A 34-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for murder for what was described as a vicious and savage assault on his 78-year-old uncle two years ago.
Thomas Lorigan had denied murdering John O’Neill at his home at St Brendan’s Road in Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare in January 2022. However, a jury found him guilty after a trial earlier this month.
The trial heard that Lorigan kicked and stamped on his uncle’s head before dragging him back into the house. Family photographs were found smashed in the home.
Mr O’Neill had acted as a guardian for Lorigan when Lorigan was a child after his mother, Geraldine, Mr O’Neill’s sister, had died.
However, the court heard they had not been close since Lorigan had turned 18.
In victim impact statement Mr O’Neill’s niece Niamh Higgins said the family had been torn apart by unimaginable tragedy.
She said Mr O’Neill was the core of the family and the soul of the Lisdoonvarna community.
Ms Higgins said her mother was lost, numb, and deeply tormented by the thoughts of her brother’s final moments.
Ms Higgins told the court the fact that Mr O’Neill was killed at the family home where four generations had happily lived amplified the impact for them all and their memories were forever tainted.
Mr O’Neill’s son, Seán said the horrific brutal way he died was hard to comprehend and the family had been robbed of his father’s wisdom, kindness and laughter ahead of time.
His other son, Graham described how the family could not have a wake for their father.
He said the family were in fear it could happen again as there had been no remorse, no admission, no guilty plea.
He said the family were living in a state of tension, relationships were strained and sorrow hung over them.
He said they feared the day the person who had killed Mr O’Neill walked free.
Mr Justice Paul McDermott said it was very important for family members to get the opportunity to paint a picture of the person whose life was taken.
He said family members sometimes feel the case has drifted away from the victim because of the sterile, forensic context in which everything is analysed.
But he said from what he had heard John O’Neill’s memory would never be lost.
The judge referred to the brutality of the offence and he said anyone who saw the CCTV footage of what was done to Mr O’Neill would not forget it.
He said the fact that no remorse had been expressed aggravated the nature of the offending and the shock felt by the family and the wider community.
He sentenced Lorigan to life in prison and expressed his sympathy to the family for the suffering they continued to endure.
Outside court the family’s solicitor and a friend of Mr O’Neill’s, Ronan Connolly described his friend, known as Jack, as a “king” to his family and friends.
He said today marked the end of a terrible ordeal for the family. He said they wanted to thank the first responders and the gardaí and detectives who investigated the crime.
Mr Connolly said today brought some form of closure but Jack, would never be brought back.
However, Mr Connolly said his memory would live with them forever.
