder coincided with an escalation in gangland violence between rival gangs in an ongoing Limerick feud. 23 year-old Barry Doyle from Portland Row, Dublin was charged with the murder and sentenced to life in prison. John Dundon from Limerick City, was also charged with the murder and sentenced to life in prison in 2012
Operation Seabight—County Cork, Ireland Seizure of up to €750 million of cocaine off the West Cork coast in November 2008. A 60 foot (18 m) yacht containing more than seventy bales of the substance was seized by a team of European anti-drugs agencies led by the Irish authority forces. Three men were also apprehended and later each was sentenced to ten years in jail.
Death of Celine Cawley1Howth, Ireland During a violent argument, Eamonn Lillis fatally struck his wife Celina Cawley with a brick at their home in Howth. Cawley was a former model who had appeared in the 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill.
Whelan family murders3Windgap, County Kilkenny On Christmas morning 2008, Brian Hennessy enters the home of 30 year-old Sharon Whelan. Hennessy claims that they had sex, but others believe he raped her. To cover up whatever did transpire, Hennessy strangled Whelan to death in her bedroom, then burned down her house to further eliminate evidence of the crime. Whelan's two daughters; 7 year-old Zara and 2 year-old Nadia, who were fast asleep at the time of the killing, perish in the fire.
2009Murder of Anne Corcoran1West Cork, Ireland Painter-decorator Oliver Hayes, deeply in debt, kidnaped and tortured 60 year-old widow Anne Corcoran in order to obtain her bank account details. Once he retrieved the information, he savagely beat her to death with a piece of timber, buried her body in the woods, and used her savings to pay for a skiing holiday in Austria.
Murder of Roy Collins1Limerick, Ireland Roy Collins, a 35 year-old Limerick native was gunned down at the family owned business in April 2009. Collins who had no involvement in the ongoing Limerick feud was targeted after giving evidence against known Limerick criminals following an earlier incident. The murder prompted Roy's father, Steve to campaign for tougher laws to deal with gangland violence in Ireland. Wayne Dundon and Nathan Killeen, both from Limerick, have been charged with the murder. The Collins family have since fled Limerick under a witness protection programme.
Bank of Ireland robbery-College Green branch of the Bank of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland €7.6 million is stolen in a tiger kidnapping from a branch of the Bank of Ireland. So far seven people have been arrested and €4 million of the stolen money found scattered throughout Dublin.

2010s
DateNameDeathsLocation Summary
2010Stabbing of Toyosi Shittabey1Tyrrelstown, Dublin Nigerian teenager Toyosi Shittabey, age 15, was fatally stabbed during an altercation with brothers Paul and Michael Barry. On the morning of the murder trial, Paul Barry, who had inflicted the wound which killed Shittabey, was found dead, and Michael Barry was later acquitted. The case invoked widespread outcry relating to racism in Ireland.
Murder of Michaela Davis1Dublin, Ireland Michaela Davis, a 12 year-old girl, is found raped and strangled to death by the royal canal at the hands of her secret boyfriend, 18 year-old Jonathan Byrne.
Murder of Lukasz Rzeszutko1Coolock, Dublin Polish immigrant Lukasz Rzeszutko was attacked and violently beaten by three youths outside of his workplace while on his way to work. He received traumatic head injuries and died two days later in hospital. Martin Morgan, who "danced" on the victim's head, is convicted of murder, while his cousins Edward Byrne and Stephen Byrne are sentenced for manslaughter. Morgan is the younger brother Paul Manley's killer Mark Morgan.
Murder of James Kenny McDonagh1Dublin, Ireland James Kenny McDonagh went missing. His body was discovered in a shallow grave in the Dublin Mountains two years later. He had been shot in the back of the head in a presumed gangland murder.
Butler family murder-suicide3Ballycotton, County Cork Having been out of full-time work for more than a year and suffering from depression, 43 year-old John Butler strangles his 6 year-old daughter Zoe and suffocates 2 year-old Ella before dousing himself petrol and intentionally driving his car into a ditch, causing the fuel tank to explode and kill him in a fireball.
2011Murder of David Byrne1Inchicore, Dublin A gang of youths lures 19 year-old David Byrne to a fake meeting using text messages pretending to be a girl. The gang then chases Byrne into a nearby apartment complex, when he is soon cornered in a dead end and stabbed nine times in the face and back by 17 year-old Marcus Kirwan.
Murder of Gavin O'Connor1Carrickmacross, County Monaghan While attending a music festival, 22 year-old musician Gavin O'Connor decides to get some sleep in the back of his car. 19 year-old Conor McClelland steals the car, McClelland beats Gavin around the head and face with four rocks one the size of a fist and three the size of a shoe, Mc Clelland then runs Gavin over with Gavin's own car and kills him to make the entire incident look like a hit-and-run.

Mc Clelland was convicted of murder in February 2014 and sentenced to Life imprisonment.

