Cork City sees two people die after separate stabbings in less than 48 hours

The first of the two funerals was held on Friday morning, the second will be held next week, writes Liz Dunphy

Mark O’Connell's requiem Mass was held at 11.30am on Friday in the Church of the Resurrection, Farranree. Picture: Larry Cummins

Two people died after knife attacks in Cork homes in less than 48 hours over the last seven days.

Early on Sunday morning, Mark O’Connell, a 38-year-old father-of-three was stabbed multiple times outside a house in Hollyhill.

On Monday after 9pm, Stella Gallagher, aged 59, and her husband, Brian Gallagher, aged 63, were also allegedly attacked at their home in an upmarket estate in Ballinlough.

Mrs Gallagher, a mother-of-four and a retired chemical engineer, was killed and her husband was seriously injured. The couple's son, David Gallagher, aged 25, was subsequently charged with his mother's murder and assault causing harm to his father.

The first of the two funerals was held on Friday morning. Mark O'Connell was remembered as his children’s biggest cheerleader.

Mr O’Connell was a kind and funny man who always had a smile on his face, his daughter Katlyn told some 100 mourners at his Requiem Mass in the Church of the Resurrection in Farranree, Cork City.

“My dad was my biggest supporter,” Katlyn said. “Whenever I had a match or anything I could hear his voice and it would always make it better. He cheered for me so loudly,” she said.

He’d tell all his friends how proud he was of me, I’ll never forget that. 

She used to chat to her dad for hours and they danced and sang together, although neither of them were particularly good at it, she said to warm laughter from the mourners.

“Never in a million years did I think I would be up here talking about my dad,” Katlyn said.

Mr O’Connell would always have a smile on his face when he brought his children to school on Fridays, playing their special Friday song and trying to make sure that they were in a good mood for the day.

“I remember the time we all went ice skating, and my dad was stuck to the fence the whole time. So I told him to hold my hand.

“We were ice skating and we slipped and he fell with me. He kept slipping trying to get up. I don’t think ever ice skating again,” she said to more giggles from the crowd.

Mark O’Connell would always have a smile on his face when he brought his children to school on Fridays, playing their special Friday song and trying to make sure that they were in a good mood for the day, mourners at his funeral heard on Friday. Picture: Larry Cummins

“My dad was the funniest man that ever came into my life. No matter what I went through he was there for me. I’ll forever be grateful for everything he’s done for me,” she said.

To remember her dad’s love of Liverpool football club, Katlyn brought a Liverpool scarf to the alter. His son Jake brought a lighter for his dad’s ‘smokes’. Hairspray was also brought to represent “his love of his hair and himself” which drew giggles from the crowd.

But that laughter was a brief moment of some levity during a sombre service. Mr O’Connell’s uncle, Father David O’Connell, parish priest in Monkstown, gave the sermon.

“The news. The shock. The pain. The questions. The how, the where the when? The anger. The tears. The waiting for the process to be completed,” Fr O’Connell said.

He thanked everyone who had been supportive to the family at an incredibly difficult time. Soft sobs could be heard throughout the service from pews throughout the large church. Older generations clasped their hands tightly in prayer.

You’ll Never Walk Alone, the Liverpool anthem, played as Mr O’Connell’s coffin was brought from the church before being brought to his final resting place at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Kilcully.

'You’ll Never Walk Alone', the Liverpool anthem, played as Mr O’Connell’s coffin was brought from the church before being brought to his final resting place at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Kilcully. Picture: Larry Cummins

Mr O’Connell suffered multiple stab wounds in the driveway of a house in Hollyville, Hollyhill in Cork City early on Sunday morning. He arrived at the house and got into an altercation with a man who was known to him, it is understood.

He was stabbed in the chest and shoulder area, it is understood. Although emergency services were called to the scene in Hollyville and Mr O'Connell was rushed to hospital, he was later pronounced dead.

Mr O'Connell was the father of Katlyn, Jake, and Seán, partner of Samantha, and brother of Philip. He is predeceased by his mother Ann.

A 55-year-old man was arrested at the scene.

He was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, but subsequently released without charge on Monday night. Gardaí will prepare a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions on the case.

Ballinlough stabbing

Approximately 41 hours after Mr O’Connell was stabbed on Sunday, a second alleged knife attack was taking place in Cork.

In the upmarket estate of Shrewsbury Downs in Ballinlough, on the southside of Cork City, a husband and wife were attacked at their home at approximately 9pm on Monday.

David Gallagher, aged 25, was subsequently charged with murdering his 59-year-old mother, Stella Gallagher, and assault causing harm to his father, 63-year-old Brian Gallagher.

David Gallagher (pictured) has been charged with murdering his 59-year-old mother and assault causing harm to his father. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Urgent psychiatric attention was requested for Mr Gallagher when he was charged on Wednesday in Cork district court.

A neighbourhood WhatsApp group warned residents to stay inside and lock their doors in the minutes after a stabbing in Shrewsbury Downs, a quiet estate in the Ballinlough area of Cork, on Monday night.

The couple lived in the estate for more than 10 years and worked as chemical engineers. Both had retired in recent years. They were parents to four adult children — three sons and one daughter.

Mrs Gallagher had worked for pharmaceutical multinational Eli Lilly. She worked under her maiden name of Stella Griffin. Mr Gallagher, a company director, had retired from PM Group.

Ms Gallagher was originally from Ballinspittle in West Cork. She had studied at the Cork Institute of Technology (now the Munster Technological University) where she obtained a BSc in chemical engineering.

Mr Gallagher was originally from Blackrock in Co Louth. Neighbours in the estate of large detached red-brick houses said they were shocked by the tragic news.

Gardaí and emergency services were called to the Shrewsbury Downs park in Ballinlough at around 9.15pm on Monday following reports from neighbours of an incident outside a residence. Members of the Armed Support Unit also responded.

Stella Gallagher had worked for pharmaceutical multinational Eli Lilly. Photo via RIP.ie

The couple was taken to Cork University Hospital with critical injuries. Mrs Gallagher was later pronounced dead, while her husband, Brian, was in a serious but stable condition this week following emergency surgery.

In an interview with Newstalk, Taoiseach Michael Martin described the death of Mrs Gallagher as “very, very sad news for the neighbourhood.” 

“And I live in that neighbourhood. This is totally unexpected and I can only think of the family and friends of the family who have been impacted by this awful incident,” he said.

The couple was quiet and there were never any problems with them, a neighbour who also asked not to be named said.

A Family Liaison Officer (FLO) has been assigned to support the family of the deceased.