A few dark minutes that changed a family forever

The niece of the Limerick bachelor who collapsed and died after he went to confront two burglars in his quiet rural home described how a few dark minutes on a beautiful day changed the lives of her family forever.

The death of John O’Donoghue, aged 62, on August 27, 2015, outside his home near Doon, Co Limerick, sparked national outrage.

Two cousins, David Casey, aged 21, from Coolock, Dublin, and Michael Casey, aged 33, from Clonlong halting site, Limerick, pleaded guilty to the burglary — details of which were heard yesterday at Limerick Circuit Court.

In a victim impact statement to the court, his niece, Angela Denning, said they had lost a kind, clever, talented, and witty man: “A happy home is now missing something that, unlike stolen possessions, can never be replaced.”

Dr Marie Cassidy, the State pathologist, said there were no signs of assault on Mr O’Donoghue or any evidence of him being involved in a struggle.

However, she said her evaluation of the cause of death, heart failure, could not be separated from the stressful circumstances which had caused increased heart rate and raised blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack.

Ms Denning said: “Words can’t describe the impact of this break-in on our family. After a burglary everyone loses their sense of security and feels more vulnerable; they add extra locks; get a dog; and live in fear that it might happen again. My parents used to worry about me because I live in Dublin, now I wake at night worrying about the safety of my parents and members of my family.”