Breaking News
Man found guilty of manslaughter of Oughterard publican
Galway Bay fm newsroom – A man has been found guilty of the manslaughter of an Oughterard publican and schoolteacher who was beaten to death at his bar in 2011.
The body of 56-year-old, John Kenny was discovered at Kenny’s Bar, Main Street, Oughterard on September 25th 2011 by his wife and daughter.
When discovered by his wife Kathleen and daughter Gillian in the ladies toilets at Kenny’s Bar, John Kenny was lying face down with his hands tightly bound; he had suffered a violent and sustained assault.
His injuries included fractured ribs, a shattered shoulder blade, extensive muscle and soft tissue damage as well as damage to his forearms, wrists and hands.
Today at Galway Circuirt Court, a jury of 7 men and 4 women returned a guilty verdict against 24 year-old Marian Lingurar Jnr., a Romanian native with an address at Blackpool, Co. Cork.
In statements given to Gardaí in the days following the killing, he told Gardaí he left the premises at 1am and arrived back home in Claregalway at 1.40am, where he says he remained for the rest of the night.
However, it was the prosecutions case that he returned to Oughterard at around 2.20am, as part of a plan involving several people, to steal from John Kenny and commit violence if necessary.
During the trial, evidence was given that extensive mobile phone data placed Lingurar Jnr. – and others involved in this plan – in Oughterard between 2.20am and 3am on the night.
Marian Lingurar Jnr was also today found guilty of a second charge of trespass with intent to commit an offence.
He’s due to appear back before Galway Circuit Court on Wednesday the 8th of May, when probation and governance reports will be presented, as well as victim impact statements.
Following the verdict, John Kenny’s widow Kathleen and daughter Gillian declined to speak, though expressed a wish to acknowledge and praise the tireless work of Gardaí, the prosecution, and “all those behind the scenes” during the course of the investigation.
This is the first time someone has been convicted over the killing of John Kenny over 7 years ago – but it is not the end of the investigation.
Two men – Florin Fitzpatrick and Marian Lingurar Snr. – have previously been jailed for withholding information in the case; the state also withdrew a manslaughter charge against Marian Lingurar Snr.
However, during the trial, Detective Garda Henry Burke gave evidence that Gardaí are still actively seeking two other men for questioning.
One of these men is Vasile Muntean, who was at Kenny’s Bar that night and communicated extensively with Marian Lingurar Jnr via mobile phone between the hours of 10pm and 3am.
The other was named as a Mr. Rostas, but the whereabouts of both men is unknown.
The death has occurred of the former Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Martin Drennan, six years after he announced his retirement on health grounds. He was aged 78.
The Galway Diocesan Office confirmed the death this (Saturday) afternoon of the Bishop and Apostolic Administrator Emeritus, who oversaw the Diocese for eleven years.
Born on January 2, 1944 in Piltown, County Kilkenny, he studied for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, from where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. His brother Michael is also a priest.
Following his ordination, he continued his studies in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in both sacred theology and sacred scripture. He returned to Rome in 1980 to become spiritual director at the Pontifical Irish College for the next five years.
He became a lecturer in sacred scripture at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where he continued to teach until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin in 1997 with responsibility for East Wicklow and South Dublin.
Following the retirement of Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Drennan was appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora and he was installed on July 3, 2005 in Galway Cathedral.
Outgoing Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) is on course to retain her City Council seat – and top the poll in City East.
With 33% of the boxes tallied, Cllr O’Flaherty is polling strongly, particularly in Renmore.
Michael John Crowe is ahead of his running mate Alan Cheevers for the Fianna Fáil vote, according to the early figures, although that could change when Doughiska and Roscam boxes are opened.
The Green Party’s Claire Hillery is on about 7%, with Fine Gael on 10% and Sinn Fein on 5%.
The opening of boxes for the local elections began at 9am this morning in Leisureland when the tallymen (and women) kicked into gear.
As regards the Galway County Council elections, the smaller areas are being opened first which means that the four-seater Connemara North boxes will be first in the pecking order.
It will be followed by Gort-Kinvara (5 seats), Connemara South (5 seats), Athenry-Oranmore (7 seats), Ballinasloe (6 seats), Loughrea (5 seats) and finally Tuam (7 seats).
The boxes in these areas will be opened and tallied in that particular order before being transferred to the Galway Lawn Tennis Club on Threadneedle Road where the counting will commence around mid-morning.
That is when the fun will really begin – although the tallies should give a good indication as to where most of the seats are destined.
As regards the city, the Galway City East boxes were opened first, followed by Galway City Central and finally Galway City West. These votes will be transferred to the Westside Centre by around 11am for counting.
There are 39 seats on Galway County Council to be filled with 18 on Galway City Council. The City Council count is expected to conclude on Saturday night but the County Council count – with seven electoral areas to be filled – could well go into Monday.
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