Jury in murder trial will hear both accused blame each other, Cork court told

A 61-year-old man was found severely beaten and dead on the kitchen floor of his home in Macroom and today the trial of a man and woman accused of murdering him commenced.

The body of Michael Foley was found at his home in Annville, Barrett’s Place, Macroom, in February 2024 and a murder investigation was commenced.

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, both deny the murder between January 31 and February 1 2024. Each defendant effectively blames the other. To the murder charge, each of them replied not guilty to murder but guilty of impeding the prosecution of another person.

Prosecution senior counsel Jane Hyland gave the jury of nine men and three women an outline of the anticipated 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 and they found the deceased had signs of having been severely beaten.

Assistant state pathologist Margaret Bolster later reported that the 61-year-old died a violent death, including blows possibly from fists and eleven stab wounds. The pathologist concluded that the cause of death was haemorrhage with shock due to multiple stab and slash wounds.

“What the State says is that these two people were acting together in what the State call a joint enterprise, they acted together and they intended to kill or they intended to cause serious injuries to him. In other words, that they murdered him."

“Both of the accused people were interviewed by gardaí. Both of them at the start said they were not in Macroom on that night.

“Ultimately, by the end of the interviews you will hear that both Daniel Hourigan and Linda O’Flynn blame each other for the injuries inflicted on Michael Foley. Linda O’Flynn blames Daniel Hourigan. And Daniel Hourigan blames Linda O’Flynn,” Ms Hyland said.

CCTV was examined in relation to the movements of various parties. The deceased was last seen alive on a camera close to his home at 8.15pm on January 31 2024. Ms Hyland said Daniel Hourigan and Linda O’Flynn were in a relationship with each other and 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.

“They are seen going back to the bus station in Macroom. One of the bags carried by Mr Hourigan is placed in the hold of the bus which is travelling to Cork city. The bus driver will tell you that a black bin bag is left on the bus and that the two accused get off the bus at Western Road and walk towards the Mardyke.

“The bus driver will tell you of finding that bag and when he looked into that bag he found a large knife … Blood of Michael Foley, the deceased man, was found on that knife.” 

The case, which continues before Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford and a jury of nine men and three women, is expected to conclude by November 20.