Second man accused of Kieran Quilligan murder to face Central Criminal Court trial

Kieran Quilligan's remains were found following an extensive search in East Cork. File picture: Dan Linehan

A 26-year-old man accused of murdering 47-year-old Kieran Quilligan, whose remains were found following an extensive search in East Cork, was told on Thursday that the DPP has directed trial by judge and jury at the Central Criminal Court.

Luke Taylor of no fixed address, and formerly of Cherry Lawn, Blackrock, Cork, appeared by video link from prison for the brief hearing on Thursday.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said at Cork District Court that the Director of Public Prosecutions had decided that the case would be dealt with by trial at the Central Criminal Court or by way of a signed plea of guilty at the district court for sentencing at the higher court.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, stood in for solicitor Cathal Lombard and said there was consent to a four-week remand in custody for the State to prepare and serve a book of evidence. Mr Buttimer said the State was allowed a period of six weeks in total for that process.

Mr Quilligan’s remains were found following an extensive search in East Cork. The murder count faced by Luke Taylor states that on a date unknown between September 1, 2023, and January 29, 2024, at an unknown location within the state in the District Court area of Cork City he did murder Kieran Quilligan, contrary to Common Law.

Back in July, details of the intensive investigation of the case were revealed by Sergeant John Kelleher: “There have been 851 separate lines of enquiry, 412 statements have been taken and there are over 250 exhibits pertaining to the investigation for the file have been gathered. In terms of CCTV alone, thousands of hours of CCTV were harvested and viewed by garda members assigned to the investigation.” 

Gardaí started a murder investigation following the discovery of human remains found on Monday, January 29, at Rostellan in East Cork. The late Mr Quilligan had been a missing person since September 2023 and a search had been ongoing.

32-year-old Niall Long of 35 St. Michael’s Close, Mahon, Cork, appeared on the same murder charge on Wednesday and his case was adjourned until October 30 for the book of evidence.