In the heartland of County Meath, a haunting mystery spanning over half a century is being reconsidered by the force of the Gardaí, the beacon of lawfulness for Irish citizens.
The lingering cold case revolves around the chilling disappearance and subsequent killings of two young individuals, Una Lynskey and Martin Kerrigan, in the fall of 1971. The 19-year-old Lynskey vanished in the vicinity of her residence on Porterstown Lane, in the town of Ratoath. Two months later, her body was discovered near Glencullen in the scenic Dublin Mountains.
Adding another layer of intrigue, a week post the grim discovery of Ms Lynskey’s body, Martin Kerrigan, a 19-year-old man who was questioned by the police concerning her death, was abducted in Ratoath and killed. His lifeless body was found at Tibradden in Rathfarnham, Dublin.
In a stride towards unearthing the truth, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has instructed the Serious Crime Review Team to meticulously review the investigations into the deaths of Lynskey and Kerrigan. An open appeal for any information regarding the case was issued by officers from the team.
The narrative became murkier when three men, namely Martin Conmey, Dick Donnelly, and the late Martin Kerrigan, claimed their ignorance about the homicide. They were subsequently scrutinized by Gardaí, leading to the convictions of Conmey and Donnelly for the manslaughter of Lynskey, albeit under protestations of coerced confessions.
The saga of injustices allegedly continued with Donnelly’s case overturned and Conmey’s three-year wrongful incarceration, which ended with an acquittal and the case’s recognition as a miscarriage of justice. An apology was extended by the Garda Commissioner to Mr. Conmey last year, for the pain endured during this ordeal. The murder of Ms Lynskey remains irrefutably unresolved.
The tragic tale goes on with the Kerrigan family lamenting the enduring cloud over the memory of their kin, Martin Kerrigan. Furthermore, three of Ms Lynskey’s kin were convicted for Kerrigan’s manslaughter.
Regulatory strides are underway to solve the lingering mystery with Det Supt Desmond McTiernan appointed as the reviewing officer for this investigation. Assisting the local investigation team would be the Serious Crime Review Team, by thoroughly combing through the investigation’s proceedings.
Gleaning the entwined circumstances of the deaths of Lynskey and Kerrigan, Det Supt McTiernan underlined the devastation borne by the Lynskey, Kerrigan, Donnelly, and Conmey families. He highlighted their enduring impact on the Ratoath community, with the innocent victims’ families still grappling with unanswered questions regarding the probes in 1971.
To assuage these lingering doubts, Det Supt McTiernan announced a comprehensive review involving an independent examination of all relevant current and past investigations. Facilitating fully accountable and placative closure for all involved, especially the Lynskey, Kerrigan, Donnelly, and Conmey families, remains the unequivocal objective.
