Sister resumes evidence to Abbeylara inquiry

Marie Carthy has resumed her evidence to the tribunal set up to investigate the killing of her 27-year-old brother by armed gardaí in April 2001.

Yesterday, Ms Carthy told the Barr Tribunal that her brother, John, lost all trust in the gardaí after he was arrested for allegedly setting fire to a mascot in his home town of Abbeylara, Co Longford, in autumn 1998.

Ms Carthy said her brother did not commit the crime and told her the name of the person who did, but asked her to keep the information to herself.

Today, counsel for the Garda Commissioner asked Ms Carthy to write down the name of that person. The witness did so and passed the name to Justice Robert Barr, who warned that he would only disclose the information if persuaded that it was the correct course of action to take.