Courts / Tipperary / Report

Quirke gets date to appeal Mr Moonlight murder conviction

Summary

Patrick Quirke, a 50‑year‑old farmer from Breanshamore, Co. Tipperary, has been granted a hearing in October to appeal his conviction for the murder of Bobby Ryan, a part‑time DJ known as 'Mr Moonlight'. Ryan disappeared on 3 June 2011 after leaving the home of his girlfriend, Mary Lowry, and his body was found in an underground run‑off tank on Lowry's farm in April 2013. The prosecution argued Quirke killed Ryan to rekindle a relationship with Lowry and staged the body's discovery after Lowry tried to terminate his lease. Quirke's lawyers contended the evidence was merely suspicious, citing inconsistencies in Lowry's testimony and questioning her reliability. A Central Criminal Court jury found Quirke guilty after 20 hours and 39 minutes of deliberation, and he received a mandatory life sentence on 1 May 2019. The Court of Appeal has set 13 October for the appeal hearing, which is expected to last four days.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Quirke gets date to appeal Mr Moonlight murder conviction. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

• June 3rd, 2011 Other
• April 2013 Other
• May 1, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
• October 13 Hearing Or Sentence
• September 2007 Other
• August 2010 Other
• June 2, 2011 Other
• August 2011 Other
• December 2012 Other
• 2019-12-16 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Appeal Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report