Co. Donegal • 11 stories • Since 22 Jan 2025 • Latest 17 Aug 2026
Former lovers Alan Vial and Nikita Burns have both been found guilty of murdering 66-year-old Robert Robin' Wilkin, whose body was thrown over the cliffs at Sliabh Liag, one of Donegal's most popular tourist attractions. The jury of seven women and five men at the Central Criminal Court this afterno
If either of two former lovers is not guilty of murdering 66-year-old Robert Robin' Wilkin, whose body was put over Ireland's tallest cliffs, they could be found guilty of impeding the prosecution of their co-accused by helping to destroy evidence, a jury has been told. Mr Justice Paul McDermott fin
(Pictured: Trial judge Mr Justice Paul McDermott. Photo: Collins) A jury has been warned that it could be dangerous to act on the testimony of a man who has blamed his former lover and co-accused for the murder of a 66-year-old man whose body was put over Ireland's tallest cliffs at Sliabh Liag. Mr
A "smouldering resentment" exploded into violence in which a murder accused struck a 66-year-old man six or seven times on the head with a rock before putting him over Ireland's tallest cliffs, a barrister has told a jury at the Central Criminal Court. Eoin Lawlor SC, delivered his closing speech on
A barrister has described a murder accused as a "cynical liar" who is attempting to make fools of a jury by claiming that he did not lay a finger on 66-year-old Robert Robin' Wilkin, whose head was beaten in with a rock before his body was "unceremoniously deposited into the Atlantic Ocean" at Irela
Three days before a pensioner was allegedly beaten with a rock and thrown off Ireland's highest cliffs, he had an aggressive altercation with the man accused of his murder, the defendant's brother has told the Central Criminal Court. Bruce Vial, the brother of the accused man Alan Vial (39), also to
ALAN LYONS ON BEHALF OF NAOMH ULTAN GAA CLUB — BALLYMAGOWAN DUNKINEELY DONEGAL PO CO. DONEGAL. (1) RETENTION OF (A) 18 NO. 6M HIGH LIGHTING COLUMNS TO EXISTING WALKING TRACK, (B) SINGLE STOREY DE...
AISLING BYRNE — KILLULTAN ST JOHN'S POINT DUNKINEELY CO. DONEGAL. (1) DEMOLITION OF EXISTING DWELLING AND DOMESTIC SHED, (2) DECOMMISSION OF EXISTING SEPTIC TANK, (3)...
ANDREW BLAIN is seeking permission RENOVATION, REFURBISHMENT AND ERECTION OF NEW EXTENSION TO REAR OF EXISTING DERELICT COTTAGE AND CONNECTION TO SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT at BALLYBODONNELL, DUNKINEELY, DONEGAL PO, CO. DONEGAL. New Application.
PETER & DEBORAH GALWAY — MAIN STREET DUNKINEELY DONEGAL PO CO. DONEGAL. SELF-CONTAINED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY FOR SHORT-TERM LETTING PURPOSES, ASSOCIATED SIGNAGE AND SITE DEV...
KEVIN O'DONNELL — DUNKINEELY DONEGAL PO CO. DONEGAL. CONSTRUCTION OF A DWELLING HOUSE WITH CONNECTION TO EXISTING PUBLIC SEWAGE SYSTEM, TOGETHER WITH ALL...
Cases and rulings mentioning Dunkineely from local newspapers and Courts News Ireland.
Alan Vial and Nikita Burns have been found guilty of murdering 66-year-old Robert Wilkin at the Central Criminal Court. The jury returned majority verdicts of ten to two against each accused. Wilkin's body was discovered in the sea below Sliabh Liag cliffs in County Donegal on...
At the Central Criminal Court, Alan Vial and Nikita Burns have been convicted of the murder of Robert Wilkin, a 66-year-old man whose body was disposed of at Sliabh Liag in County Donegal in June 2023. Following an altercation on the Roshine Road near Killybegs, the accused...
A jury has begun deliberations in the Central Criminal Court in the murder trial of two Co Donegal residents. Alan Vial, aged 39, from Drumanoo Head in Killybegs, and Nikita Burns, aged 23, from Carrick, have each pleaded not guilty to the murder of Robert Robin Wilkin on 25...
At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul McDermott has warned the jury that it would be dangerous to rely on the testimony of Alan Vial, who has implicated his co-accused Nikita Burns in the death of Robert Wilkin. Both deny murdering the 66-year-old man, whose body was...
At the Central Criminal Court, closing arguments concluded in the trial of two people charged with the murder of Robert Robin Wilkin near Sliabh Liag in County Donegal on 25 June 2023. Nikita Burns (23) of Carrick and Alan Vial (39) of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, have both...
At the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution has described Alan Vial, aged 39, of Killybegs, County Donegal, as a "cynical liar" who fabricated his account to evade responsibility for the death of 66-year-old Robert Robin' Wilkin. Bernard Condon SC, prosecuting, told the jury...
A 39-year-old man accused of murder has testified at the Central Criminal Court that his co-accused struck the alleged victim with a rock, causing the pensioner's death. Alan Vial, of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, County Donegal, told the court he was physically struggling with...
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury has viewed CCTV footage documenting the alleged movements of two defendants on the night of a pensioner's death in County Donegal. Nikita Burns, aged 22, of Carrick, and Alan Vial, aged 39, of Killybegs, have pleaded not guilty to the...
A pensioner had engaged in an aggressive altercation with the man accused of his murder just three days before he was allegedly beaten with a rock and thrown from Ireland's highest cliffs, the Central Criminal Court heard today. Bruce Vial, brother of the accused Alan Vial,...
The Central Criminal Court trial has heard that it remains unknown whether a 66-year-old man was deceased when he was allegedly thrown from Sliabh Liag cliffs in Donegal in June 2023. Nikita Burns, aged 22, of Carrick, County Donegal, and Alan Vial, aged 39, of Drumanoo Head,...