Kieran Quilligan's partner last saw him when he left their flat with one of murder accused, court hears

Another witness tells court how he and Kieran Quilligan went to buy drugs from another of the men accused of murder

The Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork was told that Luke Taylor (pictured) was with Kieran Quilligan on Friday, September 1, 2023.

Kieran Quilligan told his partner as he was leaving their apartment that he would be back in “five or 10 minutes” but that was the last time she ever saw him, she told the judge and jury at the murder trial which opened in Cork on Wednesday.

Colette O’Driscoll testified at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork that her partner left the apartment at around 8.30pm or 9pm on Friday, September 1, 2023, in the company of Luke Taylor — one of the two men on trial for Mr Quilligan’s murder.

33-year-old Niall Long, formerly of St. Michael’s Close, Mahon, Cork, and 27-year-old Luke Taylor, formerly of Cherry Lawn, Blackrock, Cork, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork to the single charge of murder.

The murder count against each man 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.

John Paul Thornton admitted in court that he, and not Kieran Quilligan, got into the altercation with Niall Long (pictured).

Ms O’Driscoll testified that she and Mr Quilligan had been in a relationship for 10 years at that time in September two years ago and were living in a Simon Community apartment at Riverview on Anderson’s Quay.

She said he had been on and off drugs through his life and at this time he was taking crack cocaine, Ms O’Driscoll said. She became worried after a few days when he did not return. 

“I met him (Luke Taylor) on top of Oliver Plunkett Street towards the bus station. I asked him where did he leave Kieran. He said he didn’t know, he left him on Morrisson’s Island.” 

She said she had only known Luke Taylor for the previous few weeks when he was around the Simon Community area. She said Mr Quilligan bought drugs from Niall Long.

John Paul Thornton, known as Bubbles, was with Kieran Quilligan on the morning of September 1, 2023, when they went to buy drugs from a man, later identified as Niall Long, at a side street off York Street, between MacCurtain Street and Wellington Road. 

He knew Kieran Quilligan 25 years and they took drugs together.

Asked about that morning, he said: “We went to buy drugs from some fella. I can’t remember. 

We started arguing over money. We — me and Kieran — ended up just taking the drugs off him. We ended up snatching the bag off him. 

He said he went back to Kieran’s flat and they used drugs. Mr Thornton described himself as being off his head. He said that in the bag that they snatched there was €200 worth of heroin (gear), €200 worth of crack cocaine, tablets and €500 to €600 in cash.

Mr Thornton admitted that he, and not Kieran Quilligan, got into the altercation with Niall Long, catching him in a head-lock and dragging him to the ground. A couple who lived near St. Fin Barre’s Place heard men shouting and banging in the laneway at around 9.15pm and called the gardaí.

The trial before Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford and a jury of 10 men and two women continues on Thursday.