Inquest into Mitchelstown deaths finds two brothers were unlawfully killed with axe while third died by suicide

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Two Mitchelstown brothers were unlawfully killed with an axe while a third brother died by suicide, according to a verdict reached by a jury at their inquest this afternoon.

The verdict was reached by a six-person jury at a coroner's court sitting in Mallow.

The brothers – Johnny, Willie and Paddy Hennessy – died after an incident at Upper Curraghgorm, Mitchelstown, on February 25.

66-year-old Willie and 60-year-old Paddy were killed at Johnny’s home in Curraghgorm before Johnny later took his own life.

59-year-old Johnny was found dead in the River Funshion on Friday, February 26 - close to where the three men's brother Jerry drowned previously.

Garda Pat Harrington gave evidence of locating Johnny's belongings on the river bank before the body was recovered. They included car keys, false teeth, a brightly coloured baseball cap and an empty cigarette bottle. He said there was an indentation on the bank indicating someone had sat down, while there were footprints indicating where Johnny had entered the water.

His body was recovered a short distance away by the air support unit.

UPDATE:

The inquest into the deaths of three brothers near Mitchelstown has heard from a close friend who noted friction between them seven weeks before they died.

A statement from John McGrath was read at the inquest into the deaths of Paddy, Willie and Johnny Hennessy today. In the statement, he said he had been at a yard where the three men were involved in splitting wood for sale seven weeks before their deaths at the end of February. The three men all had different customers.

The inquest heard that Paddy had suffered a stroke in late 2020 and was unable to deliver firewood to his regular customers.

Mr McGrath said he and the three Hennessy men were very close friends.

He said Johnny had been delivering to Paddy's customers while Paddy was sick but would not release them back to Paddy when he recovered.

Mr McGrath continued that on his visit to the yard seven weeks before they died, Willie referred to Johnny as "this other fucker" when telling him that Johnny would not give Paddy's customers back to Paddy.

His statement also said that Johnny was annoyed by Willie's plan to sell six acres of the family's 10-acre holding to fund hip surgery for Paddy.

EARLIER:

TWO brothers found dead at a farm in Mitchelstown earlier this year died from multiple blows to their heads from an axe and their other brother drowned in a nearby river.

That is according to pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster, who was giving evidence at the inquest into their deaths at Mallow courthouse this morning.

The brothers – Johnny, Willie and Paddy Hennessy – died after an incident at Upper Curraghgorm on February 25.

66-year-old Willie and 60-year-old Paddy were killed at Johnny’s home in Curraghgorm before Johnny later took his own life.

59-year-old Johnny was found dead in the River Funshion on Friday, February 26.

Dr Bolster said both Paddy and Willie would have been unconscious quickly as a result of the severity of their injuries.

Both brothers were identified by dental records.

The court heard that the head of an axe recovered at the scene was covered in blood.

A statement by the men's brother-in-law, Ned O'Reilly, was read into evidence. 

His wife Breda was the sister of the three Hennessy men. 

Johnny had rang Breda at around 6pm on February 25 and told her of a row between the brothers.

Breda gave the phone to Ned, who recalled that Johnny was roaring and out of breath.

He said Johnny had said: "I am in trouble, I am in trouble, can you come over, can you come over?"

He said there had been a row and that his brothers had beaten him up.

Ned said he told Johnny he wouldn't call to him but said he contacted gardaí.

Garda Tracey Howard said she rang Johnny after receiving the call from Ned O'Reilly but Johnny assured her that the situation was now calm.

She said he even joked that "at their age, they should know better."

Johnny's body was found around 5km away from his home after a search resulted in the discovery of a car he had been driving close to Killacluig church, outside Mitchelstown.

The bodies of Paddy and Willie were found at the farmyard. Paddy’s daughter Elaine went there with her mother Stephanie after becoming concerned when he had not returned home and neither he or his brothers could be contacted by phone.

A search for Johnny was mounted, leading to the discovery of his car at Killacluig.

A file was forwarded to the DPP, as is required even where the suspect in the case is no longer alive.

The inquest is continuing.