'Mr Moonlight' witness Mary Lowry bailed after admitting careless driving causing death

David Raleigh

A witness in the ‘Mr Moonlight’ murder trial has been remanded on continuing bail after she pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving causing the death of a man.

Mary Lowry (50s), of Green Road, Dundrum, Co Tipperary, appeared before Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday for sentencing, which was adjourned to March 21st.

The mother-of-three has pleaded guilty to one count of careless driving causing the death of Patrick Connolly (51), of Skehennarinky, Co Tipperary, on December 28th, 2021.

Mr Connolly was participating in a charity motorbike outing at the time of the fatal collision.

At a previous court hearing, Ms Lowry admitted that “on the 28th of December 2021 at the N24, Spring House, Bansha, Co Tipperary” she drove a vehicle “without due care and attention, thereby causing the death of Patrick Connolly”.

The offence is contrary to section 52(1) & 52(2)(a) of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison, and/or a fine not exceeding €10,000.

Mr Connolly, who had been riding a motorbike with his son as a pillion passenger when the crash happened, died from injuries in hospital a number of days after the collision.

On Tuesday, Ms Lowry sat quietly in the public gallery at Clonmel Circuit Court waiting for her case to be called before Judge Catherine Staines.

Judge Staines granted an application by barrister, Pádraig de Búrca BL, acting for Ms Lowry, to adjourn sentencing to March 21st, which was consented to by State prosecution counsel, David Humphries BL.

Ms Lowry became well-known when her evidence at the murder trial of killer Patrick Quirke was key to the prosecution case against him.

Ms Lowry’s boyfriend, Bobby Ryan, a popular DJ known as “Mr Moonlight”, went missing on June 3rd, 2011 after leaving Ms Lowry’s home in Fawnagown, Tipperary at 6.30am.

His body was found on April 30th, 2013, in an underground septic tank on Ms Lowry’s farm which was being leased by Quirke.

The prosecution claimed Quirke murdered Mr Ryan so he could rekindle an affair with Ms Lowry. He is serving a mandatory life sentence in prison having lost an appeal against the verdict.