‘On-duty’ garda was in pub on night of man’s death

A GARDA who was supposed to be on duty on the night of cattle dealer Richie Barron’s death was drinking in a pub eight miles away, the Morris Tribunal heard yesterday.

Garda Patrick Mulligan and his off-duty colleague, Garda John O’Dowd, were spotted in a pub in Lifford, Co Donegal, by another member of the force.

Garda James Connolly told the tribunal he saw the two men in the bar, which he had entered to play cards with some local friends, on Sunday, October 13 1996.

“I saw them at the bar area, 15-20 feet away from where I was standing. I wasn’t talking to them, I can’t even say if we saluted them or not,” he said.

The death of Mr Barron, whose body was found in Raphoe, Co Donegal, in the early hours of the following morning, is a key issue being investigated by the Morris Tribunal.

Mr Connolly said both men were no longer in the pub when he left at 1am.

Counsel for the two gardaí, Tom Creed SC, said both men had been in the pub from 12.25am until 12.55am. “They remained there until five to one - they had one drink.”

Garda Connolly said he accepted this. However, Garda Mulligan and Garda O’Dowd later attended the scene of Mr Barron’s death in Raphoe, with two other gardaí from Lifford Station. Garda Connolly said he was not aware of this when he was called to the scene the next morning.

A woman who was drinking in the same bar as Richie Barron on the night of his death said the subsequent garda investigation was ridiculous. Kay Quinn, who was socialising in the Town and Country bar in Raphoe with her husband and friends, told the tribunal she had been interviewed by gardaí four times, including one occasion in the back of a squad car.

She was continually asked about a confrontation in the bar between Richie Barron and Mark McConnell, who later became a suspect in the investigation.

“I used to work in the Town and Country bar, but it was nothing because there was lots of rows in the pub. Richie had said something to Mark and Mark had asked him what his problem was. He said: “Sit down, you’re an old man,” and went into the pool room.”

Ms Quinn said she joked with Mr McConnell about it later because it was very out of character for him to raise his voice.

She said it was ridiculous for gardaí to connect Mr McConnell with the death of Mr Barron. “(They) were focusing on Mark McConnell but I couldn’t understand it. I thought it would all blow over.”