Cork man goes on trial for murder of Macroom man who was found dead on his kitchen floor in a pool of blood
Michael Foley was found dead in his home in Macroom between January 31 and February 1, 2024.
A 61-year-old man was found dead in a pool of blood on his kitchen floor in Macroom after being severely beaten, as an arc of blood was found spattered on the wall behind him, and on Wednesday a 32-year-old man went on trial by judge and jury for murder.
The prosecution alleged in their opening of the case on Wednesday at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork that 61-year-old Michael Foley was murdered at his home in Barrett’s Place in Macroom on February 1, 2024. 32-year-old Daniel Hourigan, who is originally from Farranree in Cork City, pleaded not guilty to his murder.
Prosecution senior counsel Jane Hyland gave the jury an outline of the anticipated evidence in the case, but stressed the outline was not itself evidence.
Michael Foley was living in accommodation provided by Housing First, and a nurse would call twice a week to check on his welfare. He was last seen alive on CCTV near his home at 8.15pm on January 31, 2024.
A nurse called to his home on February 6, 2024, and entered when there was no answer. “She saw as she went to the kitchen, Mr Foley was dead on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood and around him blood was spattered on the wall and she immediately called the guards.
"They will confirm what she said was an arc of blood spray on the wall behind him. He had been severely beaten… They immediately commenced an investigation and set up a crime scene,” Ms Hyland said.
The prosecutor said the assistant state pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster found the 61-year-old died a violent death, including blows possibly from fists and 11 stab wounds and cause of death was haemorrhage, or blood loss.
Examination of CCTV led gardaí to focus on the accused man Daniel Hourigan and his companion Linda O’Flynn, who is originally from the Hollyhill area of Cork City. Ms Hyland said Daniel Hourigan knew the deceased and had stayed with him in Macroom previously.
Ms Hyland said Daniel Hourigan and his companion were seen arriving in Macroom at about 8pm on Wednesday January 31, 2024, and going in the direction of Mr Foley’s house, and leaving the next morning at about 11am.
She said a woman who was a platonic friend of the deceased was there on the night and left at 7.30am on February 1, 2024, when Mr Foley told her to go.
Ms Hyland said this woman returned at about 12.30pm that afternoon: “She heard [but did not see] Mr Foley like he was very very drunk or had something in his throat saying to leave. Mr Foley is never seen again from that time. He never again leaves that house,” the senior counsel said.
Ms Hyland said when Mr Hourigan and his companion left Macroom after 11am on February 1, 2024, they were seen on CCTV, and “Mr Hourigan was carrying a black plastic bag. This plastic bag turns out to have a knife inside. That knife had the blood of the deceased man Michael Foley.
She said crime scene examiners found what they would say was a palmprint of the accused man in the blood of the deceased on an architrave of a doorway at the home of the deceased.
Ms Hyland explained what was meant by the response to the murder charge made by the accused when he said: “Not guilty of murder but guilty of assisting an offender under Section 7 Subsection 2 of the Criminal Law Act 1997.”
She said that in non-legal language, “what that means is that he is saying to you that he helped another person when they committed an offence to prevent them being caught”, but that he is not guilty of murder.
The trial continues.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
