Courts / Tipperary / Report

Farmer guilty of "Moonlight murder" of love rival whose body was hidden in tank

Summary

Patrick Quirke was found guilty of murdering part‑time DJ Bobby Ryan, known as "Mr Moonlight", by a ten‑to‑two majority jury at the Central Criminal Court. Quirke, who had pleaded not guilty, was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment. The trial, the longest murder trial in Irish history, lasted 13 weeks and involved extensive legal argument. Ryan, 52, disappeared after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's home on 3 June 2011. His body was recovered 22 months later in an underground run‑off tank on a farm leased by Quirke. The prosecution alleged Quirke killed Ryan to rekindle an affair with Lowry. The jury deliberated for 20 hours and 39 minutes before delivering the verdict. The case ended with Quirke being escorted out by prison guards, while Ryan's family, including his daughter Michelle, expressed deep grief and reflected on the loss.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Farmer guilty of "Moonlight murder" of love rival whose body was hidden in tank. Charges or matters: the murder of 52-year-old Mr Ryan, a popular DJ and musician whose stage name was "Mr Moonlight". Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• June 3, 2011 Other
• April 30 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2019-12-17 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report