Woman told gardaí co-accused stabbed Macroom man to death, murder trial told
The court heard that Linda O'Flynn told gardaí in March 2024: 'Danny physically danced on him and stabbed him to death.' File picture: Denis Boyle
The woman accused of murdering a 61-year-old man at his home in Macroom said her co-accused “danced on him and stabbed him to death” and he claimed that she told him that she hit the victim in the face.
33-year-old Daniel Hourigan who is originally from Farranree in Cork City and 32-year-old Linda O'Flynn, who is originally from the Hollyhill area of Cork City both deny the murder of 61-year-old Michael Foley at his home in Macroom between January 31 and February 1 2024.
Each defendant effectively blames the other. To the murder charge, each of them replied not guilty to murder but guilty of impeding the prosecution of another person.
At the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork, Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford and the jury of nine men and three women heard evidence on Monday of each of the accused being interviewed by gardaí on different occasions.
Daniel Hourigan told Detective Garda Fintan Coffey that he and Linda came back from Macroom and went to Fitzgerald’s Park “to score heroin”.
He said at interview: “She said she came to bed two hours after me. She told me she hit Michael after being sexually touched by him. She said she hit him in the face… I called her a tramp and said we were finished. Linda had marks on her knuckles and wrists. She said she self-harmed but I did not be believe it.
“Linda was in shock — I believe it was put on, though. She lied about being pregnant (with my baby) and having cancer. What else was she lying about?”
Daniel Hourigan told gardaí he received a phone call from an unidentified person saying: “I would be next if I didn’t keep my mouth closed and keep Linda out of it.”
Linda O’Flynn was interviewed in February 2024 by gardaí and said: “I was never in Macroom. Charge me or let me out. I don’t know these people. On my father’s soul, I don’t know these people, I don’t know Michael Foley… I know nothing. Prove it.”
Detective Garda Peter Nolan asked her: “What can you tell me about Michael?” She replied: “F*** all. Don’t know him, never met him, don’t know him.”
She said at interview in February 2024 that her relationship with Daniel Hourigan was going on for 20 years and that he was never violent to her, that he was a slob.
On March 4, 2024, she reached out to gardaí saying she wanted to meet with them again to say something more and she attended the Bridewell with a friend and her solicitor, Diarmuid Kelleher.
She said: “Danny physically danced on him and stabbed him to death. I don’t even know this man. Danny said we would be safe there. By the time I got to that room there was blood everywhere and I mean everywhere. I ran back to the bedroom and locked myself in. I tried to (ring for help).
“They were both drunk. Danny was stoned… I walked back up (to kitchen). Danny said, ‘Get the f*** out of the room’ … Danny had a knife in his hand. I couldn’t tell you where he got it from. He must have got it there because he had no knife (before).
“He stabbed him twice, three times. I ran back down to the bedroom with fright and pissed myself. I had no phone. I would have rang for help. I ran for the door. Danny was standing in front of the door. And said, ‘Get back down to the bedroom'.
"I don’t know what they were arguing about. Danny was in and out of the bedroom, he wouldn’t leave me go.
“I don’t think he set out to hurt anyone. At the end of the day he is the one who murdered him, not me. I was the one who tried to get help but couldn’t… I told Danny to go and check the man. He said he was fine… I am clearing my name because I did nothing wrong.”
Detective Garda Hugh Byrne said that during interviews, Linda O’Flynn spat at him, tried to knock his laptop out of his hands and hit a DVD recorder in the interview room, damaging it.
The trial continues.
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