Daniel Hourigan found guilty of Michael Foley murder in Macroom
The jury found Daniel Hourigan, 33, originally from Farranree, guilty of murdering Michael Foley, 61. File picture: Denis Boyle
A 33-year-old man on trial for killing a 61-year-old man at his home in Macroom, Co Cork, has been found guilty of the murder.
The jury found 33-year-old Daniel Hourigan, originally from Farranree, Cork city, guilty of murdering Michael Foley on February 1, 2024, at his home at Annville, Barrett’s Place, Macroom.
While Hourigan now faces the mandatory sentence of life in prison, there will be a hearing on July 30, when the family of the deceased will have an opportunity to give a victim impact statement.
The court heard that Daniel Hourigan and his companion Linda O’Flynn left the house in Macroom at around 11am on February 1, 2024, and got the bus back to Cork city, knowing that Michael Foley was dying but was not yet dead.
The jury heard that a friend of Mr Foley, Neringa Stalioniene, called to the deceased’s house at 12.32pm on February 1, and he was still alive then.
“The first sound I heard when I entered was he shouted to get out of my house. He sounded very, very drunk," the court heard.
"I didn’t see him. I did not go further than one step into the house because he is the landlord, and I didn’t want any confrontation with him. I didn’t hear anyone in the house this time. I think the TV was on in the background. I closed the door and left the house.”
His body was not discovered until February 5, when a nurse called to check on him.
Friends of the late Mr Foley said he had a long-term drinking problem, but that with some support in managing his medical appointments and related matters, he lived independently, had pride in his appearance, and always kept his house tidy.
Psychiatric nurse Ciara Harmon said Mr Foley moved into his home at Macroom in October 2022 and had the assistance of a care team.
She said he would drink Smirnoff vodka neat and then drink Lucozade when he woke up the next morning.
His accommodation in Macroom was managed by the Simon Community through Cork County Council.
He invited people struggling to find accommodation to stay at his home, both to support them and for companionship.
Ms Harmon found him lying dead in a pool of blood on the floor of his home.
Dr Margaret Bolster, the assistant state pathologist, said the injuries could have been inflicted by a long carving knife.
He had 11 stab wounds, five of which were to the left arm, four to the chest, one to the abdomen, and one to the thigh.
Describing the 19 slash wounds, Dr Bolster said 12 were to the forehead, and seven were to the left elbow and arm.
One of the stab wounds pierced Mr Foley’s right lung, leading to its collapse, and one of the slash wounds penetrated his skull and caused the loss of a lot of blood.
She said it was a combination of all the stab and slash injuries that led to the death of Michael Foley.
“Slash wounds and stab wounds led to extensive haemorrhage and death,” she said.
Daniel Hourigan’s then-girlfriend Linda O’Flynn, who is originally from the Hollyhill area of Cork, was mentioned frequently throughout the trial.
The jury was reminded that Mr Hourigan was the only person on trial, and they did not need to concern themselves with her in their consideration of evidence.
Ray Boland, defence senior counsel, said the person Daniel Hourigan was trying to prevent from being caught was Linda O’Flynn because he understood at the time that she was pregnant with his child, but in fact she was not pregnant.
However, Jane Hyland, prosecution senior counsel, said Mr Hourigan was only ever trying to protect himself in his statements to gardaí.
She said that he removed the murder weapon from the home of the deceased and that Daniel Hourigan’s palmprint was found in the house, in the blood of the deceased.
Ms Hyland said that whatever happened that gave rise to the killing of Michael Foley, it occurred “in a flash”.
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