Godmother learned of John Carthy’s shooting on TV news

ANN Walsh wept as she described to the Barr Tribunal yesterday how she learned on the evening TV news her first cousin and godson John Carthy had been shot in the Abbeylara siege.

Mr Carthy, a manic depressive with a history of psychiatric illness, died on the roadway outside his home on April 20, 2000 after being shot by members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit.

Recalling the Co Longford tragedy three years ago, Mr Walsh said: "It was on the news that evening that somebody had been shot. I was in the kitchen with Aunt Rosie and she was crying."