MEG’S DAUGHTER STILL HOPES FOR JUSTICE

“I still hold out hope that someday something will happen and my mother’s killer will be caught,” the daughter of murder victim Meg Walsh told The Avondhu following the inquest into her mother’s death in Waterford this week.

Sasha Keating, 19, said that she had every confidence that the gardai were still working hard at solving her mother’s killing, describing those involved in the case as ‘brilliant.’

“They are still working hard,” Sasha, a student at UCC, said of the gardai, “They have done everything they can and have been great to us throughout.”

A jury this week returned a verdict of death due to blunt force trauma to the head in the inquest into the death of Margaret ‘Meg’ Walsh, a native of Killavullen who was killed just over two years ago.

Her naked body was found in the River Suir in Waterford, where she lived with her husband John O’Brien, in October 2006 two weeks after she was reported missing by concerned colleagues.

At the inquest in Waterford Coroner’s Court state pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy said the nature of Ms Walsh’s injuries suggested that she died quickly but that it was possible that she was alive, though unconscious, when her body was put into the water.

Despite the obvious difficulties in hearing the evidence this week, Sasha said the inquest was fairly quick and tolerable considering she had heard all the evidence previously. Last May a jury at the Central Criminal Court acquitted Mr O’Brien of his wife’s murder.

For many teenagers the final year of secondary school proves to be the most stressful period in a young person’s short life, but at 17 years old Sasha managed to complete her final year in Loreto Secondary School, Fermoy despite her mother’s death and the subsequent search for Ms Walsh’s killer coinciding with her Leaving Cert.

This, Sasha says, was due in no small part to the ‘fantastic’ support she received from the staff at the school.

“My teachers at the time sent me letters of support and Mrs Ryan (Loreto Secondary School Principal) called me to see how I was coping. They were fantastic,” Sasha said.

Echoing the call her uncle James Walsh made after the inquest for Meg Walsh’s killer to find it in themselves to come forward, Sasha remains full of hope that some day justice will be served on whoever took her mother’s life.

GAME ON

- “No reason to believe that a Cork team will not be there” -

St Colman’s College, Fermoy have received official written confirmation from the Cork County Board that this Sunday’s hurling match between an All Star selection of St Colman’s past pupils and Cork will go ahead.

“We have no reason to believe that a Cork team will not be there,” Gus Kelleher of St Colman’s College said this week.

“We have official written confirmation that the match goes ahead and that a Cork selection will be available to play. We are now looking forward to using this occasion to bring past pupils together, either at the match or at the reception in The Grand Hotel after the game to celebrate the school’s hurling tradition, in particular the last 15 years in which we have won 6 Harty Cups. It is impossible to invite all our past pupils individually to this occasion but each and everyone of them are welcome and we hope to see them on the day,” he added.

The fixture, which long looked in doubt due to the ongoing strike by the Cork senior panel over the reappointment of Gerald McCarthy, seemed all but cancelled following rumours that the GAA’s Central Council Competition committee had deemed the game in violation of the ban on inter county games in November. Those fears were unfounded however, and the much anticipated match is now set to take place this Sunday at Pairc Mhic Ghearailt, Fermoy at 2.30 pm.

“Over the past six months we have invested a considerable amount of time and energy in preparing for this event. As part of this preparation we have commissioned a special set of jerseys based on the old-style St. Colman’s green-and-white hoops. We have also compiled a souvenir programme which will detail the St. Colman’s hurling story,” a statement from St Colman’s College read.

Mr Kelleher added that the Souvenir programme will include pictures of St Colman’s teams from every decade since the 1920s.

Admission is free for schoolchildren, €10.00, general admission and €5 for students and OAPs. The Castlelyons Pipe Band will provide music on the day.

Among the players to line out for the St Colman’s selection are Mark Landers, Fergal McCormack, Timmy McCarthy, Neil Ronan, Brian Murphy (Cork), Andrew O’Shaughnessy, Maurice O’Brien, Pat Kirby (Limerick), Stephen Molumphy, James Murray, Eoin Murphy, Aidan Kearney (Waterford) and Barry Murphy (Clare), as well as a host of other top players who have distinguished themselves in the St Colman’s colours in the past.

‘ME OH MY’ – LATE JOE STILL MAKES MAGS SIGH

‘There’s no show like a Joe show’, so said Mitchelstown’s number one mega fan Mags Keating who was this week basking in the afterglow following a visit to RTE for the recording of a tribute to the Mullingar songster.

Mags who is the proud owner of Joe Dolan’s hip bone was invited to take part in The Late Late Show Joe Dolan special which is to be broadcast over the Christmas period. Mags is a lifelong fan of Joe Dolan and brought the hip bone after seeing the performer on the Podge and Rodge show where he spoke about his hip replacement operation.

“The hip bone was put on eBay to be auctioned for charity so I brought it, I paid €680 but I would have paid a lot more,” said Mags.

The Late Late Show invited Mags and her friends Bridget Cummins and Sally Dalton to join Joe’s family and other showbiz personalities for a night to celebrate Joe Dolan’s life and music. Shane McGowan, Johnny Logan, Niamh Kavanagh and Paul Brady were just some of the stars that sang tributes to Joe. The panel also included Ben Dolan (Joe’s brother) Eamon Dunphy, Maxi and Father Brian D’Arcy.

