Family still miss loving son Robert

The father of schoolboy Robert Holohan today spoke of how much he dreads his son’s anniversary.

Mark Holohan was speaking following Mass in Midleton yesterday to mark the second anniversary of Robert’s death.

The 11-year-old was strangled by neighbour Wayne O’Donoghue on January 4, 2005.

Mark Holohan said today that he, Robert’s mother Majella and siblings Harry and Emma have to try to live life as normal.

But he said: “The anniversary is a tough day. It is not a time of year that I look forward to now.”

He said the family has not considered a civil action against O’Donoghue, who is serving a four-year prison sentence for Robert’s manslaughter.

An appeal by the DPP against the sentence earlier this year was rejected by the Court of Criminal Appeal in October.

After yesterday’s anniversary Mass, Majella Holohan said the justice system had failed her family.

She said: “We have gone through the judicial system, and it failed us as parents of a little boy.”

The heartbroken mum said she stood over claims made in her victim impact statement that semen had been found on her son’s body.

She said: “We told no lies — everything I said in the victim impact statement I stand over. I think the truth is there. Everything is in the garda file.”

And she said that victims need to be given a bigger role in the justice system.

She said: “The victim has to have more of a role in the judicial system. Things are getting very tough in this country at the moment. People are afraid in their own homes — it is time for hard law to come into this country.”

Speaking of her family’s pain, she said: “Losing a child is the toughest thing that any parent could go through. I don’t think we will ever get over it. I would like to thank the people who supported us, who have been fantastic. We will hopefully get through this. It is a long, slow process for us and for the victims of all crime.”

Ms Holohan said she had completely trusted Wayne O’Donoghue and had been let down by him. She said she couldn’t be dishonest and say she was happy that he is likely to be released within a year.

Article courtesy of the Evening Echo newspaper.