Woman slammed after marrying millionaire farmer one day before his death
Friends have rallied round a woman slammed as a " gold digger" after she married a wealthy landowner, just one day before he died from cancer.
Lisa Flaherty, 50, is set to inherit a 220-acre farm worth a staggering €5.5 million (£4.7 million) following the death of her husband Joseph Grogan. But an inquest last week heard that none of the 75-year-old farmer's family were at the wedding, as they didn't even know the couple were an item.
Speaking after the hearing at Offaly Coroner's Court in Tullamore, Co Offaly, the Grogan family's lawyer said the proceedings had left "an awful lot of unanswered questions" and claimed the circumstances around the pensioner's death should be investigated by experts trained in probing "suspicious deaths".
But despite calls for a deeper forensic investigation, the coroner ruled out any further action, reports the Mirror.
Amid the fallout, Lisa's family and friends have insisted the relationship was the real deal and not about money. They say she and Mr Grogan 'were very much in love'.
Lisa had become the farmer's part-time carer as he battled Stage IV Non-Hodgkin lymphoma - a type of blood cancer - after being diagnosed in 2023.
Lisa, a mum-of-three from a previous marriage, moved into Joe's home in Screggan, Co Offaly. The pair got engaged and tied the knot in a quiet ceremony. Joe tragically died the following day, on April 15, 2023.
"The world can think what it wants but how Lisa has been portrayed is not right. They were both wonderful people who were very well respected in this community. Lisa didn't care for Joe because she wanted his money, that's total rubbish," Joe Keys, who was one of Mr Grogan's best friends, said this week.
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
And a close friend of Ms Flaherty told Mail Online: "I've known both all my life and I can promise you, they were very much in love. They were committed to each other, nobody cared for Joe like Lisa did, not even his own family. The two of them were inseparable.
"She's the one who was beside him throughout his life and when he needed her most, as he was dying. She did an amazing job, and it wasn't for financial reasons, Lisa is not that sort of person. She's one of the most loving and kind people you could ever meet."
While giving evidence at the inquest, Lisa said her relationship with Joe had started when she was a teenager. She became so emotional during proceedings that she had to leave the room multiple times.
Mr Grogan, who had no children of his own, was embalmed within hours of his passing, making it virtually impossible to determine a definite cause of death. Others in the tiny village of Screggan, who knew the farmer, said he was very much a father figure to Ms Flaherty's son and two daughters growing up.
Another friend said: "Lisa was very young when she first met Joe, but it wasn't a big deal, she was above the legal age of consent and there was nothing paedophile about his intentions. It was the start of a loving, caring relationship that continued for many years."
Mr Grogan's family insist the " police need to investigate" his death. However, the coroner delivered a "narrative verdict" which is an account of the circumstances surrounding a death rather than a direct ruling as to its cause.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Man wins £9k after Google captures him naked at home
A police officer whose backside was exposed to the world on Google Street View has won more than £9,000 in compensation. The Argentinean man was caught naked while a Google Street View car was taking images of his town in the province of Buenos Aires. The officer was on his patio when the vehicle whizzed by and snapped his behind – which was then uploaded online for billions of people to see. The red-faced man was awarded more than £9,000 in compensation after a fierce legal battle, with judges ruling Google had invaded his privacy. The cop claimed he had been standing behind a six-foot wall when he was pictured naked, but Google insisted it wasn't high enough. The first legal battle went Google's way, reports La Nacion. A judge ruled it was the police officer's fault because he was 'walking around in inappropriate conditions in the garden of his home'. They also decided that 'the only person able to identify who the naked person was, was the actual man'. The 'policeman shot himself in the foot' by his own action, the judge concluded. But appeal judges overturned this decision and ordered Google Argentina and Google LLC to pay the man a total of 16 million pesos – around £9,600. Judges decided that even though the police officer's face was not visible, his address could still be determined by the street numbers. They wrote: 'This involves an image of a person that was not captured in a public space but within the confines of their home, behind a fence taller than the average-sized person. The invasion of privacy… is blatant. 'There is no doubt that in this case there was an arbitrary intrusion into another's life'. They added that there was 'no justification for (Google) to evade responsibility for this serious error that involved an intrusion into the plaintiff's house, within his private domain, undermining his dignity. No one wants to appear exposed to the world as the day they were born.' The ruling comes after a number of experts advised people to blur their house on Google Street View. More Trending Security expert Will Geddes told Metro that criminals could use Google Maps to scope out properties and form plans to break in. He said: 'Blurring your house prevents anybody from getting any really specific information or intelligence on it.' Anyone looking to obscure their home on Street View needs to first find their property on the map. Then they can click 'Report a problem' in the lower right corner and fill out the relevant form. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Lionel Messi reaction to MLS suspension revealed MORE: Google is reading your WhatsApp messages by default – here's how to stop it MORE: Fact check: Is the US using planes for deportations to throw people into the ocean?
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Cop injured amid 'disturbance' in Scottish Borders as witness appeal launched
Police say the incident was contained and they are not lookign for any one else in relation. A police officer has been left injured following a "disturbance" in the Scottish Borders. The incident unfolded around 10amon Saturday, July 26, when Police Scotland was called to a property in the Howdenbank, Hawick. During the course of the incident, one officer was injured but did not require hospital treatment. Another man, aged 35, was taken to hospital for treatment. Detectives are now appealing for information. Detective Sergeant Kim Allan said: "This was a contained incident and we are not looking for anyone else in connection. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "This incident happened on a quiet residential street and we are hoping that locals have captured the disturbance on their private CCTV or dash-cams. "Anyone with information or footage that could help our investigation, should contact 101, quoting reference 1184 of 26 July, 2025."
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Man charged in connection with death of woman found in woodland 30 years ago
Shona Stevens died after she was discovered badly injured on a path in woodland near her home in Irvine, North Ayrshire, on November 10, 1994 - a man has now been charged A 67-year-old man has been charged following the death of a mother more than 30 years ago, police have confirmed. Shona Stevens, 31, was discovered badly injured on a path in woodland near her home in Irvine, North Ayrshire, on November 10 1994. She later died in hospital. On Friday, Police Scotland announced that a 67-year-old had been arrested - with an update on Saturday revealing the man has now been charged. It comes more than three decades after Ms Stevens was found injured on a footpath near the rear of Alder Green in the Bourtreehill Park area of Irvine. Senior investigation officer Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Gillies said: "I would like to thank the members of the local community who assisted us in our inquiries. I am grateful for their information and input which greatly contributed to our investigation." The man is now expected to appear at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Monday, July 28. The frenzied attack happened just 200 yards from the mum's Ayrshire home, as she walked to the Co-op shop in Bourtreehill shopping centre. Shona was last seen walking alone on Towerlands Road just 10 minutes before she was found, the Daily Record reports. The police investigation was hampered after crucial evidence from the crime scene was feared to have been blown away by the downdraught of the helicopter airlifting Shona to hospital in Glasgow. Five weeks later, her body was laid to rest in her mum's hometown of Portree on Skye. It was the third murder recorded in the town in 1994, leaving many local residents in fear - especially as Shona's killer walked freely. But, Police Scotland announced last year that they were 'determined' that the killer would be caught. Her death was being re-investigated as part of a cold case review. At the time, officers were hopeful that advancements in science could lead to a break through. Shona's case was featured on BBC's Crimewatch Live in 2021. A £10,000 reward was offered for any information leading to the arrest of the killer. As part of the appeal, viewers were told about an unusual object - a novelty keyring - which was recovered at the crime scene. A Police Scotland statement released today read: "A 67-year-old man arrested in connection with the death of Shona Stevens has now been charged."