Murder of Bobby "Mr Moonlight" Ryan 1 Fownagown, County Tipperary Ryan's body was found in a water tank on his farm.
2012Murder of Melanie McCarthy McNamara1County Dublin 19 year-old Daniel McDonnell is given a life sentence for the drive-by shooting of Melanie McCarthy McNamara.
Murder of Elaine O'Hara1Remains found in Kilakee, near the Dublin Mountains, Ireland Architect Graham Dwyer lured childcare worker Elaine O'Hara to a local park and stabbed her to death. Her body was discovered by a dogwalker in the Dublin Mountains almost a year later.
2013Murder of Adrian Donohoe1Bellurgan, Jenkinstown County Louth, Ireland Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was fatally shot by an armed gang of five men during a robbery on a credit union while on duty. Donohoe and his colleague Detective Garda Joe Ryan were on a routine two-person cash escort on the evening of his murder. The suspects are believed to be part of a large criminal gang with links to illegal Republican paramilitary and terror organisations, operating in the border region. No charges have yet been brought, the investigation is ongoing.
Death of Dean Fitzpatrick1Dublin, Ireland Dean Fitzpatrick, brother of the missing Amy Fitzpatrick, was stabbed to death by his own stepfather Dave Mahon.
Murders of Jack and Tommy Blaine2Castlebar, Co. Mayo, Ireland Brothers Jack and Tommy Blaine, were found dead following a violent attack in July 2013 in their Castlebar home. 26 year-old Alan Cawley was arrested and charged with the double murder.
Chada family double-murder2Ballintubber, County Mayo Sanjeev Chada, a Northern Irish-born man of Indian descent, fears an impending separation from his wife Kathleen on account of his gambling habits, which had previously led to him embezzling €56,000 from local community funds. Not wanting for their two children, Eoghan (age 10) and Ruairi (age 5), to grow up in a broken home, Chada tells his wife he is taking them bowling, but instead strangles them both before attempting to commit suicide by deliberately crashing his car. He is arrested and charged with murder.
House of Horrors case2Bandon, County Cork 42 year-old Englishman John Forrester instigates a row between himself, his ex-girlfriend Catherine O'Connor, and her Romanian boyfriend Ciprian Grozavu by claiming that he is still in love O'Connor. The situation quickly escalates and ends in the torture and murder of Forrester. The following day, 27 year-old Jonathan Duke discovers the blood-covered flat where the crime took place, and is subsequently strangled to death by O'Connor.
Murder of Christopher Gaffney1Co. Meath, Ireland Drug dealer Christopher Gaffney was stabbed and dismembered in a suspected gangland killing. His body parts were discovered on far
2014Murder of Tom O'Gorman1Castleknock, County Dublin Landlord Tom O'Gorman is brutally stabbed to death and partially eaten by his tenant, an Italian man called Saverio Bellante.
O'Driscoll family murder3Charleville, County Cork 21 year-old Jonathan O'Driscoll, already suffering from intense depression and mental health issues, learns that he was adopted. Days later, he collects his adoptive 9 year-old twin brothers, Patrick and Thomas, from school early, drives them home, and stabs them to death. He is later found dead on the banks of the River Awbeg in Buttevant, 15 kilometers away.
2015Murder of Mark Burke1Ballyfermot, Dublin, Ireland Homeless man Mark Burke's dismembered remains were found in a recycling plant.
Murder of Tony Golden2Omeath, County Louth A dissident republican shot a Garda and a civilian before shooting himself. He died along with the Garda.
2016Murder of Kenneth O'Brien1Kildare, Ireland The dismembered corpse of Kenneth O'Brien was found in a suitcase recovered from the Grand Canal. Paul Wells was arrested for his murder, with Wells' son being charged with helping his father to dispose of the chainsaw used in the killing.
Regency Hotel shooting1Santry, Dublin A gangland shooting. One person was killed, two wounded when gunmen disguised as Gardaí entered the Regency Hotel and opened fire.
Murder of Michael McCoy1Dublin Mountains, near Brittas Environmentalist activist Michael McCoy was found beaten to death while walking his dogs in the Dublin Mountains. One of his dogs, Fia, was subsequently found dead in the same area. His murder is believed to have resulted from his conservationism.
Hawe Familicide5Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan 40 year-old primary school vice principal Alan Hawe murdered his wife Clodagh (39) and their sons Liam (14), Niall (11) and Ryan (6) in their Co. Cavan home before killing himself on the morning of 29 August.
2017Killing of Patricia O'Connor1Wicklow Mountains The dismembered remains of 61 year-old Patricia O'Connor were found scattered along a road in the Wicklow Mountains. Several people have been arrested in connection with the death, which is believed to have occurred after O'Connor was struck over the head with a blunt instrument during an argument.
Murder of Rosie Hanrahan1Thomondgate, County Limerick A suspected burglary-gone-wrong ends in the death of 78-year-old pensioner Rosie Hanrahan who is tied up and then strangled by intruders in her own home. The chief suspect is an unnamed Eastern European man with a history of sex offences who fled from Limerick to France a short time after the murder occurred.
2018Dundalk stabbings1Dundalk, County Louth A series of stabbing attacks occur in Dundalk, attributed to 18-year-old Mohamed Morei. Two Irish men are wounded in the rampage, while a Japanese man, 24-year-old Yosuke Sasaki, is killed. The attack is initially suspected to be a terrorist incident but this was later ruled out by Gardaí.
Murder of Ana Kriégel1Lucan, Dublin 14-year-old schoolgirl Anastasia 'Ana' Kriégel was reported missing after she did not return home from St. Catherine's Park in Leixlip. Three days later, her naked body was found in a derelict farmhouse in Lucan; she had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death. Two 14-year-old boys who remain unidentified for legal reasons have been convicted of her murder.
Abduction of Jastine Valdez2Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow 24 year-old student Jastine Valdez was abducted and murdered by 40 year-old Mark Hennessy on 19 May, Hennessy was shot dead a day later by Garda officers and Valdez's body was found in Rathmichael, Co Dublin.  
2019Murder of Timmy Hourihane1Cork City, Ireland Gardaí believe that a 53-year-old homeless man killed in Cork was the victim of a spontaneous attack by possibly more than one person, rather than a planned assault. Timmy Hourihane

Further reading
  • Kerrigan, Gene. Hard Cases: True Stories of Irish Crime. Gill & Macmillan, 2005. ISBN 978-0-7171-3862-3

References
  1. "A lifetime behind bars - the killers who are our longest-serving prisoners". independent.ie. Independent News & Media. 25 March 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
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