Angry scenes outside Cork court as man is charged with murder of man in Macroom
Daniel Hourigan, who was charged with the murder of Michael Foley, arriving at Bandon District Court. Picture: Denis Boyle
A man has been remanded in custody after he was charged on Friday with the murder of a man whose body was found in his sheltered accommodation in Macroom, Co Cork, last week.
Daniel Hourigan, 31, with an address care of Cork Simon, was brought before a sitting of Bandon District Court in the last hour, where he was charged with the murder of Michael Foley, at a date unknown between January 31, 2024, and February 1, 2024, in Macroom town.
Detective Sgt Danielle Hegarty of Macroom Garda Station gave evidence of arrest charge and caution, and said Mr Hourigan made no reply to the charge. His solicitor, Eddie Burke said Mr Hourigan was on jobseekers allowance, and he applied for and was granted free legal aid.
Judge James McNulty acceded to the State's request to remand Mr Hourigan in custody and he directed that he appear before Clonakilty District Court by video link next Tuesday.
Mr Burke said his client has various addiction issues, and ‘nerve trauma’ in his left hand, and he asked that he receive medical assistance upon committal. Judge McNulty said Mr Hourigan would receive all appropriate medical attention while in custody.
There were angry scenes outside the courtroom as Mr Hourigan was driven away by gardaí. Several relatives of Mr Foley had gathered outside and they shouted abuse at Mr Hourigan as he was being led away to a waiting garda car.
Michael Foley, 61, who was originally from Scartagh in Clonakilty, West Cork, was found dead in the kitchen of his bungalow in a sheltered accommodation complex at Annville, near Barrett’s Place in Macroom, Co Cork, at around 1pm on Tuesday, February 6.
He had lived in the county council-owned complex for about a year. The alarm was raised after neighbours called to his home and got no answer. A care worker then called to check on him and found his badly injured body lying in the kitchen.
It is believed he may been dead for a few days before his body was found. A murder investigation was launched after an autopsy confirmed he had suffered a violent death.
His remains were buried last Monday. Before the requiem mass in Clonakilty, his friend Ciss O’Driscoll described him as a “gentleman”, who was kind-hearted and would “do anything for you”.
His coffin, covered with the Irish flag, was wheeled out of the church by relatives through a guard of honour featuring his fishing rods, which had earlier been presented at the altar by family members as mementoes of his life. He was later laid to rest in St Mary’s cemetery outside the town.
In October 2018, his younger brother, Timmy, 44, died after being stabbed 28 times by his ex-wife, Rita O’Driscoll, 48, at Dan Corkery Place, in Macroom. Ms O’Driscoll is now serving a life sentence for murder.
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