*Senior investigating officer, Insp David Finnerty. Photograph: Joe Buckley
OVER 100 witnesses who attended a party in Bunratty forty years ago on the night that Patrick Nugent died are to be interviewed as part of a fresh investigation into the death of the Sixmilebridge man.
Senior investigating officer, Inspector David Finnerty confirmed that all witnesses that are still alive will be spoken to as part of their investigation into Patrick’s death.
Patrick had been a banquet manager at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park which on the night of February 11th 1984 was hosting a wedding anniversary party for the then head chef of Aer Rianta, and local man William Ryan and his wife, Chrissie.
This function was attended by over 100 people who Gardaí are to speak with. “There are in excess of 100 witnesses, they will all be interviewed in time,” Insp Finnerty said. When asked by The Clare Echo if it was voluntary for these witnesses to come forward, he replied, “I won’t be dealing with that operational matter but we will be engaging with all witnesses that attended the party in 1984”.
There is no timeframe set for all these interviews to be completed, he confirmed and he declined to say how many had been interviewed to date, “That is an operational matter and we won’t be discussing that, all witnesses will be spoken to”. He added, “All information that people have we ask them to please come forward, they will be treated in the strictest of confidence”.
He said, “This is a fresh investigation that we are carrying out, I am treating this investigation as though it happened yesterday, we want to bring clarity to the Nugent family and also investigate the matter thoroughly”.
“Operational reasons” prevented Insp Finnerty from giving further detail on whether the two off-duty Gardaí present in Bunratty on the night were still alive and if they were able to provide further information to the investigation. When asked if their work to date has suggested Gardaí could have handled the investigation better forty years ago, Insp Finnerty stated, “I won’t be commenting on any previous inquiries or reports that have been completed in respect of this, this is a fresh investigation”.
An exhumation of Patrick’s remains commenced on Tuesday morning at Feenagh Graveyard located close to the Nugent family home.
In an original post-mortem conducted forty years ago, it detailed that Patrick suffered “abdominal injuries which were consistent with crushing”. Insp Finnerty, “this is a fresh post-mortem and I am not going to pre-judge any matters that arise out of that report”.
He was hopeful advances in technology over the intervening four decades could offer fresh information. “In conjunction with the State Pathologist, Forensic Science Ireland and forensic anthropologists, this fresh post-mortem may present opportunities to this investigation team. In addition and most importantly, it may provide clarity from the Nugent family”.
“Every investigation presents challenge, this investigation is forty years old, forty years ago the investigation team didn’t have the benefit of a forensic collision expert, we have that and a forensic collision expert has visited and examined The Barn,” Insp Finnerty outlined. He said it was “hoped” the forensic collision expert would be able to use information from 1984 in their analysis.
This investigation is being led by Insp Finnerty at Shannon Garda Station alongside “a number of Gardaí based here in Shannon Garda Station, we are supported by both the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the serious crime review team, serious crime officers both locally and nationally, the Technical Bureau and in addition the Garda Press Office”.
