Witness breaks 30-year silence as killer is released

THE sole witness to one of Ireland’s most notorious murders has broken a 30-year silence to reveal his attempts to save the life of nurse Bridie Gargan, who was beaten to death in Dublin’s Phoenix Park by Malcolm MacArthur.

Paddy Byrne, who was employed at the time as a gardener at the US Embassy, had just finished work at 5pm on July 22, 1982. He was walking home to the embassy bungalow, where he lived with his wife and children, when he spotted a bearded man slinking from tree to tree towards a parked car. The car, parked on Chesterfield Avenue, belonged to Ms Gargan, who was sunbathing on the grass nearby on what was a scorching summer’s day.

“I saw this guy who was dressed a bit queer, with a hat and heavy pullover on such a hot day,” recalled Paddy yesterday. “I saw him hiding from tree to tree and going towards the car.”