Man and woman on trial for Macroom murder are 'effectively blaming each other', court told

A man and woman who have gone on trial by judge and jury for the murder of 61-year-old Michael Foley at his home in Barrett’s Place in Macroom are effectively blaming each other for his death on February 1 2024.

Prosecution senior counsel Jane Hyland gave the jury an outline of the anticipated evidence in the case but stressed that the outline was not itself evidence at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

Michael Foley was living in accommodation provided by Housing First and a nurse would call twice a week to check on his welfare. He was last seen alive on CCTV near his home at 8.15pm on January 31 2024.

When a nurse called to his home on February 6 2024 she found him lying dead on the kitchen floor of his home and the gardaí were called. Gardaí were immediately notified and the deceased had signs of having been severely beaten.

Assistant state pathologist found that the 61-year-old died a violent death, including blows possibly from fists and eleven stab wounds.

“Cause of death was haemorrhage with shock due to multiple stab and slash wounds,” Ms Hyland said.

“The state case is that these two people were acting together in joint enterprise in the unlawful killing of Michael Foley and that at the time they intended to kill or intended to cause serious injury to Mr Foley.

“Both of the accused people were interviewed by gardaí. Both of them at the start said they were not in Macroom at the time, on the night. Ultimately, at the end of interviews both accused effectively blamed the other person for the injuries inflicted on Michael Foley and the death of Michael Foley.” 

Ms Hyland reminded the jury of the precise nature of the not guilty to murder charge, entered by both of the accused when they were arraigned. 

Both of them replied: “Not guilty of murder but guilty of assisting an offender under Section 7 Subsection 2 of the Criminal Law Act 1997.” 

The trial of 32-year-old Daniel Hourigan, who is originally from Farranree in Cork city, and 32-year-old Linda O'Flynn, who is originally from the Hollyhill area of Cork city is expected to take approximately three weeks at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

In terms of the anticipated evidence Ms Hyland said Daniel Hourigan was distantly related to the deceased and that the two accused, who were in a relationship with each other, travelled together by bus to Macroom on January 31 2024 and were seen on CCTV at 8.19pm close to the late Mr Foley’s house.

“The accused people are then seen the following morning – Thursday February 1 2024, moving past the same camera on the reverse journey that they made the night before.

“At 11.08 am Ms O’Flynn is seen passing the CCTV camera. 

"Mr Hourigan is seen 90 seconds later, following her… They are laden down with bags. They brought bags with them (the previous day), they are carrying the bags back. One of the bags is placed in the hold of the bus which is travelling to Cork city.

“As the bus approaches Cork city they disembark on Western Road. The bus driver hears conversation between them about the bag – the black bin bag – which was left on the bus (in the hold).

“The bus driver (later) looked into that bag. It contained a large knife… The blood of Michael Foley, the deceased man, was found on that knife.” 

The trial continues on October 28.