*Fr Harry Bohan speaks to Gardaí outside Feenagh Graveyard. Photograph: Joe Buckey
PATRICK Nugent’s family are “quietly hopeful” of a breakthrough as they continue to fight for the truth to come out surrounding his death in February 1984.
Before dawn on Tuesday morning, an exhumation on Patrick’s remains began at Feenagh Graveyard as part of an investigation into his death.
Answers have been sought from the Nugent family over the intervening forty years on the circumstances surrounding Patrick’s death. His father Joe died on October 20th 1999 aged 73 and his mother Mary Ellen Nugent died on December 22nd 2003 at the age of 79, having attempted for decades to get more clarity.
Patrick’s brother Martin said that the death of his sibling, “had a big impact on all of us, sure, but especially our parents”.
Speaking following the confirmation of Mr Nugent’s exhumation, Patrick’s brothers John and Martin said they were appreciative of the work Gardaí have undertaken over the last few years. “Our decision to agree to this unusual and unique step wasn’t taken lightly. It’s really very poignant for us as a family to experience the disinterment of our brother’s remains especially given the proximity of the grave to our family home. We accept that it’s for the best if the results can shed some additional light on what we already know.
“We have worked very closely with Gardaí and our solicitors on the complicated logistics involved in organizing this exhumation. Having agreed to go through with it we are all quietly hopeful that we might just get a breakthrough,” they said.
John told RTÉ’s Drivetime that his brother Patrick “was in the wrong place at the wrong time, he was working hard and he would have to have everything right but unfortunately something happened at the end that we still don’t want to know”. He added, “We’re hoping with the exhuming of the body that it might bring something closer and we might find out something more, at this stage we want to come to a conclusion and pretty soon, maybe the end of this year it might be finished for good”.
A statement issued by KRW LAW Human Rights lawyers acting for the Nugent family outlined, “The family believe strongly that Patrick was killed and his murder covered up. They have been fighting over 40 years now for justice for Patrick. However no one has ever been convicted in connection with his killing.”
“As part of the renewed Gardaí investigation into the controversial circumstances surrounding his death an exhumation will take place on Tuesday 24/9/24 at the family grave in County Clare,” continued the statement.
“The family have been through a criminal trial; the outworkings of a Gardaí disciplinary process; an inquest; a section 42 Gardaí Inquiry following a miscarriage of justice investigation by the IRM together with a renewed criminal investigation after the Attorney General reviewed the findings of District Judge Patrick Clyne”.
