108 - Bonus: Rebecca French

For fans of true crime like the loyal and dedicated listeners of Mens Rea, we want to recommend a new Irish series that I think you’ll really appreciate. It’s called Lines of Enquiry, a brand new GoLoud Original hosted by former Garda forensic detective John Sweetman. Across eight episodes, John draws on his decades of experience inside the Garda Technical Bureau to explore some of Ireland’s most fascinating investigations from murders to mysterious disappearances. He brings a rare perspective to the genre, showing how forensic science and detailed investigative work uncover the truth. Lines of Enquiry is available now on the GoLoud app and wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Tuesday. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3EzGXohKAgAo9iu9ADiHgU?si=oTnSuNyoRsePnLBeK9iSag

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.

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. PLEASE NOTE - For some reason - possibly autocorrect - I mention the "Skylark Hotel" in Dublin. No such hotel exists. What I meant to say was the Skylon Hotel. I was half right? Sorry guys! My bad. Theme Song: Quinn's Song: First Dance by Kevin McLeod Sources: “The Devil is in the Detail”, in Broadsheet.ie https://www.broadsheet.ie/2016/page/382/ 22 June 2016 “Public servant and pillar of the church. guilty of the nation’s most gruesome ever ritual murder” from The Mail on Sunday https://dialogueireland.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/public-servant-and-pillar-of-the-church-guilty-of-the-nations-most-gruesome-ever-ritual-murder/ 14 August 2011 David Malone, The Boy in the Attic (Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing, 2011) Purchase here

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? Music: Kevin McLeod, Quinns Song : The Dance Begins. (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sources: “What Happened in Bunratty?” Episode 29 Scannal (RTE, 26/09/2016) Available here: https://www.rte.ie/player/series/the-scannal-collection/SI0000004189?epguid=IH000338537 The History of Shannon Airport https://www.shannonproperties.ie/shannon-region/the-history-of-shannon-airport/ Bunratty Castle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunratty_Castle www.bunrattycastle.ie Economic History of the Republic of Ireland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_the_Republic_of_Ireland#1980_to_early_1990s Derek Dunne, “The Death of Patrick Nugent” from Magill https://magill.ie/archive/death-patrick-nugent (12 June 1985) Simon Carswell, “Who 'clocked' Patrick Nugent? A family still searches for answers” in The Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/who-clocked-patrick-nugent-a-family-still-searches-for-answers-1.3107557 (5 June 2017) Dan Danaher, “Patrick Nugent's family secures state inquiry into his death in 1984” in The Irish Examiner https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/patrick-nugents-family-secures-state-inquiry-into-his-death-in-1984-373317.html (28 December 2015) Dan Danaher, “Family fury over death inquiry delay” in The Clare Champion https://clarechampion.ie/family-fury-over-death-inquiry-delay/ (11 September 2015) Owen Ryan, “Death in Bunratty and the long search for answers” in The Clare Champion https://clarechampion.ie/family-fury-over-death-inquiry-delay/ ( (29 July 2019) http://www.section42inquiries.ie/en/s42i/pages/si1992017 Anne Sheridan, “Suspicious death in Bunratty ow under review 33 years on” in The Limerick Leader https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/253965/suspicious-death-in-bunratty-now-under-review-33-years-on.html (8 June 2017) “Nugent case goes to UN Committee” in The Clare Champion http://clarechampion.ie/nugent-case-goes-to-un-committee/ (4 February 2016) Ray Ryan, “'Isn't he the image of Honey Fitz” in The Irish Examiner https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/isnt-he-the-image-of-honey-fitz-234702.html (21 June 2013) Caroline O'Doherty, “Reviews into Garda malpractice claims are pointless, say victims” in The Irish Examiner https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/reviews-into-garda-malpractice-claims-are-pointless-say-victims-378790.html (29 January 2016)

This episode was originally published as a Patreon exclusive on 2 June 2019. This is our first bonus episode to take place outside of Ireland, but involves an Irish couple living and working in Australia. Tina Cahill and David 'Motcha' Walsh met in Sydney after they both moved in 2013. Their relationship was turbulent and marked with violent incidents. They got engaged in late 2016, but only months later, David Walsh was dead. You'll hear the word "allegedly" throughout this episode, as David wasn't around in court to tell his side of the story relating to his behaviour in their relationship. Music: Kevin McLeod, Quinns Song : The Dance Begins. (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ For a full list of sources, please see menreapod.com