Courts / Tipperary / Report

Lady's hair clip found in tank with DJ's remains, Moonlight murder trial hears

Summary

In the Central Criminal Court, Patrick Quirke (50) pleaded not guilty to the murder of Bobby "Mr Moonlight" Ryan, a part‑time DJ who vanished on 3 June 2011. Ryan's body was discovered in an underground run‑off tank on Quirke's farm at Fawnagown, Tipperary, in April 2013. Garda Gerry Canty, a crime scene examiner, testified that he visited the site the day after the body was found and photographed items removed from the tank, including bone fragments, a lady's hair clip, cable ties, tubing, buttons and pipe covers. He placed these items in a tamper‑evident bag and marked them as exhibits. Canty admitted he had not mentioned the hair clip in his initial statement or notes, and that the exhibit chart for the defence listed only cable ties and pipe covers. He also confirmed he had no role in retrieving, bagging, marking or charting the bag's contents.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Lady's hair clip found in tank with DJ's remains, Moonlight murder trial hears. Charges or matters: the murder of Mr Ryan – a part-time DJ going by the name Mr Moonlight. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• June 3, 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
• April 2013 Other
• November 2018 Other
• April 30, 2013 Other
• 2019-02-19 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report