Accused knew of disused tank where alleged love rival's body was found, trial hears

A man accused of murdering his alleged love rival knew of the existence of the tank where the deceased's body was found, his trial has heard.

Witness Jimmy Lowry said he grew up on the farm at Fawnagowan in Tipperary where 52-year-old Bobby Ryan's body was found in 2013. He told prosecuting counsel David Humphries BL the tank was built in the late 1970s to take waste from his father's milking parlour.

When Mr Humphries asked him who knew about the existence of the tank he said: "As far as I know myself, my brother Johnny and Pat Quirke."

Patrick Quirke (50) of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 52-year-old Bobby Ryan - a DJ known as Mr Moonlight - on a date between June 3, 2011 and April 2013.

He is on trial at the Central Criminal Court.

Mr Ryan went missing in June 2011 and his body was found in a run-off tank on a farm owned by Ms Lowry and leased by the accused at Fawnagown, Tipperary in April 2013.

Clare O'Grady told Mr Humphries that she saw a silver van parked on a laneway that leads to her home on the morning that Mr Ryan went missing.

She said she thought it unusual as she leaves for work at 6.45am and lives on a quiet country lane and had never before seen any vehicles there at that hour.

The van was parked in a gateway but with the rear sticking out onto the road so that she had to drive around it.

The trial has previously heard that the deceased drove a silver van which was found at a nearby woods the day he went missing.

Mary Ryan, the former wife of the deceased, told Mr Humphries that she split with Mr Ryan because they had grown apart.

Bobby Ryan

They were, she said, more like friends than husband and wife; they had different interests and the split was amicable.

When she heard that he was seeing Mary Lowry she was happy for him and told him: "I hope everything goes well for you."

Johnny Lowry told Mr Humphries that when he found out his sister-in-law, who was widowed by his brother Martin, was seeing a new man he was happy for her.

His sister Mary Carey said she was also happy that Mary was seeing someone and sent her a text to wish her well.

Niall Quinn, a sub contractor at the quarry where Mr Ryan worked as a truck driver, described the deceased as punctual and a "perfect employee" who got on well with his colleagues and customers.

Before his disappearance he told Mr Humphries that Mr Ryan took the previous Friday off to travel to Bundoran. When he returned the following Monday, the witness felt Mr Ryan was in "good form".

When he failed to show up for work on Friday, June 3, Mr Quinn went to the deceased's house looking for him. He didn't find him and decided to take over Mr Ryan's truck driving duties for the day.

The trial continues this afternoon in front of Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of six men and six women.