Disbelief in quiet village at violent deaths of ‘pillars of community’

ON a sunny day when the spectre of violent death visited the tranquil farming countryside of north Kerry, signs of new life were, ironically, everywhere to be seen.

The boreen leading to the Hanrahan home resounded with birdsong and newly born lambs frolicked in a field within sight of the 1970s-style bungalow in which the bodies of father and son, Mike and Denis Hanrahan, lay. The Hanrahan home is one of a cluster of houses in a cul-de-sac and sits highest of them all on rising ground.

And, as numbed locals tried to come to terms with the horrific loss of two well-respected men, the word “disbelief” kept coming up in conversations.

Moyvane is a friendly, intimate place where gun deaths are almost unheard of.

As retired local school principal Gabriel Fitzmaurice remarked: “Moyvane could be described as a sleepy backwater — a peaceful place where you don’t expect things like this to happen.”

The bereaved family have been known for generations as the Hanrahans of the Hill, well-respected and well-liked locally. They were yesterday described by more than one person as pillars of the community.

The Hill is just over a mile from the village of Moyvane.

Widower Mike Hanrahan, 54, was a dairy farmer while Denis, 27, who has a twin brother, Shane, was a plasterer who also helped out part time on the family farm.

There are three girls in the family — Karena, Marion and Áine. Their mother, Anne (nee Crowley), died from cancer 12 years ago. Anne had been a nurse at the Bon Secours Hospital, in Tralee, and was a native of Farranfore, Co Kerry.

Mike Hanrahan was an active member of the Moyvane Development Association and PRO for an annual festival in the parish.

He also wrote the parish notes for The Kerryman and Limerick Leader newspapers.

Gabriel Fitzmaurice, who recently retired from Moyvane national school, described him as a “fine, solid citizen” who was very involved in community activities.

Denis was an exceptionally talented athlete as a youngster and competed in many running events with Moyvane/Knockanure AC.

Soon after news of the tragedy broke yesterday, the national and local media began to descend on Moyvane. Gardaí closed off the roadway leading to the Hanrahan home as cameras crews set up their equipment.

Occasionally, family members, relatives and neighbours passed by in cars, visibly shocked and distraught.

Mr Fitzmaurice fondly recalled teaching the Hanrahan children.

He last met Denis on Tuesday evening in the village.

“He was in Holly’s shop buying a few groceries and he was just like he always was. Denis always seemed to be smiling. He was a lovely, outgoing happy-go-lucky kind of a fellow,” said Mr Fitzmaurice.

“I first heard the news of the tragedy when I went down to the shop for the paper this morning. Nobody seemed to have a clue who it was, but then the family name became known to us.

“People were absolutely gob-smacked and dumbfounded. We’re sad, depressed and in despair. I’m at a loss for words to describe the feelings of the people when the news broke. It’s one of those things you’d think would never happen in a small, secure and caring community like Moyvane.”

Local parish priest Fr John Lucid, who described the Hanrahans as pillars of the community, went to the Hanrahan home at about 9.45am after receiving a call from the gardaí. He administered the last rites.

“Our prayers are with the family today. Our hearts go out to the family. There’s a sense of disbelief around,” he said.

A neighbour, Paddy Flaherty, said: “They were lovely, outgoing people and very popular in the area.”

Another local man, Fintan McEnery, said they were honest, hard-working men and well-liked in the close-knit community.

With investigating gardaí unavailable to the assembled media all day, rumours spread and speculation about what happened in the Hanrahan home changed almost by the hour.

Many local people were too upset to talk about the tragedy.

They also recalled previous tragedies in the area including car crashes, one of which resulted in the deaths of three young Moyvane men, near Listowel, five years ago.

By mid-afternoon, assistant State pathologist Dr Margot Bolster had arrived at the Hanrahan home which had been sealed off by gardaí.

The bodies were removed a short time afterwards to Kerry General Hospital, Tralee, where postmortem examinations were being carried out by Dr Bolster last night.