Lines of Enquiry

As Declan Flynn made his way home in the early hours of September 10th 1982, he did not know what danger lurked in nearby Fairview park on the north side of Dublin City. In the dark shadows, was a gang with a mission. That night, kind and innocent Declan became their unknowing target.

In this episode, John explores the tragic case of Declan Flynn, a vulnerable man trying to live his life in a country where simply being yourself was considered a crime.

Lives of Enquiry is going on stage for our first ever live show on December 2nd in the O’Reilly Theatre, Dublin. Tickets go on sale on September 3rd from www.oreillytheatre.com. To get a reminder, and a link to buy tickets, sign up to our mailing list here: https://bauermediaireland.jotform.com/260255277392057

Presented by John Sweetman
Created by Darren Cleary
Episode Written by John Sweetman
Script Edited by Siobhan Walsh
Produced by Siobhan Walsh
Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan
Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons
Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh
Audio Editing Support by Ed Smith
Marketing Support by Laura Bracken and Róisín Reilly
Social Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree
Artwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree

80 year old, Nancy Nolan didn’t answer her daughter’s calls on the 16th of February, 2000. Her neighbour noticed that her car hadn’t moved in a few days. They were worried about her and sent Gardaí out to check in. The Gardaí found Nancy Nolan lying in a pool of blood in her hallway. It was clear this was not an accident.

For locals in the small village of Ballygar, Co. Roscommon, Nancy’s death dredged up memories of another murder nearly 20 years earlier that still haunted the village. In this week’s Lines of Enquiry, John revisits the case that shocked the small community and explores how the impact of Nancy’s death rippled across the country.

Lives of Enquiry will be going on stage for our first ever live show on December 2nd in the O’Reilly Theatre, Dublin. Tickets go on sale on September 3rd from www.oreillytheatre.com. To get a reminder, and a link to buy tickets, sign up to our mailing list here: https://bauermediaireland.jotform.com/260255277392057

Presented by John Sweetman
Created by Darren Cleary
Episode Written by Anna Priestland
Script Edited by Siobhan Walsh
Produced by Siobhan Walsh
Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan
Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons
Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh
Audio Editing Support by Ed Smith
Marketing Support by Laura Bracken and Róisín Reilly
Social Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree
Artwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree

On 16th of April 1984, a man jogging on a beach in West Kerry found the body of a newborn baby. The child had been stabbed to death. Nobody knew who his parents were, where he had come from, how he handed up on that beach – and nobody knew his name.
The discovery on the beach would lead to multiple garda investigations and would see a small family from rural County Kerry thrown into the national spotlight. It would become a case centred around staggering claims made against one young woman, and allegations of intimidation and coercion against the country’s leading detectives.
In this episode, John tells us about how the search to solve the case of that baby on the beach in County Kerry would become a national scandal that would change Ireland forever.

Presented by John Sweetman
Created by Darren Cleary
Episode Written by David Malone
Script Edited by Eoin Brennan and Siobhan Walsh
Produced by Siobhan Walsh & Aoife Plunkett
Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan
Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons
Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh
Audio Editing Support by Ed Smith
Marketing Support by Laura Bracken and Róisín Reilly
Social Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree
Artwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree

Irene White woke up as normal on the 6th of April, 2005. She brought her three kids to school, chatted to the other parents, and returned home where she began washing up dishes. Irene’s mother Maureen lived in a mobile home in the garden and had a routine of calling in to her daughter for a chat and a cup of tea.
On this day, she found her daughter on the floor of her kitchen, surrounded by blood. Her eyes were open and she still had her washing up gloves on.
In this episode of Lines of Enquiry, John looks back at a case that evaded Dundalk Gardaí for years, until a critical and unexpected break in the case paved the way for detectives to delve further into the case and unmask the people behind a murder that shocked Ireland.

Presented by John Sweetman
Created by Darren Cleary
Episode Written by Siobhan Walsh
Script Edited by Eoin Brennan
Produced by Siobhan Walsh
Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan
Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons
Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh
Audio Editing Support by Ed Smith
Marketing Support by Laura Bracken and Róisín Reilly
Social Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree
Artwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree

Brian Kearney arrived to work shortly before 8am on his 49th birthday – February 28th, 2006. Before he left home that morning he poured his 3 year old son Dan a bowl of Coco Pops. Later that morning, Dan’s aunt Niamh arrived at the home. She found the young child alone, crying. His mammy, Siobhan McLaughlin, had never come downstairs that morning.
After an early suspicion of suicide, one piece of evidence was essential in upgrading the case to a murder investigation - A purple vacuum flex found at the scene. In this episode of Lines of Enquiry, John Sweetman revisits the tragic death of 38-year-old Siobhan McLaughlin in Goatstown, South Dublin and the search for her killer.
Presented by John Sweetman
Created by Darren Cleary
Episode Written by John Sweetman
Script Edited by Eoin Brennan
Produced by Siobhan Walsh & Aoife Plunkett
Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan
Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons
Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh
Audio Editing Support by Ed Smith
Marketing Support by Laura Bracken and Róisín Reilly
Social Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree
Artwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree