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Phone data places accused at scene of Oughterard death
Galway Bay fm newsroom – A court has heard that mobile phone data appears to place the man accused of the manslaughter of an Oughterard publican in the area around the time he was brutally beaten to death.
24 year old, Marian Lingurar Jr. of Blackpool, Co. Cork is charged with the unlawful killing of John Kenny at Kenny’s Bar, Main Street, Oughterard, on September 25th, 2011.
John Kenny was found by his wife and daughter – he had suffered a violent and sustained assault.
Marian Lingurar Jr. gave a statement to Gardaí the following evening at his home at Loughgeorge, Claregalway, in which he stated he had been working at the bar that night.
He claimed to have left at around 1am, and said when he last saw John Kenny, he was locking the front doors of the pub behind him.
He told Gardaí in September 2011 that he arrived home in Claregalway that night at around 1.40am, and that after that, he was ‘sure’ that he had not called or texted anyone.
Lawyers for the prosecution argue that the accused left Kenny’s Bar at around 1.30am – but returned around 2.20am, with intent to steal and commit violence if necessary.
The court heard that a phone number attributed to Marian Lingurar Jr. was ‘pinged’ in the Oughterard area multiple times between 2.20am and 3am, as were phones belonging to Marian Lingurar (Snr) and another man, Vasile Muntean.
The number attributed to Marian Lingurar Jr. was last pinged in the Oughterard area at around 3am – then pinged in Moycullen shortly after 3.10am, and again at Headford Road in Galway city at almost 3.30am.
A phone call was also made around this time to Marian Lingurar Jr’s phone number from a landline in Claregalway.
This landline also made another call to his number at around 4.06am, at which point it was pinged off a mobile phone mast in Corrandulla.
The court also heard that Florin Fitzpatrick – who worked at the bar on the night of Saturday, September 24th – texted John Kenny twice in the early hours of Sunday morning.
John Kenny’s wife Kathleen Kenny, and daughter Gillian Kenny, both gave evidence earlier in the trial that Florin Fitzpatrick was a negative influence and that John Kenny had been afraid of him.
The trial continues at Galway Circuit Court.
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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