“It was a great night and it was a brilliant way to honour Joe and his music,” Mags told The Avondhu. The show will be broadcast on RTE1 on Saturday, December 27.

RENTAL SECTOR SUFFERS BADLY IN MITCHELSTOWN

Nationwide the property sector continues to feel the effects of the economic downturn. With reports of more rental units (apartments, industrial and retail) vacant across the country and a 3% drop in rents, economists agree the industry is set to suffer further.

Nowhere is this more evident than in Mitchelstown where there has been an increase in the amount of property available in the rental sector.

The new 300,000sq.ft. commercial park at Coolnanave offers 10 buildings, an 80-room hotel, a car showroom and offices while the Sutton Court development at a prime location in the centre of the town incorporates both retail and housing accommodation. Both developments are, to a large degree, more or less empty.

Pat Landers of DNG Dorgan Landers Auctioneers told The Avondhu, “The commercial park at Coolnanave is a 20 acre site and there are a few units that have been taken but it is tough going with the way the economy is at the moment. The hotel and the car showroom are still vacant but we are hopeful for the future.

“The site isn’t finished yet but we are confident that we will see the Mitchelstown Business Park up and running. As for Sutton’s Court, the matter is in the hands of Cluid and Cork County Council. I have no update about this development or when we are likely to see the units occupied.”

The Cluid Housing Association along with the county council is responsible for the allocation and management of affordable and social housing. It is understood that Cluid have taken all the apartments and housing in the Sutton’s Court development to provide social and affordable housing in Mitchelstown. A spokesperson for Cluid was not available to comment as to when these units would be issued to people on their waiting list.

A spokesperson for Cork County Council confirmed that while there are people on the waiting list for housing in the North Cork area at the moment the council has houses under offer and available.

MITCHELSTOWN POISON ALERT

- “Animal will drown in its own blood” -

Gardai are investigating a spate of sinister pet poisonings in the Mitchelstown area, which has left over a dozen dogs dead, and many more requiring veterinary attention.

The gardai have appealed to the public for help in catching the pet killer, “This is a very serious matter not only for pets but if the poison was picked up by a child there could be fatal consequences,” Sergeant Aidan Dunne told The Avondhu.

Mitchelstown vet Sandra Spratt is convinced that the animals are being targeted deliberately. Ms Spratt said that dog owners have found meat laced with rat poison and slug pellets, which had been thrown into their gardens.

“These dogs are being targeted in their own home, this is not a case of dogs picking up poison on some farmers’ land, and I just can’t understand it. These dogs are not wandering loose, they are not harassing people or animals. There is no reason for pets to be targeted like this,” Ms Spratt said this week.

The pets that all lived in the Marshalstown area of Mitchelstown died agonising and painful deaths.

“The poison causes the animal to literally drown in its own blood, if a child was to ingest this poison the outcome could be fatal,” confirmed Ms Spratt.

Gardai have called to households in the area and are warning them to keep a close eye on their pets. A poisoned dog will vomit to try and clear the poison from its system and can be saved if it is given medical attention immediately.

Anyone with information should contact Mitchelstown gardai at 025-84833.

COMMUNITIES UNITED IN GRIEF

St Patrick’s Church, Fermoy and The Holy Cross Church in Glanworth were packed to capacity last weekend as North Cork communities mourned the deaths of John McManus and Denis Nolan.

The body of John McManus was found on Thursday, November 6 in an open area close to the village of Ballyduff, near Listowell, Co. Kerry. Gardai in Cork had been searching for Mr McManus after he was reported missing from his home in the city.

Youghal-based priest Fr Patrick Winkle, who became acquainted with the McManus family when he served in Fermoy, celebrated the requiem Mass for the 25 year old, who gardai believe was murdered in his flat on Wellington Road.

Fr Winkle recalled a ‘twinkle in the eye’ of a young John McManus during his time as an alter boy in the church and spoke of his sense of humour and kindness, especially to his late grandmother. John McManus was laid to rest in Kilcrumper Cemetery and is survived by parents Pat and Geraldine, sisters Ciara and Mary and brother Conor.

Requiem Mass for Denis “Dinny” Nolan was held the following day, Saturday November 15, at The Holy Cross Church in Glanworth.

Two men in their 20s from the Glanworth area, arrested in connection with an alleged assault on Mr Nolan two weeks before he died, have been released without charge. A file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Gardai believe that Denis Nolan, who worked as a lorry driver, was set upon by a group of young men on Glanworth’s Main Street during the early hours of bank holiday Monday, October 27.

Despite initially going to work the next day, Mr Nolan started to feel unwell and it was subsequently discovered that he had a brain hemorrhage. The 26 year old was transferred to Cork University Hospital where he was put on a life support machine, however his condition did not improve and he passed away on Sunday, November 10.

Denis Nolan was laid to rest in St Dominic’s Cemetery and is survived by his father Denis, mother Mary, sisters Elizabeth and Pearl, brother Paul and baby nephew Ryan.

Gardai in Fermoy are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the alleged assault on Denis Nolan on the Main Street Glanworth on 27th October 2008 at approximately 1.30am to contact Fermoy garda station on 025-82100 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666-111.