Suspect questioned over Clare woman’s death

GARDAÍ in Co Clare were last night questioning a 39-year-old man in connection with the death of guesthouse worker Deirdre McCarthy, whose body was found washed up on a beach last week.

The man was arrested at about 12.30pm yesterday in Galway as hundreds of people gathered in the village of Ballyvaughan to bid their final farewells to the 43-year-old woman.

The suspect was arrested after he had been discharged from Galway University Hospital where he was being treated for injuries he sustained in an incident last Friday night.

The man was brought to Ennis Garda Station for questioning in relation to the death of Ms McCarthy. He is being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

The body of the single woman was found washed up at Fanore beach in Co Clare last Thursday morning, three days after she was reported missing from her Ballyvaughan home. She was last seen alive on Sunday, March 27.

At her funeral at St John the Baptist Church yesterday, Fr Richard Flanagan said: “We do not come here today to point the finger or to judge. These are not my words but Helen’s [Deirdre’s mother]. They are courageous and generous sentiments from a mother who lost her child. I, for one, am humbled by them. Only a mother, in her own grief and pain, could possibly spare a thought for another mother in our community who is also suffering today. Only a human being who knows what it is to make a mistake and has the humility to recognise her own frailty could have such inspiring compassion.”

He said everyone at the funeral would love to rewind the clock and go back to being the quiet and peaceful village it was just over a week ago.

“But, sadly that is something we cannot do. We cannot delete the tragic events of the past week. There is no going back, but only moving forward with courage and fortitude,” said Fr Flanagan.

He also spoke about the pain and suffering which the McCarthy family have had to endure and talked about how Deirdre’s death had thrown her family into a surreal world of torment and confusion.

Fr Flanagan also paid tribute to the family’s demeanour throughout the entire week.