Holohans mourn cancer death garda

THE parents of an 11-year-old boy killed by his neighbour were among the mourners at the removal of a garda superintendent whose tragic death from cancer came in the wake of his doctor’s negligence.

Majella and Mark Holohan, parents of Robert Holohan, from Midleton, east Cork, paid their respects to the family of Superintendent Martin Dorney at his packed removal in Cork city on Saturday evening.

Superintendent Dorney, 51, who lived in Ballinora, Waterfall, Cork, had been one of the central figures in the investigation into the disappearance of their son in January 2005, when Mr Dorney was a Midleton -based Inspector. Robert Holohan’s body was found dumped in a ditch at Inch Strand in east Cork eight days after his disappearance and his neighbour, 21-year- old Wayne O’Donoghue, was subsequently convicted of his manslaughter.

Mr Dorney gave evidence for the prosecution and it is understood Ms Holohan wrote to Supt Dorney during his illness.

He was diagnosed with metastatic malignant melanoma in 2009, six years after his GP, Dr Pat Lee, failed to pass on the findings of a biopsy report.

The 2003 report had recommended additional tissue be removed from Mr Dorney’s knee following the removal of a mole. However, the Ballincollig-based GP conceded to a Medical Council inquiry last July that he had failed to fully read the report and, as a result, had not acted on it.

He only discovered his error — which he attempted to cover up — when Mr Dorney came to him with a terminal diagnosis. He was suspended from practising medicine for six months.

Mr Dorney passed away on Friday, six months after he told the Medical Council inquiry that he had “six to nine months” to live. He is survived by his wife Paula and children Aisleigh, Niamh and Ciarán.

The esteem in which he was held by his garda colleagues was evident in the 60-strong guard of honour outside O’Connor’s Funeral Home in Wilton on Saturday night where Canon Donal Linehan, parish priest in Ballinora, told mourners it was “an occasion of very great sorrow” and of “great shock and loss”, especially for Mr Dorney’s family.

His coffin, carried by six colleagues, was draped in a tricolour. His garda hat and gloves were carried by another colleague.

The removal was attended by high-ranking officers, including Mr Dorney’s former boss Chief Supt Tom Hayes, and Chief Supt Michael McGarry, who will deliver the eulogy at today’s funeral Mass in St Joseph’s Church, Ballinora. Mr Dorney will be laid to rest at St Oliver’s Cemetery, Model Farm Road, after 11am Mass.