Man (31) appears in court charged with murder of pensioner in Co Tipperary
Olivia Kelleher
A man has been charged with the murder of 81-year-old retired bus driver Teddy Murnane in Tipperary town in September of last year.
Sean Harding (31) appeared before Thurles District Court in Tipperary on Wednesday.
He had previously been charged with assault causing harm to Mr Murnane at the home of a pensioner at St Michael’s Avenue in Tipperary town on September 12th, 2025.
Mr Harding of Marian Terrace, Tipperary town, on Wednesday was charged with the murder of Mr Murnane at the same address and on the same date.
Det Garda Conor Gleeson gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. He told Judge Fiona Brennan that when he arrested Mr Harding at O’Donovan Rossa St, Thurles, at 11.35 am today and put the charge to him after caution, Mr Harding made the reply, “No.”
Sgt Cathal Godfrey said the DPP had directed the withdrawal of the charge of assault casing harm. The DPP has directed that Mr Harding be tried on indictment on the murder charge at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court.
Clarification is to be made in relation to the DPP’s directions on burglary charges, which had previously been made in the case.
Sgt Godfrey said he was seeking a remand in custody for Mr Harding on the murder charge to a sitting of the district court in Tipperary on February 4th.
Mr Harding was represented in court by solicitor Colin Morrissey. Mr Morrissey requested a short adjournment in the case.
Judge Brennan remanded Mr Harding in custody on the murder charge to appear at Tipperary Town District Court, sitting in Thurles, on February 4th for service of the book of evidence in the case.
Clarification will ale sought in the interim in relation to the burglary charges.
Mr Murnane died at University Hospital Limerick on September 14th, 2025, two days after he was found with head injuries outside his home.
He was laid to rest at St Michael’s cemetery in Tipperary town on September 19th, 2025, following a requiem mass at St Michael’s church.
He was a married father of three and had seven grandchildren.
